A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Montana’s biggest union endorses Republican Tim Fox for attorney general. Although organized labor usually endorses Democrats, it’s not a wing of the Democratic Party. In 1972, for example, the Teamsters endorsed Richard Nixon, possibly in exchange for Nixon’s pardoning Jimmy Hoffa. Now the 18,000-member MEA-MFT has endorsed Republican Tim Fox, Montana’s incumbent attorney general, for re-election. If re-elected, Fox reportedly plans to run for governor in 2020, so the union’s leadership is playing a dangerous game.
Meanwhile, there’s still no Democratic candidate for attorney general. Montana’s Democratic Party is in the pocket of organized labor these days, so given the MEA-MFT’s endorsement of Fox, one cannot rule out the possibility that some elements of the party are quietly, but effectively, discouraging a Democrat from running for AG. The longer the party goes without a candidate for AG, the more the situation emits an unpleasant odor.
Flathead Electric now has sold 215 of the 356 photovoltaic panels at its Stillwater community solar garden. One cooperative member purchased 19 of the panels, which sell for $900 and are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit. A $75 per month purchase plan is available. FEC estimates each 285-watt-DC panel will produce an annual average of 360 kilowatt hours over the project’s planned 25-year lifetime. Most of that output will occur from March through October. Because the payback period is very long, purchasing a panel expresses support for green technology at the expense of a very low return on investment.
Rehberg’s spin doctoring won’t get the lead out of Flint. The lead in Flint, Michigan’s water is a public health issue, but, reports Montana Cowgirl, Michigan governor Rick Snyder is treating it like a public relations problem. He’s hired a PR outfit, Mercury LLC, to help persuade Flint’s residents he has the mettle to deal with the situation, apparently not appreciating, or at least not caring about, the irony in Mercury’s name. One of Mercury’s co-chairmen is Montana’s former congressman, Republican Denny Rehberg. Snyder’s recklessness led to the crisis in Flint, but instead of paying for his sins by breaking rocks on a chain gang, he’s trying, with Rehberg’s help, to portray himself as the man who rescued Flint from heavy metal brain damage. Give him an “A” for chutzpah.
How did Browning, MT, get itself into such a financial predicament? The town is flat busted, reports the Flathead Beacon, unable to pay its employees, and basically not open for business. Browning’s leaders blame the situation on the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council. The Blackfeet blame Browning’s leaders. The crisis would be messy anywhere, but it’s especially messy given its race relations component. Some kind of outside intervention — a joint state-federal effort — will be necessary to get the situation straightened-out.
Jihadi fearing Montanans rally in Missoula against refugees from the Middle East. According to the Missoulian, 120 assembled at the courthouse on Monday to protest a plan by Soft Landing Missoula (no website that I can find) to resettle Syrian refugees in Missoula. Bigfork organizer Caroline Solomon, herself an immigrant (Belgium), brought a 27-person busload of Flatheaders to the rally. Solomon is active with Act for America, and has concerns that textbooks used in public schools do not present the truth about Islam.
I don’t agree with the protesters’ assessment that settling a few Middle Eastern refugees in Missoula is a grave threat to the safety of Montanans, but I do not doubt their fear is genuine. They’re frightened and angry, they seek perfect safety, and thus they have almost no tolerance for cultural and religious diversity. I wish I knew a way to set their minds at ease. I suspect their rally will help the fundraising efforts of human rights organizations that support refugees.