Page 28 - Flathead Beacon // 12.24.14

28 | DECEMBER 24, 2014 OPINION
LETTERS
POINTING FINGERS AT THE PRESIDENT
Have you ever known a person who is otherwise sensible, reasonable and caring but allows hate and anger to totally cloud their good sense and reason?
America has many of those persons active today as politicians and media folks.
The object of their relentless diatribes and often ill-informed opinions is, of course, President Barack Obama.
One of the strangest ones has been those early attacks this year on Obama’s leadership during the Ukraine uprisings. In comparing Obama with Putin, Vladamir Putin was suddenly and inexplicably characterized by this group as a man of resolve, a leader with courage and strength, not the shrinking violet like Obama but a leader with vision and good control over his country. Well, at this date we know how all that has worked out and who showed sensible leadership.
Then there is the price of gas and oil. Obama was blamed and castigated with all sorts of wild accusations of poor leadership surrounding high oil prices, high prices at the gas pump, and all manner of devious manipulations politically motivated.
And our continuing military involvements in the Middle East conflicts have been a bonanza for the finger pointers and severe critics of Obama. And all for a situation he had nothing to do with and had even opposed as a senator. Then, in 2009, he was handed the whole conflicting package for which there is no solution from the outside. He was expected to bring closure and peace. International terrorism has flourished as a result of America’s outrageously arrogant, misguided and greedy actions in invading Iraq. Until there is a stemming of the tide of resentment of America, which fuels terrorism recruitments, international terrorism will continue to grow in the opinion of Middle East experts.
Now, add the economy, job growth, immigration, healthcare as a right not a privilege, education and the environment. And the latest: Cuba. What will the momentums in these areas of concern offer to the “Hate Obama Movement?”
Stay tuned, and a pleasant holiday season.
Bob McClellan Polson
TIME FOR TERM LIMITS
The level of competence, integrity and dedication of parties in our federal government has declined to such a low level there is a growing sentiment to throw them all out of office and replace them. Recent polls show a dismal
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approval rating (perhaps the lowest in history). Corruption, deceit, waste and examples of poor character abound in our government and it seems to get worse over time. The problem, I think, is that public service has gone from being an obligation for American citizens as it was when our nation was founded to becoming a lifelong career as it is today. Career politicians in an atmosphere of flattery and opulence and tempted by the bribes and gifts of special interests soon forget they represent the people. Once elected, because of the power of their office and what it will buy in terms of election campaign contributions, these politicians are not easily replaced.
If we wish to have representatives, senators, and presidents that truly represent the interests of the people, I believe it will be necessary to impose term limits. It’s argued that it takes longer than a single term to learn all the intricacies of public office. I will argue that by a second term, a politician is so contaminated and corrupted by the establishment structure and special interests in Washington that the connection to their constituents and to reality is essentially broken.
Bill Payne Libby
I have served in the Montana Legislature in four different decades. As the sun sets on my legislative career and rises for the start of the 2015 Legislature, I am aghast at a new House rule proposal that would wrest power from individual members of the Legislature and consolidate it in the hands of the Speaker of the House. Already the Speaker is very powerful, with unilateral authority to constitute committees, appoint chairmanships, and assign bills to particular committees.
In past sessions, the Speaker’s decision to assign a bill to a particular committee could be overturned by a simple majority vote of all members of the House of Representatives. This “check” discouraged assigning bills to “kill committees” comprised of handpicked legislators willing to follow the Speaker’s bidding. Once assigned to these committees, popular legislation that is out of favor with the Speaker can be “executed” quietly – out of sight of the public.
Even with this “check,” in recent sessions the use of “kill committees” to prevent floor debate became so pervasive that efforts were already underway to reinstate the pre-term limit process whereby a simple majority could extract a bill from a committee with a “blast” motion. Once free of the “kill committee,” a bill can be deliberated by the entire elected body. This change would return power to the people and we should ask why Rep. Austin Knudsen has been working so hard to defeat this effort?
Rather than empower the people,
House leadership has done the opposite by proposing an ominous rule change. In an audacious move that mimics what Harry Reid has done in the U.S. Senate to prevent debate on legislation, Knudsen has proposed that he be given “imperial power” by removing the “check.” In doing so, Knudsen has declared that his unilateral decisions are beyond the reproach of a simple majority. Instead, nothing short of a super-majority would be able to overturn his decisions. Throughout Montana’s long and storied history – no other Speaker has been granted this level of power.
Why is Speaker-Elect Knudsen advocating for a rule designed to prevent a simple majority from even debating, let alone passing legislation? In our nation of representative government, why would Knudsen, a young man in his 30s, need to create a scenario where his power is so absolute? Why should Montanans accept having their own elected pepresentatives, and ultimately their own concerns, disenfranchised and relegated to second- class status?
I urge every Montanan and every legislator to demand answers as they carefully consider this proposal. History reveals that little long-term good results from empowering a single individual with such authority. We only need to look to D.C. to see that power, once abdicated to an executive, is lost to the people forever.
Rep. Jesse O’Hara Former Dean of the Montana House
PUBLIC LANDS ESSENTIAL TO BUSINESS
Montana’s public lands are the reason our business is here. It is why the people we employ are dedicated to our product, and our success. At Mystery Ranch we rely on access to our open land, lakes, streams and rivers not only because of the experiences that they award our customers, but also because of the bottom line they bring to our business and the lifestyle they offer to our employees. Like so many other businesses in this state, we work here because we get to live here.
This month, our members of Congress put their differences aside to invest even more in our public lands. It wasn’t a financial investment. It was an investment of permanent protection to the Rocky Mountain Front and the North Fork of the Flathead –in the form of legislation written by Montanans. Those pieces of policy had Montanans’ input, and were based on Montana values. Our decision makers showed that they were able to put politics aside and listen.
Our thanks to Sens. Jon Tester and John Walsh and Congressman Steve Daines for looking to the future, and looking out for our business. Here’s to more collaboration in 2015.
Dana Gleason, owner Mystery Ranch, Bozeman
THE EMPEROR-ELECT
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CORRECTIONS
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