Page 34 - Flathead Beacon // 12.17.14

34 | DECEMBER 17, 2014
LIKE I WAS SAYIN’ Kellyn Brown
High Drama
BEFORE MONTANA’S LEGISLATURE BEGINS, lawmakers stake out positions on a variety of poli- cies. Already, we’re reading about speed limits, al- cohol laws, Medicaid expansion, the water compact and even dress codes.
It’s interesting to watch what emerges. And more often, with a Democratic governor and Republican Legislature, these first proposals foretell a bruising and toxic four- month period ahead. That may be the case, but perhaps we should focus a little more on the end results, which are far more boring.
In the run-up to the 2013 Legislature, there were sev- eral hard-fought primary and general elections. During the session, animosity lingered, especially among candi- dates irked after being targeted by Super PAC attack ads. Inevitably, there were whispers that the Legislature would stalemate over its most important duty — passing a state budget — especially in the waning days, when the Senate basically broke down.
As Republican leadership prepared to make final votes on a slew of bills, minority Democrats invoked an unusual legislative tactic called “call of the Senate,” which would block action until all 50 members were present. Fortu- itously, Sen. Shannon Augure, D-Browning, had gone missing. Senate President Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, al- lowed the proceedings to move forward anyway as Demo- crats pounded on their desks.
Following the ordeal, former Kalispell Republican Sen. Jon Sonju said the “day will be etched in history, and not necessarily a good history.” The acrimony didn’t stop there.
Just days later, and with precious little time to pass a budget, GOP infighting spilled into public view. So-called “dark money” had divided the caucus all session, but when discussing a bill that would have implemented more rules on political groups that don’t disclose their donors, those divisions became personal. Republican leadership accused its more moderate members of trading votes with Demo- crats, while the accused told its leadership to name names.
After the state budget passed the GOP-controlled House and it adjourned, Senate Republicans initially re- fused to vote on it. But following a brief standoff, the cham- ber relented, approved the spending plan with three days to spare, and went home. High drama, except that’s how these things often end.
During the final days of the 2011 Legislature, when Re- publicans enjoyed majorities in both chambers for the first time in six years, Democrats blasted a budget that they said cut spending too deep. But the budget passed and Demo- cratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed it.
The last time the theatrics in Helena remotely matched the results was in 2007, when on the 88th day of the 90- day session House Majority Leader Mike Lange delivered a profanity-laced tirade against Schweitzer that was cap- tured on camera. That Legislature failed to pass a budget on time and a short special session was called so it could finish its job. And it did.
In a few weeks our citizen legislators convene. Mon- tana, again, has a surplus. After Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock released his budget proposal last month, a Mon- tana Republican Party spokesman said it’s another exam- ple of his “penchant for reckless, liberal spending.” Brace yourself for more of this.
There will be outbursts this upcoming session, and dis- agreements and disappointments and embarrassments. But if the end result is a degree of compromise to pass a budget that leaves money in our coffers, that’s a relative- ly successful four months. Despite a lot of rhetoric, most lawmakers will leave Helena despondent that they didn’t achieve everything they wanted. And chances are Mon- tana will be on solid financial footing until the Legislature meets again in another two years.
OPINION FLATHEADBEACON.COM
TWO FOR THOUGHT
Local Topics, Different Views
By Tim Baldwin
The recent revelation of CIA torture tactics poses yet another philosophical question of how the federal government abuses its power against people, some of whom “did not meet the ... stan- dard for detention” according to the report. This revelation, undoubtedly, will cause America’s en- emies to find further justification to mistreat us given the opportunity.
For centuries, political philosophers have ex- pressed the importance of rightly treating other nations because of the huge ramifications that derive from mistreating them, such as perpetual war and unconstitutional occupations. Some- how, many Republicans, like former Vice Presi- dent Dick Cheney, reject this sound wisdom and wittingly place America in a volatile and precari- ous situation by these torture tactics.
While Sen. Diane Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) mo- tives for using this report are questioned by po- litical pundits and Republican warmongers will tout how torturing others has saved American lives, I think Americans are becoming increas- ingly nauseous of the federal government’s disre- gard for basic human rights.
So, will voting for Republicans or Democrats one election year to the next change this course of action? Looking at history, it is not likely. Per- haps one reason the federal government tortures people in our name with our tax money is they have no fear of being punished themselves by the American people.
By Joe Carbonari
It is clear that in the war on terror we have en- gaged in the use of at least the moral equivalent of torture. Torture resides in the dark zone; the place between good and evil. That battle zone lies within each of us. Outcomes vary. They define our nature.
It’s said that the character of a people is dis- played on the battlefield. In our war on terror we have resorted to some torture ... to save some lives. Were we justified in having done so? Would you have done so?
Most of us cannot answer that question. We don’t know enough. What we do know, however, is that allowing our secret services to make these decisions on their own is unacceptable.
Effective oversight is critical, but human na- ture makes it difficult. Operatives can lighten the darkness of what is done by under-reporting, and oversight can be complicit by acceptance. We can too easily turn our heads. We must be on guard. We must walk a fine line; others will follow.
Our country has drawn the peoples of the world, at least in part, because of our adherence to the basic tenants of human decency. We cham- pion these tenants throughout the world. We pro- tect the poor and the defenseless. Our standards are high. We should live by them. They define us.
CIA and Torture
GUESTCOLUMN | KenToole
Legislator Health Benefits
Health care reform was a major issue in the last two elections, with conservative Republicans using “Obamacare” to drub their opponents at the ballot box. But election posturing aside, it is hard to take politicians who rant about something while ben- efiting from the exact thing they claim to despise. And so it is with publicly funded health care and legislators.
Last session we saw a blood feud over expanding Medicaid to 70,000 Montanans, with that expan- sion paid for entirely by the federal government. The proposal was tagged as part of Obamacare and died in a flurry of anti-government rhetoric in a Legislature dominated by ultra-conservative Re- publicans.
Ironically, almost all conservative legislators choose to receive taxpayer-sponsored health in- surance. I don’t have any problem with legislators getting state health benefits. But legislators who complain about “public” health care programs while taking taxpayer money to fund their own health benefits are talking out of both sides of their mouths.
Being a Montana legislator is part-time job. In fact, most legislators have other jobs. They work for the state 90 days every two years, in addition to interim committee meetings and possibly during a special session if one is called. They receive $82.64 per “legislative day” and about $110 per diem for every day they work. They also receive $887 per month for insurance, whether they work in that month or not.
Even though they only work part time, legisla- tors are eligible for the same benefits as full-time state employees. It’s a really good deal ... at taxpay- ers’ expense. Each legislator receives a little over $10,000 a year for health insurance no matter how much they actually work. In addition, if they don’t want join the state plan, they can take that monthly amount and have it applied to an insurance policy of their choice.
If your expectation is that legislators who are so offended by taxpayer-subsidized health care would decline these taxpayer funded benefits out of prin- ciple, you would be wrong. During the 2011 and 2013 sessions only eight declined, some Democrats and some Republicans. The final count for the 2015 session is not yet available, but these numbers have been consistent over time.
The problem is not that legislators get health benefits. The problem is legislators who take this benefit while deriding taxpayer-funded health coverage for others. Republican legislative leaders don’t seem to have a problem taking taxpayer-fund- ed health insurance, but they opposed Medicaid expansion during the last session while taking the state health insurance subsidy. Hopefully during the fight about Medicaid expansion in the coming session, these public officials will explain to the rest of us why they deserve more than the 70,000 Mon- tanans who could get health insurance through Medicaid expansion.
Ken Toole, a former state senator, is president of the Policy Institute in Helena .