By Joe Carbonari
So, Congressman Ryan Zinke. When he ran for Congress I didn’t foresee how fortunate he might be. The threat from the Islamic State and the disarray in the Republican Party have gotten him into the big game faster than I had guessed. We’ve got a country seemingly without direction, an external threat, an emasculated Congress, and now Ryan Zinke – the everyman’s hero. So Zinke vs. Tester for Senate in 2018?
My gut reaction to both Zinke, and Sen. Jon Tester, is positive. I like them both. Now, somewhat unexpectedly, they have both been thrust onto the main stage – Tester with his appointment to head the DSCC and Zinke as a potential man-for- the-moment in a divided GOP.
Tester is clearly, reassuringly, straight forward. He will vote his heart, his head, and his conscience. He has worked the earth and recognizes base values. He does not bend easily to an ill-wind. He can be trusted. His work with the DSCC will show how effective he can be.
Zinke is needling him now on the Homeland Security Bill as it relates to the loosening of immigration policy. It helps Zinke establish his conservative bona fides, probes Tester a bit, and gets press. Yet, it bothers me. Zinke is eventually going to have to show more consideration for the lives of the millions of “illegals,” and for those whose lives they touch. Leaders lead. A “passer” not a “blocker” be.
By Tim Baldwin
According to Markos Moulitsas, founder and publisher of the Daily Kos blog, Montana does not represent the diversity of the Democrat Party and as such, Sen. Jon Tester is not best qualified to chair the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). Tester is thus in a position of having to show the DSCC that he is broadly liberal but also show Montana why he is more purple than blue.
Decision-making can become awkwardly difficult for politicians. Political gravity doesn’t pull in one location; it pulls in a variety of locations, all of which can influence direction. The Constitution was designed this way. Then, add political parties to this. Leaders in these parties influence policy and priorities for legislators. National media can really distort the truth of political decisions, but politicians know this affects people’s perspectives. If competition improves quality of human behavior, these competing interests should make better politicians.
Tester would like to influence which Democrats get elected across the U.S., but he has an antagonist who thinks he is not liberal enough; and Congressman Ryan Zinke thinks Tester’s votes indicate he is not representing Montana’s values in D.C. but is beholden to the Democrat Party. I hope that politicians elected to represent an entire state would not put party (or anything else) before the people, but the only way to tell is to pay attention.