Legislative Wrap-Up

One week ago today, the 2017 session of the Montana Legislature drew to a close. Legislators quickly left town, and staff began putting the House and Senate chambers into mothballs. Barring a special session because of a downturn in the economy, the legislature won’t...

Power Corrupts

The final days of any legislative session are a lot like flying: hours of boredom, punctuated by moments of sheer terror. This session has been a little different. It’s a lot like watching paint dry, followed by moments of intense frustration. That was the case...

Finally…A Good Choice

With few exceptions, the Montana House and Senate are virtually the same. Both are legislative in nature, both follow essentially the same procedures, and both are run by part-time legislators who have real jobs, for the most part, outside of government. They do,...

Who Makes the Rules?

In my humble opinion, one of the practices most damaging to our republic has been the incredible expansion of government through the use of rule-making authority. It basically transfers power from elected officials who are accountable to the people, to a group of...

Political Football

When it comes to naming a new Commissioner of Political Practices, the 2017 Legislative Session appears to be déjà vu all over again. Years ago, the nominating and confirmation process for Montana’s top political cop used to be fairly straightforward. All the players...

When Confirmations Go Nuclear

When it comes to the courts, there’s an old saying, “The wheels of justice turn slowly.” So what happens when the slow-turning courts interface with a dysfunctional Congress? It appears the wheels just about grind to a halt. On February 13th, 2016, United States...