By Tim Baldwin
John Walsh (D) did well to end his campaign for U.S. Senate. His continued race would have done more harm than good to him and other Democrats running for office. This shows that most Montanans and Americans have become more sensitive to corruption in politics and will not tolerate politicians shown to be dishonest.
It is hard enough to know what is going on with politics today (especially on the federal level), so in reality, most of us simply vote for people we think we can trust.
While there are other politicians who are (more) dishonest (than Walsh) and deserve to end their political careers, the rare opportunity to oust a revealed defrauder should be used by the people to let politicians know we will not put people in power we cannot trust.
In truth, we should pay closer attention to the character and decisions of those who want political power because Republican and Democrat Party labels do not define the character of a person.
In addition, we as parents, teachers, mentors and communities must work diligently to instill honest character in our children so future generations will have honorable people for whom to vote irrespective of political party.
By Joe Carbonari
John Walsh’s nomination was a mistake in the first place. Let’s not repeat it. The job calls for a person with a strong sense of self, adequate intelligence, and deep integrity. It is not gender specific. Some “street smarts” help.
Two names have come to mind: Brian Schweitzer and Nancy Keenan. I have not met Nancy; Brian makes me smile.
At one time I thought Brian would respond to a draft. It looks like that’s not going to happen. He says not. It may be that the high-stakes poker of the business world suits him. Understandable.
Nancy Keenan I also find interesting and hopeful. She handles herself well, knows the ropes, and sees a big picture. She sees a youth cohort that is ambivalent, at best, about a series of issues that are critical to our quality of life, and they, millennials, will represent about 40 percent of our voting public in the years to come. They need to become engaged in a wide range of the issues of our day. Nancy has energy; she can help.
She is reported to have said no. She’s worth asking again, perhaps several more times, from what I’ve read of her. Smart, strong, straightforward, and homegrown. I think she’d bring some new people to the polls. Who else, with comparable qualities, is in the haystack?