Page 28 - Flathead Beacon // 6.15.16

LIKE I WAS SAYING 30 AMERICAN RURAL 30 DRAWING BOARD 31 Viewpoints
LETTERS
Senator Tester’s Empty Political Gesture
I am surprised and disappointed in Montana Sen. Jon Tester’s recent “introduction” of the Confederated Sal- ish and Kootenai Tribes Water Compact to Congress on May 26 (S. 3013). The CSKT Compact is currently in litiga- tion where the constitutionality of the Legislature’s vote for it in 2015 (SB 262) is being challenged. In other words, the CSKT Compact is in legal limbo.
But the senator’s actions reveal something more troublesome, and that is the willingness to skip over the required state-based legal and legisla- tive processes using the heavy hand of the federal government. Tester’s myth that serious state constitutional issues at stake in this compact or the cur- rent litigation can be resolved by a few “tweaks” in a federal committee shows a disregard for the rule of law and existing processes required in the state of Mon- tana. It also demonstrates that Tester actually represents only a very small constituency from our great state.
The Montana Land and Water Alli- ance informed the entire Montana con- gressional delegation, several other key congressional committee chairs, and the Secretary of the Interior of the legal status of the CSKT Compact in early February of this year. In our written correspondence, we further advised each party of the additional legal and constitutional issues that plague the compact and why they would likely be litigated before the compact was ready for congressional review.
The legal question on the compact in court right now regards the constitu- tionality of the Legislature’s 2015 vote on SB 262 and whether it required a two-thirds vote in each house. But con- sider that the compact also violates Arti- cle II Section 4 (equal protection) and Section 17 (due process of law); Article V Section 12 (the Legislature); Arti- cle VIII (the Judiciary); and Article IX (Environment and Natural Resources). If the CSKT compact survives this rst legal challenge, there are currently sev- eral “ripe” constitutional issues for litigation.
The Montana Constitution, like the U.S. Constitution, is not a “menu” to choose from, it operates as a cohe- sive document for governance. In the case of the CSKT Compact, the ini- tial violation of Article IX – delegating the state’s constitutional authority for water ownership and management to
an unaccountable, essentially federal entity – led to violations of the legisla- tive and judicial articles of Montana’s constitution. These issues are not resolvable by federal “tweaks” and can only be resolved here in Montana.
Tester’s action also leaps over the already introduced Blackfeet Tribe set- tlement and others across the country, which is longer in the making than the CSKT Compact. Tester also increases the CSKT’s federal taxpayer price tag from $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion dollars. In this era of $18 trillion dollar debts, it was already going to be hard to nd the $400 million dollars for the Blackfeet Compact.
Finally, as a political gesture timed right before the June 7 primary elec- tion, it was shrewd but transparent. But this premature action says more about integrity of the senator than his political maneuvering skills.
Catherine Vandemoer, chair Montana Land and Water Alliance Polson
The Hillary We Know
Our family has known Hillary Clin- ton for over three decades. Each of us has worked alongside her on various pressing problems and issues facing America and the world. In doing so, she has become a friend. Perhaps it is helpful to hear from folks who person- ally know a presidential candidate. It is with that in mind that we share these impressions.
In 1985, at the height of the Cold War, Carol was running Peace Links, an orga- nization that had the bold idea to bring professional women from the former Soviet Union to the United States with the aim of increasing understanding of one another. This was a visionary exer- cise in citizen diplomacy at a time when engaging with the “Evil Empire” was risky and unpopular. We asked a hand- ful of states’ First Ladies if they would be willing to host the visitors. Hillary was the rst to agree. Not only did she invite them to Little Rock, she hosted them at the governor’s mansion for a public conversation and arranged vari- ous visits with schools, businesses and hospitals. Perhaps not surprisingly, more than a few people attacked Hil- lary for being too progressive for host- ing the Russian visitors. We learned rst-hand how she identi ed problems and courageously went to work on a plan to x them. During her life of public
service, her creativity and experience has only grown, and with it has grown our admiration.
Pat met Hillary when he was chair of the House Committee on Labor-Man- agement and Hillary was First Lady, helping develop President Clinton’s health care proposal. Pat’s committee had legislative jurisdiction over the leg- islation. Working closely together on health care, Pat was impressed with her considerable smarts, dedication and joyous sense of humor. They traveled the country, including Montana, listen- ing to folks needs and doing what they could to craft a plan to solve them. Hil- lary always came to Capitol Hill and all of the meetings prepared, knowing the issues, saying what she meant and keep- ing her word. Pat has liked, supported and trusted Hillary ever since that rst meeting 26 years ago.
A few years after graduating from the University of Montana, Whitney went to work for Hillary in the White House, serving as the First Lady’s trip director. Traveling alongside Hillary to more than 40 states and countries, Whitney got to know Hillary, the person. Hil- lary is funny and she has one of the best laughs you have ever heard. She is loyal, she’s a great mom and a very good friend to many. At her core Hillary is fearless, humble and kind. She is a hard worker entirely driven by public service and she has limitless grit and determination to leave the world better than she found it. Hillary is trustworthy and has never forgotten where she came from or the progressive values she is ghting for.
Whitney has remained close to Hil- lary since her time in the White House. They worked together on domestic and foreign issues from foster care advocacy when Hillary was U.S. senator to devel- opment projects in the Congo as secre- tary of state.
Hillary is a remarkable leader with an impressive track record ghting for pro- gressive causes our family cares deeply about. Each of us is delighted to have worked alongside Hillary to further many of them but we are most proud to call her a friend of the family.
Carol Williams, former state Senate majority leader Whitney Williams, founder and CEO of WilliamsWorks Pat Williams, former Montana U.S. congressman
TOP10 STORIES
ON FLATHEADBEACON.COM 2016 Primary Election Results
Black Bear Euthanized in Glacier National Park
An Alternate Path
Water-Bottling Plant Opponents Appeal to County
Best of Preps – Spring 2016 A Shell sh Idea
Nothing to Recover After Man Goes in Hot Spring
Weyerhaeuser Renews Commitment for Free Public Land Access
The ‘Reds’ Turn 80
Suspect Arrested in Beating Death of 18-year-old Arlee Man
28
JUNE 15, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
LETTERS
Tell us what you think. To submit a letter, please e-mail your submission to editor@ atheadbeacon.com. Please keep your letter to 300 words or less. The Flathead Beacon reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and to prevent libel. Letters must include the writer’s rst and last name, phone number and address for veri cation purposes. Only the name and hometown of the writer will be printed. To mail a letter, please send to 17 Main Street, Kalispell, MT 59901.
Fax letters to (406) 257-9231.