We could almost hear the shot of the starter’s pistol as the race for Montana governor began in earnest earlier this month. First out of the gate was Democrat Steve Bullock with an election year promise of a $400 payment for certain property owners. Republican Rick Hill responded that Montanans need permanent tax reductions, not […]

“Justice” has long been a core value and the legal backbone of American society. Its tenets are woven into the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These documents protect our natural rights of liberty and property, guarantees a number of personal freedoms, and limits the government’s power in judicial and other proceedings. However, to […]

Of all the nutty ideas floating around these parts of late — procuring an aircraft carrier (Wyoming), pets as wolf bait (Idaho) and Yellowstone bison as bio-terrorists (Montana) — none compare to Utah on the incredulity meter. Seems the Beehive State is abuzz about an effort to put a fresh coat of paint on a […]

Congressman Denny Rehberg has taken some heat over his support of H.R. 1505, a bill that strengthens America’s ability to protect itself by securing our borders against illegal aliens, drug and human traffickers, and terrorists. Rehberg’s opponents have conjured up a bunch of false attacks that this bill will cut off hunters from public lands, […]

In the sweltering heat of August in San Diego a stocky and brawny Sen. Richard Lugar barreled past me, sweat glistening on his brow and soaking his T-shirt. He was jogging with several young staffers during a break at the 1996 Republican National Convention. Lugar was 64 then, but his boyish face and muscular conditioning […]

Few Americans would disagree that our nation’s flag is a symbol of great importance, especially to those of us who have served and fought under its stars and stripes, or who have known a member of our military who has given his or her life for our country. Sadly, there are some who have taken […]

The staff of Kalispell Public Schools has provided a high level of instruction that has increased student proficiency in math, science and reading every year for the last seven years. Our students rank among the top in the state. However, we are currently facing the challenge of maintaining these achievement levels because of a significant […]

The hysteria that surrounds wolf management in the Rockies has clouded rational discussion. Wolves are hardly a threat to either hunting opportunity or the livestock industry. Total number of elk in Montana has increased substantially since wolves were reintroduced. Populations have grown from an estimated 89,000 animals in 1992 prior to wolf recovery to 140,000-150,000 […]

This spring native westslope cutthroat and bull trout will stage for their epic journeys from Flathead Lake to spawning streams in the Middle and North Forks of the Flathead River. Once quite common, their numbers are significantly diminished from the recent past because many cannot navigate the gauntlet of predacious non-native lake trout (and illegally […]

You’ve been reading about the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and Trout Unlimited, saying that lake trout are exploding and bull trout are almost extinct and therefore they need to net lake trout. I think just the opposite is true! Redd counts are the number of spawning beds made by the adult bull trout in […]

Back in November of 2008, a little known report entitled, “The Transition to Green” quietly emerged on to the public policy domain. The 391-page report was the work product of 28 national environmental organizations. The manifesto highlighted priority environmental recommendations and described how “the administration could resume Federal leadership on critical energy and environmental challenges […]

The reaction by some claiming to represent Montana’s resource industries to a recent conference entitled “power shift” at the University of Montana is both sad and short-sighted. Apparently they were offended by the fact that much of the program dealt with environmental problems associated with resource development. Thus, we read opinions bearing the titles, “Universities […]

Memory often flirts with a singular episode from one’s past. This year’s presidential primary campaign has me remembering a political season from my teen years. Intrigued and inspired by politics done right, I was captivated by the 1952 Democratic and Republican conventions. Many candidates sought their party’s nomination but only two held the imagination and […]

There was a time during the golden age of the conservation movement when being “anti-conservation” or “anti-environmentalist” was akin to speaking up for reinstatement of the Jim Crow laws. This conservation enlightenment reached levels of acceptance almost unimaginable today. An illustrative apex occurred in 1972, when 100 delegates from the largely rural and conservative state […]

Free speech or taxpayer-funded propaganda? Recently both Montana universities sponsored a conference for Power Shift. Power Shift seemingly stands for the promotion of clean energy. Look deeper: The organization is a subsidiary of the Energy Action Coalition and is linked to the Occupy and Greenpeace movements. Power Shift’s motto is “we demand 100% clean energy.” […]