Page 32 - Flathead Beacon // 11.23.16

LIKE I WAS SAYIN’
TWO FOR THOUGHT SAME TOPIC, DIFFERENT VIEWS HOW TRUMP WILL GOVERN
KELLYN BROWN
STRAIGHT- TICKET VOTING
ALOT HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST FEW weeks about the death of ticket splitting — that is, voting for candidates from di erent parties on the same ballot. Nationwide, it appears fewer Amer- icans are willing to look past the Republican or Dem- ocratic label. If they voted for one, they tended to vote for all of them.
The last election “saw the largest wave of straight- ticket results for president and Senate since the rati - cation of the 17th Amendment established popular elec- tion of senators across the country in 1913,” according to the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
How well did Republicans do in states where Presi- dent-elect Donald Trump won? They won all of them. Democrats in states where Hillary Clinton won? They were a perfect 100 percent. The closest state to split its presidential and Senate vote was New Hampshire, where Hillary Clinton won and Democratic Sen.-elect Maggie Hassan edged incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte by about 1,000 votes, or less than 0.2 percent.
Polarization is often blamed for the trend toward more straight-ticket ballots. In the 1980s, about half of states split tickets between their senators and presiden- tial candidate preference. But there are larger factors at work here, especially in regard to smaller, local races.
Several states — including swing states Iowa, Mich- igan and Pennsylvania —allow voters to choose the full slate of a political party’s nominees with a single mark on a ballot.
In previous years, Republicans have opposed this voting method, and the GOP-led Michigan state Legis- lature voted to eliminate it in their state last year. In an odd twist, a judge reinstated straight-ticket voting for the recent election, and the party opposed to the move likely bene ted from it.
“The Republicans (repealed) straight-ticket voting, the Democrats fought it and got it held, and then we ended up being the benefactors of straight-ticket vot- ing,” Michigan Republican state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons told the Detroit News following the election.
Trump over-performed in Michigan and, combined with the straight-ticket option, down-ballot Republi- cans bene ted and edged out Dems in county races that were determined by the narrowest of margins.
Many states have begun to abolish straight-ticket vot- ing — most recently, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Crit- ics say eliminating the option can lead to longer lines at the ballot box, but it also addresses a glaring issue with marking one box to vote along party lines; many races, such as those for state supreme courts, are nonpartisan, and ballot initiatives are equally neglected.
Whether it continues, Montana is somewhat of an anomaly. After the 2012 election, in which Democratic Sen. Jon Tester was reelected and Republican presiden- tial candidate Mitt Romney overwhelmingly won the state, The Smart Politics blog found that in 10 elections when a senator and president were on the ballot, we split tickets more than 50 percent of the time.
There was no U.S. senator on our ballots this year, although there was evidence of ticket splitting. While Republicans increased their margins in the state Leg- islature and nabbed four statewide races, including attorney general and secretary of state, Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock was reelected by 4 percentage points. Bullock received about 256,000 votes compared to roughly 236,000 for Republican candidate Greg Gian- forte. Meanwhile, Trump rolled to victory in the state with about 280,000 votes.
Ticket splitting, it appears, is dying a slower death here.
BY TIM BALDWIN
The president of the United States is undoubtedly
a sobering position. National interests are complex, security is precarious, consequences are far-reach- ing, and people are critical. Despite Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric, he is changing tunes. What should we expect?
There are two essential things that got Trump elected: his stance on immigration (i.e. building a wall), and “drain the swamp” promise (e.g. prosecute “nasty, crooked” Hillary). Since Election Day, Trump has taken a di erent direction. When asked about prosecuting Hillary, Trump said, “I’m going to think about it ... I don’t want to hurt them. [The Clintons] are good people.” As for the wall, Trump said a fence and “virtual wall” would work too, but he really wants to work on an immigration bill.
Trump is also already demonstrating he is anything but an outsider. His executive choices, mostly, are longterm federal insiders. As for constitutional juris- prudence, Trump is content with “settled law,” such as gay marriage. Presumably, rulings on abortion are included here. So much for uprooting “bad decisions.”
By appearances, Trump may be as “establishment” as prior presidents. This will upset many Trump supporters: they really believed he was their savior. Trump’s presidency may prove mostly that the federal system is too established and forti ed to be intruded by anyone, including a billionaire “outsider” president. If Trump fails to “Make America Great Again”, where will Trump supporters focus their anger next election?
BY JOE CARBONARI
There are basic standards of human decency.
America has always striven for the best. Let’s not let an eddy in the ow of progress de ect us. After a post-election meeting with Donald Trump, President Barack Obama remarked that the presidency was a “sobering experience.” We must assist Trump in his sobering. The world, and its problems, will not wait
We humans adapt well. As individuals however, and as societies, we have our laggards, particularly in times of rapid technological and societal change, such as waht we are now experiencing. For many it brings anxiety; for others, opportunities; for some, loss. For those left behind Trump o ered hope, but how will their skills be used, their de ciencies addressed? Many voted for him. Some are loud; some impatient. It is time for action. “Jobs now” is not a partisan call.
In similar manner, the disorder in the world must be addressed. We cannot be the world’s peacekeeper, but we can, and ultimately must, take the lead. For many we represent the best that the peoples of the world have achieved. Let us display that by both our courage and our restraint. Bullies do not survive long.
We must work together and lead by example. That example must be based on the energy and the e - ciency of our economy and the cooperativeness and inclusiveness of our society. Our needs in infrastruc- ture, education, and energy are not partisan, and the measures addressing them must not be either. At our best we work together.
GUEST COLUMN BOB BROWN & DOROTHY BRADLEY PRESERVE DIGNITY OF LAW-MAKING PROCESS
and Montana law contains the resulting policies. Through it all we preserved the dignity of the law-making process. We welcomed the free and frank expression of public opinion. We knew the pain of seek- ing smart and lasting compromises that led to solu- tions, made government work, and increased our trust and respect for each other. We got things done. No one
called us dysfunctional.
Now we see public policy, leadership, respect and
reason descending into wrath and wreckage as the national political campaign shudders to a close. With the triumph of angry and authoritarian politicians here and around the world, there are culprits enough to blame. In Montana, maybe our smaller problems can be added up to smart screens and term limits.
We old “has-beens” just looked each other in the eyes as in days gone by, and communicated earnestly about the challenges we lived through and the ones confront- ing the leaders of today. We don’t have any easy answers because there weren’t any when we were calling the shots. Each generation has to meet its own challenges in its own time.
Montana’s elected leaders of today are as well inten- tioned and sincere as any in any generation. But per- haps what is missing is the good faith that comes from open-mindedness. Our advice to those who are now on the pathway we once followed is to recognize that it can correctly lead in more than one direction. Rec- ognize that. Respect that. And be open to looking for a better way.
W
E BEGAN OUR SERVICE IN THE MONTANA Legislature 56 years ago when political dif-
ferences were as real and sharp as they are today, but when the practice of politics wasn’t as political.
Then, there were old New Dealers who represented a viewpoint not unlike that of Bernie Sanders, and there were Barry Goldwater Republicans whose philosophy of the rugged individual would resonate with some of the Tea Party true believers of today. The similarity, though, may end there.
The two of us recently invited our fellow former state legislators, legislative sta ers and one-time represen- tatives of various state groups and organizations to a party in Helena to relive past times when the political process performed as the founders intended, and the work of the people we all served got done.
Sixty- ve political “has-beens” joined us, and we were all so happy to see each other that no one would stop talking to sit down to the great bu et. It’s easy to descend into the rose-colored nostalgia of the notable events of the olden days, but some events of days gone by are well worth the look back because they help us understand today.
In decades past we had some knockdown drag-out battles over di erences that we cared about deeply. We returned the next day, or the next year to continue where we left o . We recognized and accepted that we had sincere and honest di erences about what was right for Montana. History remembers those debates
Bob Brown (White sh) and Dorothy Bradley (Clyde Park) served together for many years in the state Legislature. Bradley was the 1992 Democratic nominee for governor and Brown was the 2004 Republican nominee for governor.
32
NOVEMBER 23, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM