Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 11.2.16

LIKE I WAS SAYIN’
TWO FOR THOUGHT SAME TOPIC, DIFFERENT VIEWS THE BUNDY VERDICT
KELLYN BROWN
THE SLOG OF ELECTION 2016
ANOTHER ELECTION IS UPON US AND THIS campaign season feels worse than before. Per- haps it’s the reactions of those who harbor resentment for one or both presidential candidates. Or, maybe we simply forgot how miserable the homestretch can be.
Nonetheless, there’s a high level of anxiety as Nov. 8 approaches and it cuts both ways. There are voters who believe that, yes, the future of the Republic is at stake and that if their favored candidate loses the presidency we’re all doomed. There were similar arguments made when George W. Bush and Barack Obama were up for reelection. They both won and we survived.
This time, there are no incumbents. Instead, there is the FBI investigating emails, videotapes with vul- gar language and accusations of sexual assault. There are debates with no handshakes beforehand. And there are two candidates rea rming many of their constit- uents’ fears: if the other candidate wins, it’s all over. Everything.
Regardless of America’s checks and balances — the Supreme Court, Congress — somehow the stakes seem higher this time.
The anxiety has spread further this year, likely a result of two historically unpopular candidates. The American Psychological Association released data last month showing 52 percent of Americans are stressed out over the election.
“We’re seeing that it doesn’t matter whether you’re registered as a Democrat or Republican — U.S. adults say they are experiencing signi cant stress from the current election,” said Lynn Bu a, PhD, APA’s associ- ate executive director for practice research and policy.
The group o ered tips on maintaining your sanity through Election Day, including taking a digital break. The study found political and culture topics on social media are stressing out nearly 40 percent of Americans.
A separate poll conducted by ABC News, also released in October, had similar ndings. It also highlighted the groups with the largest percentage of anxiety: women (51 percent), liberal Democrats (57 percent), and evan- gelical white Protestants (56 percent).
These polls were recorded before the last October surprise: FBI Director James Comey sending a letter to Congress saying that his agency was investigating new emails involving Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. That was just one surprise in a series of them last month, which began with the Washington Post publishing a 2005 recording of Republican presi- dential candidate Donald Trump bragging about kiss- ing, groping and trying to have sex with women.
Every presidential election cycle, voters complain about the never-ending political season, but the last year-and-half was a slog. From the large number of GOP debates to the bitter primary between Clinton and Ber- nie Sanders, this year was dominated by especially ugly campaigns.
They’re all ugly to a degree, but this one had a trick- le-down e ect. Along with a presidential race to stoke worries, Montanans were bombarded with the costliest gubernatorial race in the state’s history. And it hasn’t been pretty.
Many of the commercials looping on television fea- ture ominous music, accusations of scandal — both real and imagined — and warn Montanans about losing access to the outdoors and being overrun by refugees.
This campaign season feels worse. And it’s time for it to be over.
BY TIM BALDWIN
The jury found the Bundy brothers and co-defen-
dants not guilty on a variety of charges stemming from the so-called Oregon stando . What can we learn?
First, the prosecutors simply may have failed to prove the charges. Second, the jury could have nulli- ed the charges, meaning nding not guilty despite the evidence. Third, the jury could have signaled to the gov- ernment that it agrees with the Bundys’ protest.
Oregon is not known for right-wingers. It leans lib- eral. That 12 random people in Oregon found all defen- dants not guilty is extremely signi cant, indicating a broad distrust of federal government police power.
Prosecutors and police can be used for political pur- poses. When media is on their side (as they were here), it’s full steam ahead. Police and prosecutors have tre- mendous discretion on whom to target for investigation and prosecution. Probable cause is a low standard of proof, so nding ways to massage evidence to get arrest warrants or indictments is not di cult.
Police and prosecutors know that bringing the charge by itself creates tremendous pressure for defen- dants to enter into plea agreements to avoid potentially harsh consequences of prison if a jury nds them guilty. They didn’t suspect a jury would stand in their way though in Oregon.
Like the verdict or not, this case demonstrates that the purpose of the jury (i.e. to check the government) is alive and well in America.
BY JOE CARBONARI
Score one for peaceful protest and the average
American. Good sense prevailed, and the govern- ment’s charge of conspiracy was rejected over the Bundy wildlife sanctuary show. Certainly there was trespass and a protest, with media help, and some risk to law and order. Both guns and the talk of violence played a larger role than was necessary; one dead, unnecessarily.
If we are going to have violence at our political pro- tests, and it will occasionally happen, let’s try to hold it to a few bare knuckles. The issue of governmental overreach is serious and needs address, but let’s hope that the need for death in the streets is not yet upon us. At Malheur in Oregon, and at the Bundy ranch in Nevada, the drama was overplayed, but the people were heard.
We all would like to have more say about how the land around us is used. We have the most say about our own. We have less say in our neighbors’ use their land, our power is limited, but we do have a say. That is also true as regards any government land that may neighbor us. We have a say through our local represen- tatives, and, as citizens, we share ownership. Addition- ally, we can, have, and will continue to form special interest organizations as necessary. This ability can be abused and no doubt has been, especially through the courts. In Oregon, however, seemingly justice was served, voices heard, and disaster avoided. It could have been worse.
GUEST COLUMN NICK SMITH
FEDERAL FOREST MANAGEMENT IS BROKEN
continued degradation of wildlife habitat, water qual- ity, recreation and other values are problems that most people want to x.
AWR’s obstructionism is based in ideology, not sci- ence. Their actions suggest they have no interest in the well-being of these forests or thousands of working Montanans. They’ve long dismissed the importance of active forest management to the economic and phys- ical health of our rural communities, and to the health and resiliency of our forests. The extremists will not be satis ed until Montana has lost its mills and loggers, leaving no one left to make forest restoration possible.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines is right. It’s time to urgently move forward on forest reform to stop this type of litigation and obstruction, improve the health of our forests and create and protect Montana jobs. It’s time for Montana Sen. Jon Tester to join him in this e ort, as the Senate has been slow to act on the reforms we need. Congressman Ryan Zinke has already helped pass a reasonable solution through the U.S. House. In addition to giving collaboratives greater ability to develop landscape-scale forest health projects, the Resilient Federal Forests Act would make it more dif- cult for extreme outside litigators such as AWR to tie up collaborative projects in court.
It’s time to place reasonable and legal limits on habitual litigants who pro t from their quest to stop Forest Service projects. The lawsuit to block the East Reservoir Project is just the latest blow to Montana’s forests and communities. It’s time for the congressio- nal delegation to take action before it’s too late.
A
S THE POSTER CHILD FOR SERIAL LITIGA- tion, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies has
o ered yet another example of how our sys- tem of federal forest management is severely broken and needs reform. Having already lost in the court- room once, the group was successful in convincing two Ninth Circuit appeals court judges to block the collaborative East Reservoir Project on the Kootenai National Forest just two days before work was sched- uled to begin.
The East Reservoir Project represents a multi-year e ort to restore forested watersheds while protecting and enhancing recreation, wildlife and wilderness bene ts on our federal lands. The project also recog- nizes the importance of protecting jobs and vital forest infrastructure in our communities. It is a product of tireless work among the timber industry, conservation and wilderness advocates, sportsmen, hunters, local government o cials and motorized recreation users. It honors the principles of democracy, conservation and compromise among diverse interests.
AWR’s latest abuse of our court system will likely delay the project until next year. We should hope that a catastrophe such as the Roaring Lion Fire doesn’t destroy the forests before the Ninth Circuit comes around to making a decision in 2017.
Anti-collaborators reject the fact that wild res on national forests have grown larger and more severe as timber harvest levels have declined. If climate change is a concern, they also refuse to acknowledge that wild- res emit massive amounts of carbon into the atmo- sphere. The increasing destruction of forests and the
Nick Smith is executive director of Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities.
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NOVEMBER 2, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM