Guest Opinions

We became acquainted over half a century ago and have always shared a keen interest in government and public service. In our lifetimes of serving in public office, and being close observers of the political process, we have never so regularly heard deep expressions of concern from our fellow citizens about the declining state of our political system.

The crisis at our southern border is raging on, although you wouldn’t know it from watching the evening news or looking at the front pages of the papers. Along with attorneys general from other states, I recently visited the Rio Grande Valley Sector in Texas to see the border for myself and hear directly from public safety officials who are dealing with the crisis every day. What I saw and heard was eye opening; and it’s harming Montana communities.

When Montana Republicans tell you they are fighting for your rights and freedoms, they’re speaking out of both sides of their mouths. While presenting themselves to Montanans as champions of our rights and liberty, they have been hard at work chipping away at the very rights they pretend to hold so dear. They are undermining the independence of our judicial system, rolling back our right to privacy, interfering in our health care decisions, taking away local control for our children’s education, and weakening Montanans’ right to vote. Montana is the only state with a right to a clean and healthy environment, but the GOP endeavors to destroy our outdoor heritage by weakening water quality standards and selling off our wildlife and open lands to wealthy out-of-staters.

A small group of politicians are asking other legislators to sign a letter requesting an expensive Special Session. I oppose this wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars on a session that lacks merit and on what seems little more than a taxpayer funded campaign tour. Here is why I am opposed.