As Montanans are asked whether to sign petitions related to The Montana Plan, I find myself thinking less about the initiative itself and more about what the debate surrounding it reveals about us as citizens. Millions of dollars may be spent attempting to persuade Montanans what to think. Some will argue that this spending proves the need for additional laws and regulations. Others will argue the opposite.
But perhaps the more important question is this: When did we begin believing that our own judgment is so fragile that it must be protected from information? The strength of a free society has never depended on the absence of persuasion. It depends on the presence of citizens capable of thinking for themselves.
Whether the money behind a campaign comes from corporations, unions, advocacy groups, wealthy individuals, or political organizations, every voter still retains the same responsibility: to evaluate arguments, examine facts, question assumptions, and arrive at a conclusion through their own reason and conscience. The solution to poor decision-making is not necessarily another law, another regulation, or another restriction. The solution is better citizens.
Whether one ultimately chooses to sign The Montana Plan petition or not, it is a decision each individual must make. But that decision should be based on careful thought rather than emotional appeals, political marketing, or the volume of money spent trying to influence the outcome. A healthy republic requires more than good laws. It requires self-governing people.
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing Montana is not the amount of money in politics, but whether we as citizens are willing to reclaim ownership of our own thinking. No initiative can do that for us. Only we can.
Jon Stone Goff
Whitehall