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30 | DECEMBER 4, 2013
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OPINION

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LETTERS
government funding. Their inancial is to address climate change by reducing
support will come from scholarship carbon pollution from the biggest sources:
ONLINE STORIES
programs, tuition, and fundraisers, as in power plants. According to the Energy
the past. Montanans will look forward Information Administration, power plants

to the improvements the Common Core are responsible for one third of the U.S.’s
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
Standards will bring. Students will beneit. carbon dioxide emissions. As renewable
STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM It is the honorable and stately thing to do energy installers, we are optimistic
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
for our students.
because industry-wide carbon standards
Public school students in Montana JoLynn Yenne will not only reduce carbon pollution, they
under the direction of Denise Juneau, The Last of the Bigfork
will help accelerate Montana’s growing
state superintendent of public instruction, Flathead Dairy Farms
clean energy economy. We can address

are moving forward into the 21st century DEMOCRACY’S INHERENT climate change and increase economic
to implement Common Core standards. Film Looks at WEAKNESS
opportunity at the same time. This is not
After years of slowly slipping behind Native American Although a democracy is the most a zero sum game.
in student achievement, compared to Traditions and PTSD
equitable form of government ever From 2011 to 2012 solar energy
other countries, Juneau not only worked devised, it has an inherent weakness that production in the U.S grew by 49 percent
with colleagues on this process, she also BLOTTER: Drunken makes it vulnerable and short lived. This and wind energy capacity grew by 16
wanted to make sure it would be right for weakness is the realization by voters that percent. In Montana, wind energy capacity
Montana students. Whether statewide or Teenager
they can give themselves generous gifts has grown from less than 2 megawatts in

nationwide, American public education Pilot Unharmed in from the public treasury. This law in the 2005 to over 600 megawatts this year.
has served us well. However, now is the Kalispell Plane Crash
design of a democracy results in its being Renewable energy’s dramatic growth
time to make it better to compete with the temporary in nature (typically lasting only is directly related to its low costs. The
rest of the world. Juneau has been working Grocery Stores Urge 200 years on average). It seems to me this Department of Energy’s latest data shows
with Montana teachers setting rigorous Use of Cash or Check inherent law could be corrected by the that the average price of wind is just over
benchmarks, which will result in moving single expedient of allowing only those not 4 cents per kilowatt-hour. Rooftop solar
even the best state standards to the next Amid Cyber Attack
receiving welfare from the government costs fell by 13 percent last year and

level.
After the Timber the right to vote. This should efectively continue to drop. Coal generated power
What are the Common Core Wars
stop the practice of the majority voting for averages 3 cents per kilowatt-hour, but
standards? As stated on the Montana’s candidates for public oice whose chief this igure does not account for coal’s
Oice of Public Instruction website: The Whiteish Stabbing criteria is the promise of more welfare air pollution, health impacts, and global
standards are not curriculum. They are a beneits.
warming costs. With these costs included,
clear set of shared goals and expectations Victim in Intensive Congress is presently considering the the cost of coal increases to over 9 cents
for the knowledge and skills students Care; Suspect In granting of amnesty and citizenship to as per kilowatt-hour—more than double the
need to each grade level in Math and Custody
many as 20 million illegal immigrants. cost of wind power. Renewable energy

English Language Arts and Literacy. Rock Legend to Hit If this happens, our nation will soon doesn’t have these hidden costs because it
Local educators will have the freedom to follow the example of other democracies doesn’t emit pollutants that cause asthma,
tailor appropriate curricula to achieve the Majestic Valley Arena
in history that lourished briely then smog and global warming.
standards. Montana’s public educational collapsed. We are already well on the way Renewable energy has already proven
system, as supported by our state Montana’s Orphan to a socialist state. Adding millions more that it is up to the task of meeting our
constitution is for all students where ever Bears Find Sanctuary to the welfare rolls would inish the job and energy needs at a lower cost and without
they are, with a goal of quality education in an Unlikely Place
create a path that is virtually irrevocable. damaging our environment, or making
to empower all to be active and productive An examination of the last presidential our families sick.

citizens, now and in the future.
Ideas vs. Inventions
election revealed that the territory won Businesses like ours are also up to
Political “anti common core by Mitt Romney was primarily peopled the task of providing jobs in a low-carbon,
standards” groups are promoting false, by taxpaying citizens while the territory clean energy economy. Renewable energy
fear tactics. They have created their own won by President Barack Obama was has already provided 1,500 construction
imaginary problems with the standards comprised chiely of low income citizens jobs and more than 200 permanent jobs
and a platform whereby they want the living of the various forms of government in Montana. Carbon pollution standards
school districts and government to ofer welfare.
will help expand renewable energy job
LETTERS
more choices. Unfortunately, these “anti” There is considerable evidence to opportunities as demand for cleaner Tell us what you think. To submit a letter, please e-mail your submission
groups’ common objective is to siphon of suggest that Obama would welcome energy increases. This means that to [email protected]. Please
public money for their “choice” private a world where national borders are renewable energy businesses will hire keep your letter to 300 words or less.
schools, using Montana tax dollars for eliminated and the world’s people ruled more people and pump more money into The Flathead Beacon reserves the right
their own agendas and self interests. by a central government. Although the local economy. According to a Synapse to edit letters for length, clarity and
Their unannounced goals are a selective light on credentials, but heavy on ego, I Energy Economics study, Montana can to prevent libel. Letters must include
enrollment, selective curriculum believe it’s safe to assume Obama would expect to gain about 3,600 jobs from the writer’s irst and last name, phone
that is narrowly focused, and relaxed recommend himself to be the leader of carbon pollution standards.
number and address for veriication
purposes. Only the name and hometown
requirements for teachers. Fortunately, such a government.
We’ve already seen that clean of the writer will be printed. To mail a
every community already has choices to Bill Payne energy can beneit Montana’s economy letter, please send to 17 Main Street,
engage in a variety of private educational Libby
– and we’ve only begun to tap our state’s Kalispell, MT 59901.
opportunities. Private schools are not enormous solar and wind resources. The Fax letters to (406) 257-9231.
required to adopt the standards, however new carbon pollution standards will CARBON POLLUTION
many will be.
unleash innovation, expand low-cost CORRECTIONS
STANDARDS GOOD FOR
The simple truth is Montanans have clean energy solutions, and create good- If a Beacon story includes a factual BUSINESS
error, please tell us about it. Call
a history of protecting and supporting a The Environmental Protection paying jobs. We have a lot to be optimistic Kellyn Brown at 257-9220; or e-mail to
quality public educational system for all. Agency is in the process of developing about.
[email protected]; or fax to
The trail to school choice will not lead the nation’s irst-ever carbon pollution Conor Darby, Solstice Energy Systems, 257-9231.
to utopia, but to constant conlict over standards for power plants. As small Bozeman FLATHEADBEACON.COM
our public school funding sources. Let’s business owners and Montanans, we hail Ben Reed, Winpower West, For daily news, local community pages,
be real! Montana school districts do not these new standards for their potential Billings video, multimedia, story archives and
have the means, the money, to subsidize to expand economic opportunities in Henry Dykema, Sundance Solar Systems, lively online conversation, visit our Web
private educational programs. Private Montana by driving innovation and Red Lodge site at latheadbeacon.com.

and Christian education need to be free accelerating clean energy development.
Rip Hamilton, Solar Plexus,
from state and local interference and
The purpose of the new standards
Missoula