The Keystone pipeline debacle is symptomatic of a deep systemic problem in the United States. The federal environmental laws and regulations created since the 1960s act as barriers to progress. In the case of the Keystone, progress would look like reduced dependency on our enemies for oil, breathing time for the development of significant domestically […]

As a former small-town journalist, I know that one major role of the news-media – especially in a small community like ours – is to “herald” the outstanding citizens who make this valley the wonderful place that it is. I was disappointed in a recent article that failed to accomplish just that. “Montana Beef, it’s […]

How many congressmen does it take to connect two dots? A historic oil boom is underway in North Dakota. Unemployed Montanans are moving there for jobs. New businesses are booming in Williston yet the same massive Bakken oil formation lies in Montana, just 20 miles away. What is wrong with Montana oil? Ask yourself this […]

Most of us do not like it when one person controls things, controls our actions, blocks us, and holds power over our heads. But an interesting psychological phenomenon takes place even in such rather blatant abuses of our freedom to make our own choices. Case in point: Grover Norquist’s hold over the Republican members of […]

Do you know how much the secretary of defense makes per year? It is just a hair under $200,000. Now I want you to guess how much the postmaster general makes per year. Until lately he made almost twice what the secretary of defense makes. Sen. Jon Tester got a bill passed to reduce the […]

As contractors, we rely on predictability and certainty to grow our businesses, especially as construction season gets underway in Montana. Without a long-term plan to rebuild our infrastructure, contractors like us won’t be able to put more Montanans to work upgrading our roads and bridges. Without a long-term extension, we can’t sign new contracts, hire […]

The rhetoric and misinformation produced by the Democrats to fool the public in their expanding efforts to divide our society and win votes through class warfare, racial dissension, and now its war against women are appalling! The latest falsehood is that Republicans are opposed to the Violence Against Women Act. Passed in 1994 with bipartisan […]

The conservative organization ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) has seen a rapid exodus of many of its business members. Recently the following companies have severed ties with ALEC: Mars, Inc., the Arizona Public Service Company, Kraft, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Coco-Cola, Pepsi Co, Intuit and the Gates Foundation. It will be interesting to see if any of […]

Here we go again! As someone wrote last week, “When will it end?” I’ve been here now two times now stemmed myself against the realization that as Norb Donahue and also Clarence Krepps, former city manager, who even then were aware of the fact that the location of the present city airport carries too many […]

Right now in a seemingly endless election year we have lots of candidates vying for the chance to represent us in various government positions that require them to uphold and respect our laws and regulations. It appears that most of them think the sign ordinances don’t apply to them. Columbia Falls, Kalispell and Flathead County […]

Don’t you just love election season? Have you heard the blitzkrieg of anti-Rehberg ads paid for by Citizens For Strength and Security? You know, the ones about the feds (Homeland Security) grabbing tens of thousands of square miles of our land, fencing us off from hunting and other uses and hazing us with helicopters when […]

Excuse me, “The War on Women” (April 4 Beacon letter). What happened to responsibility? I’m sure, in this great nation we all call home you can still have as many precious children as you want. If you pay for them … Are you asking other citizens to pay for yours? I have two beautiful children […]

All this back and forth over re-districting is a political distraction contrived by members of the phony “two-party” system, dividing up the state to lessen one group or another’s political strength. This is nothing less than disenfranchisement by design, completely defeating the strengths and values of members of our state who are not of those […]

A decision in the U.S. House of Representatives may have a disastrous impact in Montana that could result in teachers and road workers across our state losing their jobs. The House of Representatives is stalling much-needed legislation that ensures Montana’s rural communities and schools receive the support they need through the Secure Rural Schools and […]

The Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act (HR 1581/S. 1087) will be considered this week by the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Denny Rehberg is a co-sponsor of HR 1581. In the state of Montana alone this would remove federal protections from about 5.5 million acres. This would have a detrimental effect along the Rocky […]