For someone who says he doesn’t like talking about vetoes, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer sure likes to talk a lot about vetoes. But making vague declarations are one thing and putting pen to paper is quite another. The truth is it’s hard to guess how many pieces of legislation the governor will eventually nix. There […]

We are halfway through the 2011 legislative session. As a member of the Republican leadership I can tell you we are focused on creating private sector job opportunities for the citizens of Montana. It troubles me when I hear of another friend leaving for North Dakota to find employment. We have the natural resources, energy […]

During the first half of the 62nd Legislative Session, we have dealt with legislation concerning everything from how we run our businesses, and how we educate our children, to how we recreate in Montana. This last subject has generated a lot of comment from our constituents and we would like to take this opportunity to […]

Lots of Scout troops from out of state visit Glacier National Park every year. Some of them use our local Scout camp property as a “base camp” for a week or two of treks they make into the Bob Marshall, Glacier Park and elsewhere. One thing they depend on us for is referrals to quality […]

I’ve written before about going to Helena to testify before the Legislature, or simply to see how our state government works. It’s a pain, but can be worthwhile. When “worth-a-trip” legislation comes up for a hearing, either good or bad, I always check the other bills scheduled that day, in case a “bonus” can be […]

I have been a participant in AmeriCorps, a federal program administered through the Corporation for National and Community Service, for the past three years. I’m grateful for the experience of AmeriCorps in my life. I feel that college gave me the skills to think, and AmeriCorps gave me the skills to act. This is an […]

Reached last week, Whitefish Republican Sen. Ryan Zinke called Senate Bill 13 – which was proposed and supported by a number of his colleagues – a “terrible bill.” It was a blunt assessment one day before the legislation was scheduled to hit the Senate floor. Instead, SB 13 was referred back to the Senate Finance […]

Recently I attended a wonderful student concert at Glacier High School. While sitting in my seat enjoying the students’ intensity on never missing a note, I was thinking how our newly elected state Legislature is ready to put education, both K-12 and higher education, on the chopping block. It took only hours after our newly […]

I want to thank Kellyn Brown for welcoming me to the Flathead Valley with his editorial in the Jan. 28 Flathead Beacon (“Appealing to ‘Real’ Montanans”). I am honored that he would devote an entire editorial to my speech. I wish, however, that Kellyn had been a little more accurate in his assessment of what […]

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that there were some “numbers you might care about“. Examples included figuring out the costs to obtain both new leads and customers. In prior discussions, I’ve also suggested that you need to be thanking your customers, following up, tracking referrals, making sure purchase intervals aren’t abnormal and so on. […]

“Theatre of the Absurd” was coined by Martin Esslin to express senselessness and the inadequacy of any rational approach by the abandonment of sensible policies and discursive thought. Politics has long been viewed as a mix of comic and tragic theater, with public debate seldom moving a vote. If the first half of the 2011 […]

It took me many years of trial and error to create the perfect crab cake recipe. I probably have five different recipes for crab cakes, but this one consistently receives the most rave reviews from my clients. The key to perfect crab cakes is the quality of crab meat used. In this recipe, I have […]

Several Flathead-area senators deserve thanks for voting to protect energy independent Montanans. Thanks, in particular, to Sen. Ryan Zinke (R-Whitefish) for his leadership. Recently, the state Senate voted against a bill (SB 226) that would have crippled grid-interconnected home scale solar and wind energy projects in Montana. During the debate, Zinke stood up and said […]

It was telling when in 2009 Kalispell voters rejected a $4.1 million-high school building reserve levy for School District No. 5. It had been approved every time it was on the ballot since 1982. When times are good, it’s easier to support schools. But they’re not. The building levy was just one of many that […]

During the campaign season, majority party lawmakers in the Montana Legislature promised voters they would focus in January on balancing the state’s budget, reducing unnecessary government and creating jobs. Who could argue with these general goals? Apparently they were kidding. Instead of addressing the economy, many Republican legislators are spending – many would say wasting […]