Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 5.21.14

30 | MAY 21, 2014
OPINION FLATHEADBEACON.COM

LIKE I WAS SAYIN’ Kellyn Brown
TWO THOUGHT
FOR Local Topics,
Opposing Views
Awkward

Montana’s Congressional Race
Aftermath

A
By Tim Baldwin
By Joe Carbonari
FTER A HEATED PRIMARY LIKE
this one, I often wonder about the fallout, about

Conservatives had what, at irst, appeared to Thinking again about the Montana congres- those awkward moments when opponents and their
be a tough choice in deciding whether to support sional race it’s interesting to watch those who are allies run into each other at the local bar, or Pachyderm
Matt Rosendale or Corey Stapleton in the pri- considering whether to back Matt Rosendale, to meeting or the cereal aisle at the grocery store.
mary, seeing that a vote-split would enable Ryan whom they may be instinctively drawn, or Corey That’s not to say supporters and critics alike shouldn’t
Zinke to get elected. Evidence now shows Staple- Stapleton, who would seem a safer but less “in- voice their opinions about various candidates. After all,
ton is the best choice.
spiring” choice. Rosendale would be a hard sell in we’ve printed many of their letters on these pages. A robust
Rosendale projects himself as far right po- the general election. He doesn’t seem to do well debate is healthy, even within the same political party.

litically – shooting down drones and such – but with “moderates.” Stapleton appears to do bet- That is to say the Flathead Valley is like one sprawling
he opposes the Article V movement to limit fed- ter with this group, but I don’t think that either small town. We run into each other all the time – at cofee
eral power; and Montana Conservative Alliance of these candidates will match Ryan Zinke’s ba- shops and the gym. I see the same friend so often at the Su-
(MCA), a well-known conservative group, ranked sic appeal to them – he’s widely considered the per 1 deli that the chronic coincidence has become an ongo-
Rosendale at 54 (100 being the most conserva- most “electable.” If the general election turns on ing joke. And, serendipitously, I’m apt to run into a subject
tive) in 2013 and at 53 in 2011. By comparison, the “moderates,” then who appeals most to them of a story within a week of publishing that story. They often
MCA ranked former senator and 2012 lieutenant matters a lot. Zinke appeals – as, by the way, does tell me what we got right, or wrong, but those discussions
governor candidate Jon Sonju (R) much higher at John Lewis on the Democratic side.
are narrow in focus. They don’t involve broad judgments

71 in 2013 and 77 in 2011.
To be fair, Elsie Arntzen also seems to deserve on someone’s character, which is exactly what many pri-
Stapleton supports Article V, and MCA some attention. She has energy, enthusiasm and maries entail.
ranked Stapleton in 2007 at 51 and higher in his a pleasing approach. There’s the possibility that Imagine Senate District 4 Republican candidates Mark
earlier terms – starting in 2000. Stapleton has a she’ll emerge unelected but still unsullied, with Blasdel (who is also speaker of the Montana House) and
stellar academic, political, military and profes- now a less cluttered ield for her political future. Tammi Fisher (who is also the former Kalispell mayor)
sional career and has a consistent, honorable and I think she bears watching. She might have a tal- running into each at the gas station after the primary elec-
transparent character.
ent for getting things done. We need more of that.
tion is decided. Remember, this is only an imagined sce-

Ironically, those who insist Rosendale is At the least, let’s hope that this primary nario:
more conservative than Stapleton rejected the moves voters to learn more about the charac- “Uh, hi Tammi,” Marks says. “That was an interesting
Hill-Sonju campaign and voted third party (en- ter and the capability of the candidates, and the race.”
abling Bullock’s victory). But the evidence shows complexities of the issues in question. Votes cast “Interesting is one way to describe it,” Tammi says.
Rosendale is less conservative than the Hill-Son- in ignorance can do harm as well as good. Give it “Yeah, sorry my supporters say you didn’t accomplish
ju ticket and is no more conservative than Staple- some thought. Something’s better than nothing, anything as the mayor of Kalispell,” Mark says. “It got a
ton. It seems Rosendale hoodwinked far-right or so they say.
little heated.”
conservatives or substantially lipped his poli-
“Oh man, sorry some of my supporters called yours ex-

tics. tremists,” Tammi says. “Elections like these can be pretty
Stapleton is the best choice for the Republi- negative.”
can Primary.
That’s awkward. And while the above is a ictitious
chance encounter, many of these candidates can’t really
GUEST COLUMN | Dee Brown
avoid each other. They belong to the same clubs and attend
the same functions, like the Lincoln Reagan Dinner.
It would be easy to downplay the divisions within the Positive Changes in Public Education
Republican Party as typical election-year politics, but this

year is decidedly atypical in that it includes both current
and former lawmakers and policymakers.
University of Montana President Royce Eng- We’re always hopeful that added manufacturing
Instead of standing on the sidelines, they have voiced strom and Flathead Valley Community College jobs in the Flathead would encourage skilled labor-
their opinions about who they are supporting and why. President Jane Karas visited with legislators dur- ers to stay at home, rather than move to North Da-
Kalispell Sen. Verdell Jackson, who cannot run for reelec- ing the winter to discuss future plans for the uni- kota.
tion because of term limits, has called the upcoming 2015 versity system. It was music to my ears to hear Manufacturing jobs have taken a new turn in
legislative session “the most important session since I was there will be a teacher education program at FVCC this area with irearms, difering uses for wood

elected to the Montana House in 1999.” He has openly en- this fall, which will use our publicly funded system products, alternative energy and retroitting com-
dorsed candidates, including Blasdel, who he thinks are rather than the expensive private school now being munication equipment as growing industries.
more conservative and said their opponents’ supporters used. I’m sure budding teachers will enjoy the low- These jobs need skilled workers who often transi-
“want bigger, more overreaching government.”
ering of fees with their education similar to what’s tion from other areas and settle in the Flathead
On the other side, Kalispell Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, who been done from the private sector.
knowing it’s a great place to live and raise a family.
has endorsed Fisher, said if the faction Jackson is backing There was a real push several years ago after an The local community college leaders have rec-
prevails “there will just be chaos. We will be mired in ex- audit revealed that nursing credits were not trans- ognized the talent of our local students for a long
tremism and gridlock.”
ferring from FVCC to Montana State University. time. The irst six credits at FVCC are tuition free

Both men are well known in the valley, especially in Re- Lots of work has been done since that audit, both to high school juniors and seniors through the Run-
publican circles. And I doubt they are sitting at the same on the part of the university system and the pri- ning Start program. Not only does it allow our stu-
table at any given luncheon. Perhaps I’m wrong. Perhaps vate sector, which sees the need for local training dents to get a taste of college life and learning, but
they have thicker skin than I give them credit for.
of future employees. We’ve done it in the nursing these credits often are the carrot to encourage fur-
Other former and current lawmakers have joined the program, so it’s welcome news to know our teach- ther study after high school. Your local guidance
fray, as have former and current city councilors. The criti- ers are going to learn locally at less expense. It could counselors can steer you to the right contacts.
cisms have gone beyond the boilerplate election-year cri- provide many opportunities for those called to a Graduation is drawing near for many students

tiques in which one candidate is chided for not adhering great profession to make a diference in Montana in the Flathead. As the last few weeks of school draw
to the party’s values. No, these have delved into their work kids’ lives.
near, remember that graduation opens new oppor-
experience and resumes.
FVCC has been a leader in workforce training in tunities for growth since learning never stops at the
However the June 3 primary shakes out, it will be in- Montana and the nation. Working with local busi- ceremony. Congratulations to all of you as you em-
teresting to see how the split Republican Party in North- nesses to discover the needs in local economies bark on a new life’s journey.
west Montana makes amends, or if it does at all. The ten- is a win-win for everyone. Many displaced work-
sion is apt to subside, but before then, there will likely be ers from Columbia Falls Aluminum Company and
a few awkward moments. As it’s been said, “Montana is a Plum Creek in the manufacturing sector have been Dee Brown is a Republican state senator

small town with really long streets.”
retrained for skills outside their previous ields.
from Hungry Horse