My top priority as Attorney General is the safety and security of Montana communities. The bills the Department of Justice brought and supported during the recently concluded legislative session to combat human trafficking, the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis, illicit drugs, and sex crimes and gives law enforcement and prosecutors new tools to keep Read More…
Joe Biden’s appointment to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – recently appeared twice on Capitol Hill to argue in favor of that agency’s funding and to answer questions about its priorities and activities. During those appearances he repeatedly underscored he is not a firearms expert and could not himself define what an “assault weapon” is. These were Read More…
Montana’s Judiciary is overwhelmingly liberal but many won’t admit it Much ado has been made of Republican legislators’ attempts to reform Montana’s judiciary. Democrat politicians, left-wing activists, and many in the media have demagogued on the issue, railing against Republican “attacks” on the “non-partisan” judiciary. Even former Governor-turned-Washington-DC-lobbyist, Marc Racicot, and retired liberal Justice Jim Read More…
In recent years talk of defunding the police has been popular in other states, but our Montana values run contrary to that line of thinking. We believe in supporting those who put their lives on the line to protect citizens every day. To that end I have recently introduced Senate Bill 294. SB 294 establishes Read More…
This week we reached our transmittal break, marking the halfway point of the 68th Legislature. Probably the most-discussed legislation so far is our tax relief package, which we refer to as the “8 pack.” We’ve also passed a number of technology-focused privacy bills, dozens upon dozens of red tape relief bills, and several bills to Read More…
President Biden might want to pretend the fentanyl crisis and other tragedies aren’t happening When President Joe Biden delivers his annual message to Congress Tuesday, we have little doubt that he will once again proclaim—as he has the past two years—that “the state of the Union is strong.” But that is far from the truth. Read More…
It’s election season, also known as the season of misleading information. A prime example is what appears to be Montana Democrats’ main talking point on legislative races: “If the Republicans can flip just two more legislative seats, they’re coming after the Constitution.” What the Democrats fail to mention is that the legislature cannot change Montana’s Read More…
As a native Montanan having grown up on a farm in north central Montana, I appreciate honesty, integrity and down to earth qualities in an individual. That is why I support Randy Chamberlin for SD 32. Randy and I initially crossed paths about 15 years ago as a result of a business relationship. Our rapport Read More…
Sen. Joe Manchin says he supports repealing the Trump administration tax cuts that were passed at the end of 2017. This is surprising because Manchin has stood up for West Virginia taxpayers against the Democratic Party-Biden Build Back Better plan that would raise taxes on working families and small businesses. By supporting the repeal of Read More…
Where is Paul Volcker when you need him? In the early 1980s, the late Federal Reserve chairman stared down double-digit inflation and made it blink first. Back when huge shoulder pads were in and Twisted Sister was at the height of its popularity, Volcker helped President Ronald Reagan wring inflation out of the economy in Read More…
I am pleased to support Charlie Loveridge for Billings City Council. Born and raised in Billings, a small business owner, community volunteer and dedicated family man, Charlie will bring a pragmatic, commonsense approach to the city council. His opponent, Denise Joy, is a self-described Democrat Socialist and has been endorsed by some of the most Read More…
In early 2017, China appeared to be on a roll. Its economy was beating estimates. President Xi Jinping was implementing the country’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative and was on the cusp of opening China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti. Most important, Xi seemed poised to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s determination to Read More…
‘It is too much,” former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley whispered under her breath after she had spontaneously hugged an Ashkelon resident whose home had been damaged by a Hamas rocket during the May war. Tears had swelled up in both their eyes as she wrapped him in her arms outside his rubble-strewn home. READ Read More…
To hear some politicians and commentators tell it, this will be a banner weekend for global tax policy. And you know what that means, dear reader: Hang onto your purses and wallets. The danger to personal tax bills may not be immediately apparent because the current discussion concerns corporate taxation. Finance ministers from the Group Read More…
Recent revelations that Chief Justice Mike McGrath and members of the judicial branch engaged in lobbying campaigns against particular legislation that they did not like is deeply concerning. Having members of the judicial branch taking positions on particular bills and using taxpayer resources to lobby against them is certainly not what the framers of our Read More…
Montana voters overwhelmingly rejected Steve Bullock’s recent attempt to represent us in the US Senate – he lost the race by over 60,000 votes. Based on the column he submitted to news publications across the state, it seems Mr. Bullock still has not gotten over his loss. Voters going to the polls last November had Read More…
The economy is roaring back as government lockdowns finally end, and employers are struggling to find workers. Enter Montana with a novel idea: telling the feds that it doesn’t want their extra payments for not working. On Tuesday Gov. Greg Gianforte said that by June 27 Montana will end its participation in the federal supplemental Read More…
Over the last year, the pandemic has opened our eyes to the reality that high-speed internet is essential for Montanans across the state. The pandemic also reminds us of the painful truth that Montana ranks 50th in the nation when it comes to this vital service. Since the pandemic began, we’ve learned that telehealth services Read More…
Mayor Ted Wheeler appears to have finally worked out that the residents of Portland, Oregon might be losing patience with endless rioting and vandalism. If only he were in a position to do something about it. Portland is a joke. The city has gone from being a byword for early-2010s hipsterism, replete with vegan bookstores Read More…
Is there anything that politics can’t ruin? The answer, it appears, is a resounding “no” as partisan conflict creeps into all areas of American life. Our political affiliations, researchers say, obstruct friendships, influence our purchases, affect the positions we take on seemingly apolitical matters, and limit our job choices. As a result, many people are Read More…
Washington’s public works department should have built an emergency system of drainage ditches, culverts and tunnels to divert into the Potomac River the torrents of praise, approval and adoration the press poured down on President Joe Biden on Inauguration Day. At one point in the early evening, citizens living in low-lying portions of the city Read More…
The idea that materialistic values can obstruct our path to happiness dates back hundreds of years. The Buddha encouraged a balance between asceticism and pleasure; early Christian monasticism preached spiritual transformation through simple living; philosopher Lao Tzu warned that if you chase after money, “your heart will never unclench.” Centuries later, the question of Read More…
Montana turned deep red in 2020, as Republican candidates swept every statewide office on the November ballot and won the governor’s office for the first time in 16 years. Celebration among Montana Republicans has been tempered only by the realization that President Donald Trump lost his bid to remain in the White House – a Read More…
Here’s something you probably won’t hear from either the left or the right: West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is a much more important and influential Democrat than New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (or “AOC” for marketing purposes). Just this week, Mr. Manchin did something far more consequential than anything AOC has done in her entire Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — This state is now red. Not the light red it used to be; not a red-and-blue checkerboard coaxing the eyes to see purple. Just a deep red. Every statewide race in Montana went Republican this week, with record voter turnout: president, Senate, House, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, auditor. And both Read More…
“The Big Sky Buy-off.” That’s how they coined the effort by Democrats to get former Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) out of the Senate and into the post as US Ambassador to China. They had to buy-off Baucus, so the Democrats could have a head start on the 2014 US Senate race. Now, there are fresh allegations Read More…
Last Thursday night former Vice President Joe Biden created a huge problem for himself. He made an astounding mistake for a career politician — he accidentally told the truth. Most will recall this critical moment in the presidential debate: President Trump: Would you close down the oil industry? Biden: I would transition from the oil industry, yes. Read More…
Montana’s choice for attorney general is a relatively easy decision. There is only one candidate, Austin Knudsen, who will protect your constitutional rights, respect law and order along with providing local law enforcement the means necessary to end the drug problems in our communities. Austin also brings a wide range of experience to the office Read More…
Attempting to assuage concerns that his candidacy for president is a stalking horse for far-left policies, Joe Biden recently reminded reporters in Wisconsin that he “beat the socialist” in the Democratic primary. Indeed, Biden vanquished Bernie Sanders as a candidate; but the Vermont senator can take pride in the fact that his policy agenda has all-but-conquered key components Read More…
Good ideas may go into hibernation but they never die. Veteran Public Policy Observer Mike Jacobs recently brought back the idea of changing the North Dakota Legislature from its present biennial schedule to annual meetings. In a supporting editorial, the Grand Forks Herald noted that the demands of the pandemic and the volatility of Read More…
A slew of political books will be hitting bookshelves between now and Election Day, covering everything on the spectrum from communist propaganda to Trump hagiography. Many of those books, such as Sean Hannity’s “Live Free or Die,” will make millions of dollars for their authors and publishers. Some have the potential to influence the election, Read More…
Denial is not just a river in Egypt, as the ancient joke goes. It’s the Democratic/media/left’s comprehensive response to the nationwide riots that rage on, seven weeks after the funeral of police-brutality victim George Floyd. His memory has been kidnapped by the most violent insurrectionists America has seen since 1968. “Do you disavow the violence Read More…
“Never Trump” is a house divided. Some of the conservatives and former Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump have decided that it’s not enough for his tenure in office to end. All officials who “enabled” him must be ousted, “Trumpism” must be repudiated, and today’s Republican Party must be burned to the ground. Others say that while Trump Read More…
Sometimes, the facts of a case have an emotional appeal in addition to a strong constitutional basis. Espinoza v. Montana certainly qualifies. Kendra Espinoza, a hard-working (three jobs) and determined single mom, decided to take her two daughters out of the local public schools and enroll them in Stillwater Christian School in Kalispell, Montana. She explained that she “wanted Read More…
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is not the revolutionary that conservative activists want him to be. He moves slower than they want, sides with liberals more than they want, and trims his sails in ways they find maddening. But he is still deeply and unmistakably conservative, pulling the law to the right — at his Read More…
In the last 20 years, Senate candidates have tended to win or lose in tandem with the presidential candidates of their party. For the Republicans trying to hold their control of the Senate in 2020, that may be a mixed blessing. President Trump — whether he wins or loses his own re-election bid — will have a Read More…
‘The people themselves are primarily responsible for their safety.’ Pierre, South Dakota — The coronavirus crisis hasn’t been kind to the reputations of many governors. New York’s Andrew Cuomo held effective news conferences that at first burnished his image, but he’s now ducking responsibility for sending virus patients back into nursing homes where the disease promptly Read More…
Local control is returning to our school districts! During these unprecedented times, as the state superintendent, I have made strong recommendations to the governor to honor local control and flexibility for our schools. The governor’s new directive for a phased reopening of our state includes that education decisions should be made by local school trustees Read More…
According to The New York Times coronavirus report, as of Sunday, April 19, 2:48 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, there were 35,676 COVID-19 deaths in the United States. Of those deaths, 18,690 were in the New York metropolitan area. (The New York metropolitan area is generally regarded as consisting of the five boroughs of New York Read More…
It was no secret that Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana has an oversized ego. He’s the guy who promised he was going to “take our democracy back” when he announced his disastrous presidential bid in May. Instead, he took a shellacking and exited the Democratic nomination battle with the same “less than 1%” support in Read More…