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22 | JANUARY 29, 2014
FLATHEADBEACON.COM

OPINION

TOP 10

LETTERS
donors. Polling may lead to a fresh spin higher education because of the cost.
on issues, but it does not change the core. 6. Meanwhile, as tens of millions
ONLINE STORIES
Independentandminor-partycandidates of Americans struggle to survive
are typically the most efective in bringing economically, the wealthiest people are
relevant, but under-served, issues to the doing phenomenally well and corporate
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
political discourse. As these issues gain proits are at an all-time high. In fact,
POLITICAL GAMES
traction, major parties take note and wealth and income inequality today is
Is it any wonder many of us are losing modify their core. Real change comes greater than at any time since just before
faith in government? Some of us are old from the outside.
the Great Depression. One family, the
enough to remember when presidents A common excuse is, “I would vote Walton family with its Wal-Mart fortune,
and congressmen in both parties were Whiteish Holding
Moments of Silence for for a third-party candidate if they could now owns more wealth than the bottom
statesmen and could work together for 1984 Bus Tragedy
win.” Actually, if we did vote for them 40 percent of Americans. In recent years,
the welfare of the nation rather than the they would win. Instead, we continue 95 percent of all new income has gone to
party.
Maggie Voisin to support the dominant two-party the top 1 percent.
Our people are being victimized by system that maintains business as usual; 7. The scientiic community has been
dirty back-room politics in Washington, Tabbed for Winter the usual deep-pocket and out-of-state very clear: Global warming is real, it is
where most of the key players are more Games
interests that fund our usual suspects. already causing massive problems and, if
interested in their political aspirations
and that of their party than in principles Report Highlights Then we moan that government is broken. we don’t signiicantly reduce greenhouse
Do primitive herd instincts threaten our gas emissions, the planet we leave to our
of good government. The pending State’s Sluggish very survival? Or, are we simply too cheap kids and grandchildren will be less and
appointment of outgoing Montana Sen. Broadband
to invest in a better future?
less habitable.
Max Baucus is the latest scandal afecting Make-or-break time for startup Let’s vow to work together this year,
Montana. His appointment to the New Valley-Wide candidates is early in the election and really make things better.
important position of U.S. ambassador to Group Raising Funds cycle, when only the usual big-party
China is another example of the amateur candidates have money. How many Edd Blackler
handling of foreign afairs displayed by for Additional Air
Service
emerging, workable political solutions Bigfork
the Obama Administration. It is obviously are swept into the dustbin of history by
payback for Baucus’ unfailing loyalty in Above the Rim
party dominance and corporate money FIX THE COMPACT, AVOID
backing every move of the administration before they are ever heard? Supporting LITIGATION
and back-pedaling on Baucus’s statement Bigfork Man Killed independent and third-party candidates There are so many problems with the
that Obamacare is a “train wreck.”
in Saturday Crash ID’d
so their ideas can at least be heard is our proposed CSKT Compact that passing it
During his 35 years in the Senate, best chance to break the stranglehold of as is will most certainly invite even more
Baucus has never served on a committee lawyers to town for endless litigation.
dealing with foreign policy or national Chasing Idol “Government as Usual.”
The easy way to avoid litigation is to
Dreams
security and has had no experience as Ben Kuykendall take the time to ix the compact. This can
a career diplomat. He cannot speak the The Future of Belgrade
be done by conducting the environmental,
Mandarin language as could the majority Freeskiing
economic and regulatory studies that can
of our ambassadors to China.
CRITICAL CHALLENGES identify ways to eliminate or minimize the
In addition to reversing Baucus’ Home on the Fringe
REQUIRE OUR ATTENTION
potential damage the proposed Compact
comments on the disasters of Obamacare, As we move into 2014, “We the will cause to western Montana. Such
this is a blatant move on the part of the Kalispell’s Great People” have some critical challenges. studies can be done under the Montana
administration to try to interfere in the The success of our eforts will depend on Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).
Debaters
upcoming U.S. Senate race in Montana. total commitment from every element of Former Chief Justice of the Water
Will Gov. Steve Bullock play along with our society, not just the “radical right” or Court, Judge Loble, stated so in a talk
Washington’s dirty politics or exercise the “radical left.” We can’t be complacent given in Ronan in November 2013. Rather
moral integrity in selecting a replacement and allow ourselves to be governed by than stick to ideology, he said, take the
for the remaining months of Baucus’ wealthy corporations. Every one of us time to examine and adjust the Compact
Senate term by appointing an individual needs to be fairly represented.
to ix the problems that have surfaced.
who is not a candidate for the Senate on Here are some major matters that The purpose of the MEPA is “to
LETTERS
the Democrat ticket?
require our attention.
declare a state policy that will encourage Tell us what you think. To submit a letter, please e-mail your submission
1. The middle class continues to productive and enjoyable harmony to [email protected]. Please
Mary M. Milheim decline with median family income some between humans and their environment, keep your letter to 300 words or less.
Dayton
$5,000 less than it was in 1999.
to protect the right to use and enjoy private The Flathead Beacon reserves the right
2. More Americans, 46.5 million, are property free of undue government to edit letters for length, clarity and
INDEPENDENT AND MINOR- now living in poverty than at any time regulation, to promote eforts that will to prevent libel. Letters must include
PARTY CANDIDATES OUR ONLY in our nation’s history. Child poverty, at prevent or eliminate damage to the the writer’s irst and last name, phone
HOPE
21.8 percent, is the highest of any major environment and biosphere and stimulate number and address for veriication
purposes. Only the name and hometown
Will the growing dysfunction of country.
the health and welfare of humans.
of the writer will be printed. To mail a
America’s two-party political system 3. Real unemployment is not 7 MEPA was “purposeful in letter, please send to 17 Main Street,
destroy our collective future? Can we percent. If one includes those who have establishing a process whereby Montana Kalispell, MT 59901.
meet the evolving challenges of today’s given up looking for work and those who can anticipate and prevent unexamined, Fax letters to (406) 257-9231.
economic and social landscape with a want full-time work but are employed unintended, and unwanted consequences
system that resembles trench warfare?
part-time, real unemployment is 13.2 rather than continuing to stumble into CORRECTIONS
We begin the 2014 election season percent – and youth unemployment is circumstances or cumulative crises that If a Beacon story includes a factual
error, please tell us about it. Call
bitterly divided by party ideology, while much higher than that.
the state can only react to and mitigate.”
Kellyn Brown at 257-9220; or e-mail to
frustrated with government’s failure to 4. Most of the new jobs that are being Simply expressed, “An ounce of [email protected]; or fax to
develop practical solutions for today’s created are part-time work at low wages, prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
257-9231.
challenges. As Albert Einstein said, “You but the minimum wage remains at the FLATHEADBEACON.COM
cannot solve today’s problems with the starvation level of $7.25 per hour.
Ed Wehrheim For daily news, local community pages,
same kind of thinking that created them.”
5. Millions of college students are Moiese
video, multimedia, story archives and
The big parties are the status quo. leaving school deeply in debt, while many lively online conversation, visit our Web
The status quo of issues, brands, and
others have given up on their dream of a
site at latheadbeacon.com.