The start of a new year often is a time for looking back at the past year while making resolutions about the months ahead. Unfortunately for U.S. Senator Steve Daines it’s sadly also been a time of blowing hot air rather than helping Montanans.
Daines and the other Republicans that make up Montana’s congressional delegation are long on promises and bravado but short on the actual work and changes that will improve the lives of Montanans.
As Democrats, we are committed to putting Montanans first and making sure government works for you: the taxpayer. To help families get ahead, government needs to focus here at home with real solutions, not just rhetoric.
This means implementing fair policies such as tax reforms that benefit workers rather than the ultra-wealthy; promoting family-friendly solutions to the ongoing childcare, housing, and healthcare affordability crises; and securing our freedoms from government overreach and abuse.
By comparison, a close look at what Daines and other Republicans actually have been doing on domestic issues directly important to Montana shows that, while they talk a good game, their actions are out of touch with the realities facing working Montanans, small businesses, and retirees.
At a time when many Montanans are struggling, offering empty words is just a whole lot of nothing.
Most recently, Republicans just allowed the tax credits for health insurance to expire at the end of December—dramatically increasing monthly rates by thousands of dollars and eliminating the ability of many Montana families to have healthcare.
In Montana, where many of us are self-employed or run small businesses—and don’t have large company insurance to rely on—these additional costs and lost insurance will be especially painful.
It gets worse. The tax bill Republicans passed last summer results in cuts of about $715 billion from Medicaid and $300 billion from the SNAP food assistance program. Montana’s lower-income workers, their families, and the small businesses they work for will be the losers.
It’s no coincidence that the trillion-plus dollars Daines and Republicans cut from healthcare and food programs roughly equals the amount ($1.1 trillion) by which they then cut taxes for people making $500,000 or more a year. Their actions, not their words, reveal their priorities.
Then there’s tariffs which increased costs for all Americans and especially hurt farmers by raising input costs and limiting foreign markets. Rather than standing up for Montanans, Daines and Republicans stood aside while President Trump unilaterally imposed the highest tariffs in 100 years.
Daines and the rest of our congressional delegation have also stood by while federal ICE agents have attacked and even murdered innocent American citizens, searched homes without warrants, and violated many of the freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights.
They then stood aside when Trump allowed an unelected billionaire to cut federal staffing especially important to rural communities. Now waiting times at Social Security offices have skyrocketed and the Forest Service can’t maintain trails and conduct needed wildlife management.
Daines and Republicans also are refusing to hold public meetings to explain themselves. Listening to voters and having community gatherings are bedrock responsibilities for all elected officials. Montana Democrats have participated in public meetings at events across the state in rural communities, towns, and cities. Yes, some questions were hard hitting, but that’s the point: listening, learning, and responding to your constituents.
Instead of facing Montanans and protecting their interests, what do we get? Hot air and canned press releases. There is a better way. It’s time to put Montanans first and put government back on the side of working people and small businesses, the backbone of our state who deserve no less.
Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, is the Democratic Montana Senate Leader and Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, Democratic Montana House Leader