3/31/2006
End of the Quarter Reminder
by Matt Singer on 2:45 pm.
This is the end of the quarter for fundraising for federal races. Now is a good time to contribute to Jon Tester and Monica Lindeen.
The numbers going up this quarter will basically be the final ones reported before the final stretch into the primary for Jon. For Monica, these numbers will guide the decisions of national donors and national committees as to whether they should prioritize this race.
| Comments (4) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06 |
I’m In
by Matt Singer on 9:08 am.
| Comments (15) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page |
3/30/2006
Rehberg Opposes Abramoff Investigation
by Matt Singer on 2:12 pm.
Rep. Dennis Rehberg just voted to table a resolution requiring an investigation of members connected to Jack Abramoff. That’s not super-surprising. Only six Republicans voted against tabling the measure.
Still, I think we can all be proud of Rehberg for standing up in the face of overwhelming pressure to investigate the muck that is Abramoff’s political network. If you’re proud of him like me, pay Monica a visit and throw her some change.
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: Dennis Rehberg |
Felons and Voting
by V on 10:01 am.
I semi-recommend this NYT editorial of a few days ago. It meanders quite a bit around some interesting topics and ends with a trite appeal to require more educated elections officials. The sad truth is that it is hard for folks to vote in America. Those who are running the show don’t seem to care, and so are unwilling to take any progressive steps forward. Education is not as much the problem as are the complicated and unnecessary regulations.
Campaign finance could be simplified if the state recognized its interest in publicly funding campaigns and curtailing the influence of money in elections. Voting law could be simplified merely by reflecting on voting itself. The people are the source of public power, and they should choose who wields their power.
Matt, Gerik, and I worked on a state initiative a few years ago, and while we were gathering signitures, I remember thinking often that felons should be allowed to vote. They represent a voice that has actually been processed by the public system, and they may have some insight into how well it is running. I am not so naive as to think that all of them would rush at the opportunity, but the few that would could scarcely be called uninformed.
| Comments (18) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page, elections, law, policy, political |
Interesting Even If a Little Horrifying
by V on 9:45 am.
I ran across this editorial in Boston Globe about a consideration of the death penalty for someone who is exercising a right to freedom of religion. It makes an interesting point that I am not sure that I agree with totally:
It is horrifying enough to read of resurgent Taliban forces in Afghanistan killing a school principal for daring to educate girls. The prospect of a government-sanctioned execution of a person whose only offense is religious conversion is even worse.
Even if the Rahman case is resolved short of the death penalty, it opens another fissure between the West and that part of the Islamic world that wants its faith enshrined in its laws.
The emphasis here is mine. I have recently been listening to oral arguments in a number of cases, which you can find at the OYEZ Project (highly recommended), and I have found that the fissure mentioned above is a facade. It is not only the heathen/barbarian East that wants faith enshrined in law. Justice Antonin Scalia wants it too. Time and again in establishment cases, Scalia asks the attorneys whether they concede that our laws are derived from God. He actively advocates for a single, God-driven law and refuses to see that, perhaps, this mentality may make some folks feel like outsiders in our society.
Scalia clearly does not advocate for death to anyone that refuses to conform to the religious basis for our law, but he is also unwilling to protect their interest in a freedom from religion. This is literally the one basis of our society, if any one basis could be truly pinned down. It is the one reason that Pilgrims fled to the New World and a major reason for our eventual break with Great Britain. With this understanding of the traditions of American society, the freedoms of conscious should be virtually absolute, and any sconce built up around one tradition or line of traditions is clearly repugnant to our American society and traditions. This from the same Justice who is so willing to appeal to the founders’ sensibilities on every other question is really infuriating.
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page, law |
A Little Remiss
by V on 9:22 am.
We should have mentioned this earlier, but I have been out of town for a few days. The ACLU is hosting the legal team in the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case on their blog this week. It is worth checking out. I may read a little more and post about this case later.
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page, law |
The Tester/Morrison Difference
by Matt Singer on 8:32 am.
One of the common questions here and elsewhere is “How do Jon Tester and John Morrison actually differ on the issues?” There seems to be this myth spreading that these two guys are basically the same in philosophy except one is a trial lawyer and one is a farmer. Now, there are a whole host of differences, but I think one difference has become extremely clear in the last couple days.
This week, because of an act by Jon Tester, contraception will now be covered by insurance plans in the state of Montana. That means more responsible planning by young families and fewer abortions. Contraception is an easy thing to agree on for just about everybody…everybody but insurance companies that it. Despite long-term savings by preventing costs related to unwanted pregnancies, insurance companies simply don’t want to cover birth control (Viagra? Sure!). So when Tester took the lead on this issue, he offended some very powerful and very wealthy interests. Jon Tester is the kind of guy to do that.
As one commenter pointed out soon after, John Morrison is not that kind of guy. Senator Steve Gallus carried legislation in the 2005 session to prohibit credit scoring from being used to establish insurance rates. This is a good bill. Using credit scores to determine insurance rates drives up costs to low-income folks, which makes them less likely to be insured. That causes more problems for everyone on the road. Plus, it’s just basically unfair. Gallus’s bill was a good one. And it was likely to get through, except that John Morrison wanted to appease the big insurance companies it is his job to regulate. He pushed his own “compromise” and Gallus’s bill died.
The fact that he took this approach is no big surprise. I have it on good authority that the choice community in Montana tried for months to get John Morrison to take the lead on contraceptive equality, an issue he highlighted in 2000 while trying to win a Democratic primary. Morrison was simply not interested in taking a stand on an issue that was remotely controversial, even if it would make a real difference for thousands of Montanans.
The fact is, in this primary, there is a difference. If there wasn’t, I’d have little reason to care. But I do. And if you’re like me, today or tomorrow, you’re donating to Jon Tester, the candidate who fights for Montanans, not defers to big-money interests.
| Comments (20) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, democrats, elections, political |
3/29/2006
Margie MacDonald: Roy Brown’s Opponent is a Badass
by Matt Singer on 3:37 pm.
Margie MacDonald kicked off her campaign for Senate District 25. This is a campaign of juggernauts. When Democrats rode to victory in Helena, Roy Brown looked them in the eye and said “No funding for education.” When skinheads came to Billings and threatened Jewish families, Margie MacDonald looked them in the eye and said, “Not in our town.”
This campaign is almost unfair. Roy Brown is a charismatic, telegenic personality who hides his reactionary tendencies behind a smile and a huge pile of money. Margie MacDonald is the former Executive Director of the Montana Association of Churches and is one of Montana’s bravest leaders.
Roy doesn’t stand a chance.
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06 |
New Rasmussen Poll
by Matt Singer on 11:46 am.
I just got forwarded some new Rasmussen numbers. No clue if they’re real ’cause Rasmussen is giving no indication on its website that new numbers are available, but here’s the rundown:
Tester 46
Burns 47Morrison 49
Burns 44Keenan 41
Tester 41Keenan 40
Morrison 47
There’s some other interesting stuff, but I don’t want to post the full poll without permission. That said, Burns is sitting at 49% unfavorable, but still has a 39% very favorable rating among his own party.
In other words, if Keenan is running a “positive” primary. That primary race is over.
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06 |
Rehberg: Still a Jerk
by Matt Singer on 11:40 am.
Rehberg is apparently mounting a furious public relations campaign with Roll Call to protect his good name following accusations that he insulted a pregnant woman.
Clarifying the Record. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) doesn’t deny that he flipped off a constituent, but his office takes umbrage with HOH for not reporting that the accuser donated money to two different Democratic candidates.
Let me get this straight. His defense for basically telling a pregnant constituent to f*ck off is that he found out after the fact that she was a Democrat?
It doesn’t surprise me. He apparently told a friend of mine’s parents (parents are solid Republicans) that their son is a “liberal puke.”
Rehberg is quite possibly a bigger asshole than Jason Klindt. And that’s saying something.
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: Dennis Rehberg |
USPS a Monopoly? Really?
by Matt Singer on 10:36 am.
Pete Geddes, in his conversation with Touchstone, describes the post office as a monopoly. Last time I checked, there were multiple courier services in this country, including both major competitors to the post office and niche companies.
The USPS dominates much of the business for a couple reasons, one of which is that they get tax exemption, one is that they go to every door in America. Of course, they get tax exemption because the top executives at the post office are not making as much as their competitors and because they deal with hardcore political oversight.
As for Wal-Mart, which Geddes says is not a monopoly, I’ll agree with him. Retail is a damn tough sector to monopolize. The case I’ve made here many times is that in the wholesale purchasing industry, they are a monopsony that can leverage its buying power in absolutely insane ways, some in ways I like (demanding better fuel efficiency), others in ways I dislike (demanding increased outsourcing). But the point is clear. When it comes to purchasing wholesale, Wal-Mart is not a pricetaker. That’s an important thing to remember.
Update — As Sarpy Sam points out in comments, USPS does definitely not definitely go to every door. They still go to a lot of them and are forced, by Congress, to accept operating procedures that no private business would ever operate by.
| Comments (7) | Permanent Link | Categories: economic |
Conrad on Immigration
by Matt Singer on 9:49 am.
This is going to be a first (and possibly a last) on this blog: praise for Conrad. But, hey, when the man runs to the middle, why wouldn’t I like it?
My friend Don Pogreba takes Conrad to task for expressing tepid support for a guest worker program. Amazingly, Conrad’s support is contingent on whether the guest worker program “includes ‘a move toward citizenship.’” Conrad calls for teaching of American history and English to guest workers. Don calls that racist. It certainly may be ethnocentric, but in terms of the offensiveness being bandied about in this immigration debate, it’s actually pretty damn progressive.
Dianne Feinstein is actually the one leading the charge on making the guest worker program be a conduit into citizenship for migrant workers who play by the rules and pay taxes.
Like I said, I don’t think I’ll be applauding Burns very often, but when he stands up for basic decency in the face of pressure from the far-right of his party, I’ve got to applaud it.
(Photo stolen from Ezra Klein.)
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: Conrad Burns, immigration, policy |
3/28/2006
Rehberg Leads a Top 10
by Matt Singer on 2:05 pm.
Big Sky Dems tally the ten most ridiculous third-person references in history. Rehberg wins.
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: Dennis Rehberg |
Policy Ideas
by Matt Singer on 1:42 pm.
Any legislators out there looking for some ideas to carry in this next session? Niegh has quite the list in comments:
Lets see…predatory lending protection (on the books in 18 states), mandatory automobile insurance law reform (end DWP–driving while poor) and create a system that actually protects drivers from the uninsured, mega-resort siting act, actually provide planning assistance to local government from the state, return the coal tax to 30 percent, raise the minimum wage, create America’s strongest privacy protection laws, reform the Montana landlord/tenant act, fusion voting, early primary, ban billboards, ANY funding for fullday kindergarten, or hell, even preschool, legislation to address the gender wage gap, amend homosexuality into our hate crimes legislation, real estate transfer tax, progressive income tax reform, eliminate the 1 percent capital gains tax credit for the highest marginal rate, actually fund the main street program, make MDOT build more bike paths, develop a state owned rail line, provide incentives for a low cost airline to do business in Montana, give the PSC the authority to regulate gas prices, buy back the dams, support the city’s effort to buy back the damns, publically financed campaigns, sales tax for universal healthcare, sue the surface transportation board, require more civics in schools, require community service for graduation, tax pop, and last but not least GET RID OF THE NUKES
Not sure I agree with all of those, but damn, that’s a decent list of policy suggestions.
Get cracking, legislators.
Anyone got something Niegh missed?
| Comments (7) | Permanent Link | Categories: policy |
Tester, McGrath Secure Contraceptive Equality
by Matt Singer on 11:46 am.
Several months ago, Jon Tester using his power as President of the Senate to request clarification on whether Montana’s gender discrimination laws require insurance companies to cover contraceptions asked Attorney General Mike McGrath to look into it.
McGrath has an answer and it is clear as day. Insurance companies providing prescription drug coverage have to include contraception coverage.
There’s some good news for Montana.
What’s good about this? For one, access to contraception decreases the number of abortions — that’s a goal everyone can agree on. Second, contraception is cheap when covered by insurance, even when increases in premiums are taken into account and some research shows that covering contraception actually decreases costs over the long-term by preventing unwanted pregnancies.
This is a win-win.
| Comments (12) | Permanent Link | Categories: health care, sex and abstinence |
Lively Discussion
by Gerik on 9:35 am.
Once again The Bus has captured my attention for their tireless onslaught of engaging young voters. Tonight was no different. I was invited to moderate this panel discussion of big thinkers and young politicos at our local Rogue Brewery. An honor considering that Eric Sten, Courtney Morse, Jon Issacs, and Sara Ryan have been holding down the front on youth driven progressive politics in Oregon for some time collectively.
The gem of the discussion came in Erik Sten’s reiteration of his commitment to clean campaigns and voter owned elections. What does campaign finance reform have to do with youth politics? Simple. Portland’s public finance scheme in which candidates can elect to raise 1,000 five dollar contributions in order to gain access to public funds is breaking down the barrier of entry into politics experienced by anyone under the age of 30, money. Brilliant, run campaigns on ideas rather than campaign contributions. I am sure the kids will love it.
The other reminder of institutional barriers to political life for young progressive was a discussion I had with Courtney. She started right in by sharing her strories of fighting for funding at OSPIRG. God damn if I have not heard that one before. A quick history lesson for all the Montanans struggling for context here. Her solution is to run for office (and win) in student government and hit back. Pure genius.
All in all, I am thrilled that The Bus Project exists out here. These Oregon folks are convinced that a great youth uprising is just around the corner on the west coast. I am ready to see this kind of organizing and commitment in Montana. The question is, what have you done to build a young progressive movement today?
| Comments (6) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page, montana, oregon |
Rehberg is a Jerk
by Matt Singer on 9:30 am.
Apparently this story was in Roll Call yesterday:
A constituent of Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) who happens to be seven months pregnant wants the Congressman to apologize for, as she puts it, giving her the “junior-high equivalent of flipping someone the middle finger.â€The constituent, a photographer named Lynn Donaldson who lives in Livingston, Mont., was on a freelance assignment for The New York Times, shooting pictures of Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) at a Lincoln-Reagan dinner in nearby Great Falls earlier this month.
[...]
At one point, according to Donaldson, Rehberg made a joke about the photographer breaking in line in front of Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice, who, like most everyone else who attended the dinner, is a Republican. Rice said something to the effect of “not to worry, Denny, this woman works for The New York Times.â€
“The New York Times?†Donaldson recalled Rehberg asking. “Yes,†she said. “Oh yeah?†he replied. And with that, she said, the Congressman — who was not holding his plate yet — gave her the universal symbol for “up yours,†“stick it where the sun don’t shine,†“shove it,†or what have you.
It wasn’t the middle finger, or the hand under the chin, it was the double-armed “up yoursâ€: the left hand pressed into the bend of the right elbow, raising the right forearm and a balled fist with gusto.
As Donaldson wrote in a letter to Rehberg, “When Justice Rice told you he did not mind and that I was shooting for the New York Times, you made a menacing gesture that, when I grew up in Denton, was considered to be the junior-high equivalent of flipping someone the middle finger.â€
[...]
Rehberg’s office did not deny that the Congressman made the gesture to Donaldson. But his aides suggested the charges were politically motivated.
[...]
Rehberg’s re-election campaign manager, Dustin Frost, meanwhile, sent HOH an e-mail accusing Donaldson of being “a politically motivated, partisan Democrat.â€
He pointed out that Donaldson’s husband, Dan Vermillion, has contributed regularly to Democratic candidates in Montana, including $200 to Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and $500 to Democrat Brian Schweitzer for governor.
Donaldson acknowledged that her husband is partisan but said she, as a journalist, is not. “If a Democratic member of the US Congress had done this to me — a constituent! — I would have handled it the EXACT same
way,†she wrote in an e-mail to HOH. “I didn’t go about ‘calling him out’ on this incident in an aggressive manner — like blabbing to the Billings Gazette or Great Falls Tribune — because I wanted to give him MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME for a fair shot to apologize directly to me, and now he seems to be blaming me for the entire episode.â€
Dennis Rehberg. Always classy.
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: Dennis Rehberg, political, punitive, republicans |
Rubber Stamp Congress
by Matt Singer on 9:25 am.
Firedoglake and PoliticsTV are coordinating a pretty damn funny media stunt to point out how much the Republicans have turned this into a rubber stamp Congress. Check out Firedoglake for details on how to send a “Rubber Stamp Republican Congress” rubber stamp to a member of Congress.
It looks like it costs roughly $10.00 to get involved.
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page |
Burns Tries to Throw Brian Under Medicare Bus
by Matt Singer on 9:19 am.
Interesting story in the Helena Independent Record today with our senior elected officials taking potshots at eachother. Burns says Schweitzer should have helped promote the bus tour to inform seniors of their Medicare Part D options. Schweitzer says Medicare should put counselors on the ground in more locations. I think they’re both wrong. I think Burns should get his potato suck tuckus back to D.C. and rewrite this damn legislation.
Discussing the best way to implement Medicare Part D is like discussing the best way to drink motor oil. The best way is to not do it.
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: policy |
3/27/2006
Burns: Lobbyists “warm the cockles of your heart”
by Matt Singer on 11:25 pm.
For Conrad, the heart and soul of America is corporate lobbyists in Washington, D.C.:
President Bush on Monday urged Montanans to vote for Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, who is locked in a tight race for re-election this year.“I’m proud to stand by this man,” Bush told a Washington audience of about 200 lobbyists, members of Congress and other supporters, some of whom had paid up to $10,000 to be there.
[...]
Burns appeared at home among the Washington crowd, thanking his supporters after Bush’s speech.
“All these faces are familiar faces,” Burns said. “I tell you what, they warm the cockles of your heart.”
Name tags laid out before the event listed representatives of technology and cell phone companies, an airline and several political action committees.
I think it’s pretty damn clear that Burns has “gone Washington.”
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: Conrad Burns, corrupt |
