Montana Peaks & Politics

Headline: Roy Brown Makes Some Moldy Hay

2008-08-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

Mike Dennison has a Lee State Bureau Story out examining the Governor's record when it comes to oil production in our State. First, to be fair, this story is pretty darn limited in scope and only deals oil production and not the broader topic of energy.

Roy Brown would have you believe that the Governor is deadset on shutting down Montana's oil industry. This claim is made not withstanding the fact that Montana has more than doubled oil production in the past four years. Mr. Brown also goes on record supporting a complete repeal of the business equipment tax. This tax is used to tax the real property of some the state's largest corporations. For example, the refineries in Billings are taxed with the business equipment tax.

This is problematic in more than one way--and Brown knows it. First business equipment tax elimanation isn't a tax cut they are a tax shift. Eliminating the business equipment tax will change the composition of Montana's property tax base--meaning that a greater percentage of the tax burden will fall to homeowners. The Governor makes this accurate point in the article.

The second problem with Brown's scheme is that eliminating the business would result in a state taxation system that is fundamentally inequitable. Should Exxon-Mobil pay zero taxes on a refinery while BNSF continues to pay taxes on its business equipment, which are rail tracks?

In 2005 the Governor eliminated the business equipment tax for thousands of small businesses by raising the amount exemptioned from taxation to $50,000.

Two other points that should be considered when it comes to energy--not only in Montana--but this country:

1) Let's look at the production of renewable energy in this state under the Governor. His economic development office secured a multi-million dollar federal grant to develop the bio fuels industry in Montana (WIRED). Wind production went from accounting for zero percent of Montana's energy portfolio to around ten percent. As a life-long oil man Roy Brown has steadfastly OPPOSED renewable. This needs to part of any fair look at the record.

2) Roy Brown, John McCain, and the Grand Oil Party are in the midst of perpetuating one of the greatest lies that will be spun during this election cycle: We can drill our way out of high energy prices. The simple laws of dwindling global supply and increasing global demand are driving energy prices, and we cant drill our why out it. We need to look at the record profits of big oil at a time record prices. We need to look at the role energy speculation is playing in the recent run on energy prices. And we need to look at the role of conservation. I wonder what Big Oil Roy Brown would say about those proposals...

Bush Corruption of Justice Department Reaches Montana

2008-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

It is well documented fact that over the previous eight yeats the Bush Administration has made a serious effort to undermine the independence of the US Justice Department to create a subsidiary of the Republican Party.

Now we learn that Montana's own Bill Mercer is a willing participant in these schemes to make the Justice Department subservient to the political whims of the Republican Party. In retrospect it makes sense. Mr. Mercer's meteoric raise through Justice Department in such an atmosphere would require drinking the kool-aid.

Mr. Mercer should resign. But he won't. The best we can hope for is that he doesn't return to our Montana. Maybe he can go work for Gage.

One in Four Montana Republicans Approves of Schweitzer

2008-07-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

These numbers are enough to make Jag proud and Roy Brown go fishing.

Bush & Company Harm Rural America

2008-05-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

After years of hard work the US Congress passes a pretty darn good farm bill. The producers I have talked with told me it one of the best farms for Montana in a long time. This is because Montana is well positioned with a powerful senior Senator who now has a real partner with Jon Tester.

And what does Bush do: He vetos the bill. It is time to move on.

As Montana voters we need to do our part: Let's send Dennis Rehberg packing. May he join Mike Lange, Roy Brown, John Sinrud, and Roger Koopman in the strap heap of history.

This will send a strong message to the Montana GOP that their vision--the vision of the president that they still adore is not the vision of Montana families.

I also think it more than a random chance that Rehberg's website is powder blue and has great pictures of protected areas. He is running scared.

I will blog it again: The race to watch this year is Hunt and Rehberg. The GOP is hurting. Bad.

Welcome Back

2008-05-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed posting on peaks has been slow in the past two weeks. Traveling to Sequoia National Park is something I recommend to all. Seeing the size of these trees, which happen to be named after institutions such as The Senate, The Congress, and the President is pretty awe inspiring. Aside from the god awful air pollution emulating from the Central Valley it is great place. It actually reminded of Montana. West Yellowstone, with more tree variety and more impressive peaks.

Essentially, I have been so out of the loop I only know two key things: First and foremost we have a great farm bill that has Montana's stamp all over it.

Let's be clear: Max Baucus is a force to be reckoned with and voting for GOP nominee in the November election would be clearly irrational.

Max and his staff are also super creative. I am still not 110 percent clear exactly how the tax credit revenue bonds for Plum Creek lands will work, but I will post it when I figure it out. Sounds like a great deal for Montana. When a GOP Congressman from the South complains, it is probably good for us.

Second: The GOP is in deep dog doo-doo. For a while all the pundits declared that a drawn out Democratic Primary would spell doom. Not so.

Democrat Travis Childers thrashing on and over Republican Greg Davis in the Mississippi special Congressional election (a seat that Bush carried by 20 points in 2004) the prospects for the GOP are bleak indeed. Democrats are fired up.

As I type right now from a coffee shop from Livingston three people are having a conversation about the presidential election ten feet from me. They haven't voted in the past two election. They like Obama's energy. They think this is a super important election.

It is not a good time to be a young GOP staffer, activist, or member of the vast right-wing conspiracy.

Hackabee in Montana--Weird & Weirder

2008-05-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well, its interesting to see former Arkansas Governor Huckabee in Montana on the stump for Roy Brown. Mike's an interesting guy--to say the least.

First there is his troubled ethical track record as the Governor of Arkansas. I found Mr. Huckabee's attempt to keep $70,000 in furniture donated to the governor's mansion as tacky and out of character for a former pastor.

Then there was the time when Governor Huckabee did some heavy political leaning on the Chief of the Arkansas State Police to ensure that his son was not charged for animal cruelty after he killed a dog.

To me this type of stuff is just weird, and frankly, scary.

But none of this tabloid fodder is the most interesting thing about his support for Roy Brown: after comparing Mr. Huckabee's fiscal record as governor of Arkansas and Roy Brown's platform in his campaign for governor, I don't see how they are remotely congruent.

Roy Brown appears to be running because he is upset over how Governor Schweitzer has managed state finances. In particular, Roy seems to have a really hard time with the $100 million dollar tax rebate that went to Montana homeowners. He even went as far to call the Governor's property tax rebate "a little gimmick"

As the top elected official in good ol' Arkansas Mike supported a tax rebate plan that was strikingly similar to Governor Schweitzer's plan. Huckabee went so far as to call a one-time rebate the second most important thing to do in Arkansas.

This endorsement has everything to politics (hence Hackabee) and nothing to do with two people who share a common philosophy. The hypocrisy on Roy's part is pretty evident.

GOP Legislator: Human Health Concerns of No Concern

2008-04-27T18:46:00.001-07:00

Once again the Montana GOP--led by Senator Keith Bales--shows just how out of touch and out of sync they are with Montanans when it comes to protecting the public health.

Joe Russell, Chairman of the Board of Environmental Review, responds:

"This is just another one of those shots that just tries to take away a rule-making authority from an appointed board...You know how busy the district courts are around Montana? That's crazy..."

FYI- Chairman Russell is the County Health Officer in Flathead County. His job is pretty straight forward: protect public health.

Mr. Bales on the other hand, well, let's just say he has own reasons for advancing this extremist agenda.

A Plug for Heifer International

2008-04-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

I will be the first to admit you won't find me saying this often, but: Kate at Big Sky Cairn has a great post on what rising food prices mean throughout the world.

The reason I am cross-posting here is mostly due to her reference of Heifer International, which is the non-profit organization that receives the majority of my charitable giving. I quit giving my eighty something grandparents knickknacks for Christmas a couple of years ago.

In America, where the vast majority of us already have too much crap, giving the opportunity of husbandry to the world's less fortunate has much more meaning.

Restoring Montana

2008-04-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

The Associated Press has a story today about the recent settlement with ASARCO to remove the Mike Horse Dam at the headwaters of the Blackfoot River.

The extraction of natural resources has long been an important part of Montana's history, culture, and economy. Mining and logging have fed generations of Montana families and will continue to be vital component of our state's economy into the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, there are too many examples from across Montana where industry has shirked their responsibilities to protect the health of Montana's communities and environment. The environmental legacy of these bad corporate actors has been nothing less than toxic.

From Libby to Zortman to Butte to BNSF railroad sites in Lewistown and Livingston there are a plethora of places across our state where you can see the environmental damage of decades of failed government oversight, which too often was the result of relationships between corporate polluters and elected officials that did not have the interest of the Montana public in mind.

This just is not the case in Montana anymore. The past four years have represented a sea-change in the approach the Montana has taken with corporate polluters. It is one of the biggest stories in the past four years and it has only been reported in bits and pieces by the media.

We are witnessing a true effort by the elected officials of our state to hold corporate polluters accountable for the toxic legacy of their past actions. From the BNSF Livingston rail yard to Mike Horse to the old Yale Oil Refinery in the Flathead, Montanans are seeing a serious acceleration of clean-up efforts across the state.

Why now?

1). Cooperation between federal and state elected officials: Our Senators, Governor, and Attorney General are reading from the same playbook. This makes a big difference when you are attempting to negotiate a settlement on behalf of the people of Montana that can reach nine figures.

2). End of GOP/Corporate Wedge The Racicot/Martz/Rehberg/Burns playbook was pretty straight forward: Sit in the corporate camp while driving a wedge between labor and conservationists. Strong Democratic leadership has been rebuilding the bridge between labor and conservation. How? With the obvious: An investment in environmental restoration means good paying jobs.

As Pat Williams is fond of saying, "Why not put your brother-in-law to work restoring the old fishing hole. The fishing gets better, and you get him off your couch."

3). The End of the Revolving Door: In the Stephens/Racicot/Martz years it was pretty common knowledge that DEQ was beholden to BNSF and other corporate polluters. Projects would spend years in negotiation without settlement, and key political appointees would then immediately rollover into the private sector to represent the interests they had just been regulating. The sad fact is that many of these people began representing the interests of the corporations while still on the public payroll.

4) Representing Everyday Montanans: Nationally, the GOP spin on Democrats is often that they are out of touch with blue collar Americans. The same spin just doesn't stick in Montana--and the GOP knows it. From protecting stream-side access laws, to the $400 rebate for property owners, to the progressive leadership that implemented our Constitution--Montana Democrats have never strayed from the populist, blue-collar families that are the backbone of Montana.

Montanans are connected to the land. We want BNSF to clean-up the rail yards across our state, we believe that WR Grace should be held accountable for the damage done to the people of Libby, and we expect our elected leaders to get this done.

After decades of GOP collusion and incompetence we are seeing the effects of Democratic leadership that is restoring our environment, creating jobs, and holding out-of-state corporations accountable for their actions.

It is about time.

Energy & the Race for Governor

2008-04-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Dan Testa has a story out in the Flathead Beacon that takes a hard look at the energy positions of the Governor and his presumptive general election opponent, Roy Brown.

First of all, it is pretty clear that the positions of Montana GOP when it comes to energy issues are nothing more than a political red-herring. I have had the privilege of watching Roy and his GOP colleagues in the past few legislative sessions. It is pretty sad. Their approach to energy policy is completed dictated by the Montana Petroleum Association, the Coal Council, and etc. These industry groups, which are essentially fronts for out-of-state corporation, have a singular motive: maximize their profits.

As a life-long oil industry insider, Roy Brown has opposed renewable energy, he has voted to repeal the Montana Environmental Policy Act, he believes that Montana should not act to protect our fisheries, forests, and farmers from global warming, and--as the Governor points out--he is way out of sync with the people of Montana when it comes to coalbed methane.

From the Beacon:

Schweitzer then pointed to a bill passed by the 2007 Legislature regarding coal-bed methane discharges in southeastern Montana that he vetoed, saying it would have profoundly impaired his ability to negotiate with British Columbia leaders regarding British Petroleum’s plan to drill for coal-bed methane along the North Fork of the Flathead River. Sen. Brown’s support of the bill, Schweitzer said, did not support the interests of the state.

In high school we had to read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair about the deplorable conditions of the Chicago meat packing industry prior to regulation. Later I came across this quote by Mr. Sinclair, which does a pretty good job of summing up the Roy Brown on energy:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it. ---Upton Sinclair

Roy Brown on Agriculture

2008-04-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

Erik Iverson & Company seem to believe that the Governor's recording of a public service announcement (PSA) is the most important agricultural issue facing the State of Montana.

While the Commissioner of the Political Practices has already chided the State Republican Party for filing the wrong type of complaint and then breaking the law by disclosing the complaint (these types of complaints are supposed to remain sealed), the real issues when it comes to agriculture have nothing to do with PSA's.

Lamnidae has done a great job of laying out Roy Brown's record when it comes to agriculture in Montana. It is less than stellar.

Most Montana producers--and I know more than a few--believe the Governor is doing a fine job in advancing the interests of Montana's most important industry; particularly, when it comes to dealing with the out-of-state, monopoly railroad that has been gouging Montana grain-growers for decades.

It is pretty telling when former Governor Racicot immediately joins the BNSF Board of Directors and the former Chief of Staff for Governor Martz becomes the chief lobbyist.

When it comes to agriculture and supporting Montana producers let's be honest: One party is heads and shoulders above the other.

Operation Despair on the Hammond Report

2008-04-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

A recent post on the Hammond Report truly shows the state of desperation in the Montana GOP right now. Right wing bloggers have reached the point where they are encouraging Montana voters to support Democrats on June 3rd. To say the least, this is interesting.

Never mind that there numerous contested GOP primaries throughout Montana. Never mind that Montana Republicans will have their own choice for President in June between Ron Paul and John McCain.

This is just yet another example of the continuing collapse of the big tent approach made famous in the Reagan years of the Grand Old Party. After eight years of George Bush cronyism, war, economic stagnation, mounting deficits, and middle class squeeze there isn't much left.

It is a telling statement that they are now encouraging Montana Republicans to vote for a Clinton.

In sum: I imagine that there will be an amazing turnout for the Dems in June.

MT Peak of the Week-Crazy Peak 11,209 ft

2008-04-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Crazy Peak is the highest peak in the Crazy Mountains, a subrange of the central Montana Rockies. Crazy Peak dominates the surroundings, rising almost 6,000 feet above the plains to the east, and is the highest peak in Montana north of the Beartooth Mountains. Crazy Peak is also the most topographically prominent peak in Montana. A small remnant glacier exists on the northeast slope of the mountain. The mountain is located in Gallatin National Forest.

To those of you who have spent time in the Crazies you understand the nomenclature.

The Montana GOP's Great Red Herring

2008-04-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

Jim Mann has a piece in the Daily Interlake that clearly shows how GOP candidates approach coal in Montana. First, it needs to be developed at all costs. Second, it is political.

To their credit Max Baucus, Jon Tester, and Brian Schweitzer have been supportive of coal and yet remained honest with the people of Montana about the need to do it right. We need to protect our water, environment, and air before rushing into more coal. The vast majority of Montanans agree with their approach.

The Montana GOP, on the other hand, seems obsessed with making coal a political football. Remember when Brad Johnson went to visit the Governor (alone--no Greenwood to script) and admitted as much, calling his criticism of the Governor over Otter Creek a "political red-herring."

Then there were the efforts of Mike "stick it up your ass" Lange last Legislative Session to repeal all public input the citing of new coal fired power plants in Montana. Mr. Lange's efforts failed due to the reasonable objections of thousands of Montanans who might like to have a say in the new power plant next door.

The Montana GOP's obsession with advancing coal without concern over the long-term impacts has more to do more politics than energy. The coal has been there for millions of years. It is not going anywhere. Let's do it right.

Mr. Mann's story did contain abit of reason from Democratic AG Candidate Mike Wheat.

“What’s important about all that is now we have an environment where global warming is becoming more of an issue ... That creates a regulatory environment that will be more difficult to advance development.” Wheat said he does not oppose development of the tracts. “If we can get over all those hurdles, and then it can be demonstrated that this coal can be extracted in a way that satisfies all of our environmental requirements, then I’m not opposed to that.”

Hunt for Change

2008-04-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

The Missoulian has a piece on Jim Hunt's strengthening bid to unseat Denny's Rehberg fifth bid for the Beltway. With no viable opponent for Max, Brian's seemingly flawless machine that has done a pretty darn good job of managing Montana's finances and implementing some much needed reform, we are left with Denny v. Hunt.

Let me put this forward right now: the closest race of the big three will be the race for Montana's Congressional seat. And rightfully so. Denny has flim-flammed his way through Montana politics for two decades with little to zero substantive accomplishments.

Reminds me of a political cartoon in the Miles City Star from 1996 that caricatured Dennis (this was before he rebranded) as a cowboy riding into town with a barrel of snake oil hanging out of the saddle bag.

Rehberg's Classy DC Diggs

2008-04-23T16:48:00.004-07:00

We all know that Dennis Rehberg sleeps on a couch. But it came as kind of shock to learn that he also lists 'lodging' at one of the biggest dives in the Washington area. The Washington Post breaks the story here.

Isn't time for Montanans to demand more from our Congressman?