Scott Brown is on a high after his win in Massachusetts, while health care legislation has reached a low point, in our weekly index of what’s up, down and in between.
HIGH
SCOTT BROWN – This affable, centrist Republican ran a straightforward and successful populist Senate campaign in Massachusetts that has managed to turn U.S. politics on its head, ending Democrats’ supermajority.
CHUCK STEARNS – The Whitefish city manager’s proposal to suspend impact fees to spur local construction has real merit, especially in a city with the cash reserve of Whitefish.
DICK AND CAROL NELSON – This Olney couple entered 300 acres of land into a conservation easement, preserving their property for generations.
HAITI HELP – As post-earthquake rescue efforts ramp up, the rescue footage out of Haiti has been jaw dropping, with survivors still being pulled from the rubble.
BETWEEN
CAMPAIGN FINANCE – The Supreme Court’s decision last week to end restrictions on corporate and union contributions to political candidates allows even more special interest money to pour into American politics, for better or worse. In Montana and many other states, however, such restrictions remain in place, though it’s unclear for how long.
LOW
BARACK OBAMA – The 44th president gives his state of the union address at a crucial moment, with his agenda in jeopardy and widespread dissatisfaction with the federal government amid a persistently listless economy.
HEALTH CARE REFORM – Every day that passes increases the likelihood that Democrats’ health care overhaul efforts are totally dead, making the capitol’s ruling party look both out-of-touch and ineffective. In the meantime, health care isn’t getting any cheaper.
BILL GLASER – This Huntley legislator is embroiled in a case before the state Supreme Court over remarks he made on the House floor against one of his hometown enemies.
SEPTIC TANKS – A local attorney is filing a lawsuit after the 2007 drowning death of a young Kalispell boy in a septic tank, charging that manufacturers do not incorporate sufficient safety measures into their designs.