Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere

Category: Montana Politics

  • Visit

    There are <a href="http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/05/20/news/state/18-obama_s.txt">lots</a> of <a href="http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/05/20/news/state/21-obama_s.txt">stories</a> about Obama's visit to Crow Agency yesterday in the Gazette so I thought I would add my memories of the event here.<br />n<br />nI had been putting off doing some business in town until after I got the calves branded. I still have things to do but i…

  • Campaign Contribution

    There was an <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/09/news/state/40-horsesense.txt">interesting story</a> in the Gazette about a week ago about how if the candidates for Governor of the state don't have a primary challenger, they will have to give some of the campaign contributions they have received so far back. As of last reporting <a href="http://governor.mt.gov/governor/govbio.asp">Gov. Brian Schweitzer</a> had over $200,000…

  • Interest

    I wonder why it takes a Legislator that lives almost 300 miles away to start questioning the deal with the <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/02/06/news/state/15-hardin.txt">Hardin Jail</a>.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>A state lawmaker from Butte has asked corrections officials and representatives of Hardin to explain why a $27 million jail was built in the southern Montana city but now sits empty.<br…

  • The Day

    Today's the day, the day the Montana Republican party completely disenfranchises Montana voters and picks the primary winner in <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/02/05/news/local/18-gop.txt">party only caucuses</a>.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>Voting will be done by local and state Republican leaders, precinct committee people and GOP politicians elected to statewide and county office. All told, Montana's Republican presidential nominee will be decided…

  • Opposition

    Source: <a href="http://www.bighorncountynews.com/">Big Horn County News</a><br />n<br />n<center>Tester sides with state over jail</center><br />n<br />n<blockquote><br />n<br />nby Daniel Person<br />nBig Horn County News<br />n<br />nU.S. Sen. Jon Tester Tuesday said he has not encouraged federal agencies to contract with the detention center in Hardin because of the state’s stance on using the jail to house…

  • The Saga Continues

    The Hardin jail saga just keeps going on. Is that any surprise with a $20 million dollar facility? Now the city if Hardin and Two Rivers Authority, the economic development authority, <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/12/12/news/state/18-hardinsues_x.txt">have sued the State</a> to overturn the Attorney General's opinion. Not once have we heard about any Legislative remedy that might fix this…

  • Knife

    The knife has finally fallen on the Hardin "detention facility." The <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/12/04/news/state/17-hardinjail_x.txt">Attorney General has decided</a> the law states that only the Department of Corrections has authority to take out of state prisoners. <br />n<br />n<blockquote>A multijurisdictional detention center may contract for the confinement of out-of-state and federal inmates only for the purposes authorized in…

  • Energy Development

    I see there is a <a href="http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071202/NEWS01/712020304">new proposal</a> out there to use some of the Otter Creek coal that the state of Montana is sitting on. Sounds interesting to say the least. <br />n<br />nWhy is it necessary to transport the coal almost 500 miles from Ashland to Butte to do this? Why can't they…

  • No Split State

    I see the Board of Livestock has decided <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/11/07/news/state/19-panelists.txt">against split state status</a> for Brucellosis here in Montana. The Governor decided to let the ranching community decide and they let their feelings be known to the Board of Livestock yesterday.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>After hours of rancorous debate punctuated by yelling and boos from the audience, the…

  • Worst Enemy

    I swear Montana Republicans are their own worst enemies. There is now a Republican Legislator suing the Governor to <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/11/01/news/state/27-taxrebatesuit.txt">stop, yes I said stop, a tax rebate</a>. The Republican party in general and Sen. John Cobb of Augusta both claim that the Governor used faulty accounting in figuring the rebate and the law needs…