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In my morning devotion this past week, I came across a quote by A.W. Tozer, which read, "Personal experience must always be first in real life. Knowledge by acquaintance is always better than knowledge by description." Those who are blessed with vision are acquainted with the beauty of a sunset or the grandeur of a mountain landscape; however, these things can only be described to those who were born with the inability to see. The same truth applies to all things we...
A couple of days ago, a friend of mine posted something written by a friend of his on Facebook. This is what she had to say: “I’ve been contemplating what I really miss in life. Why do I feel this empty space? I have not felt completely full in a very long time. I miss the outdoors ... a good hike, fishing or camping. No radio, cellphone, TV, movies or internet. Just the birds, the river running ... just the sound of crickets. “I miss a good, deep, solid conversation about...
Nature and the creatures it mothers think in seasons not days and dates. This weekend we transition to a whole new calendar year whilst, sadly, we remain stuck in the same old winter that we’ve been trudging through since early November which, by the way, made the recent solstice marking the first day of winter a mere ironic moment in Nature’s cold, white season. After about a month of winter weather, though, I start thinking it’s not smart to live here, then last week I rea...
6 ends and on to 2023 and wishing everyone the best in the New Year. On December 31st, my current Senate term comes to an end, and on January 1st, my new term begins. With that, onto the work. This past week, the new legislative district lines are being redrawn by a select committee. In the past, Senate District 14 included parts of Hill County, all of Liberty County, a small part of the northeast corner of Cascade County, and all of Chouteau County except the reservation. In my opinion, it is the best district in the...
And so it goes. We folks with more miles on the chassis put away the old calendar and open the new calendar, 12 blank pages of promise, blank pages of mystery, of wonder whether we will make it through next December. That sounds grim but said above, we older folks. I’m not sure how the younger people measure time. Maybe by that big thing similar to a watch on their wrist — that device that does everything for them. Someone told me it even tells them to “quit slouc...
A new year is coming, and I am focusing on the small stuff. It is popular to make big, sweeping statements in a new year about the things that will change and be accomplished. I noticed a few years back that these grand announcements rarely had much effect. What mattered, if I wanted to live a different kind of life, was the little things I did every day. I take my walk. I write a few words. I do my pushups. I’ve gotten used to watching in amazement how a tiny action, done d...
As Montanans, we care for each other. Across the rural-urban divide, generational divide, and Brawl of the Wild divide. Of all our constituents across Montana, the most deserving are our elderly neighbors who are on Medicaid benefits. They have served Montana well, and at this final stage in their lives seek the promise of compassionate, medically appropriate care. Most of them are out of money, have used up their care options with family members and loved ones, and cannot afford in-home care, which can cost more than...
The solstice arrived with very negative temps giving off a vibe that said “first day of winter” — in a doom-filled sort of “Game of Thrones” way — more than “brighter days are coming, Polyanna,” and, with a current temp of minus 39 just days before Christmas, I keep thinking of some good friends of mine who, on Christmas Day, feed treats to all their animals. Big deal, right? This happens in households all over Santa Country, mine included. It’s one thing, though, to give a...
Last year, I realized I had come to dread Christmas obligations. I like to give to others. But when it becomes an obligation, trying to find that just right small gift for the families on the Rancho, seemed overwhelming. Years ago, my own children and I agreed to not give adult gifts, but to focus on their children. Last year I told my neighbors here at the Rancho, that instead of joining the usual gift exchange, I would give a gift to a family in the community who had...
In the early 1970s, frustrated with the corporate boot that dominated and bullied Montanans, the state’s people rose up. Led by ordinary citizens like Pastor George Harper of Helena, local historian and mother of six Louise Cross of Glendive, and League of Women Voters leader Dorothy Eck of Bozeman, they crafted what is now recognized as a world-renowned Constitution. Among many important motivations was their conviction that in order to free Montanans from corporate dominance at the expense of workers, farmers and o...
In all my 26 years as a legislator, I have never seen a legislative rules proposal as potentially devastating to Montana citizen-ratepayers as Republican state Senator Steve Fitzpatrick’s recent joint rule proposal. This rule would hamstring the Constitutional Office of the Consumer Counsel, which has worked for nearly 50 years to protect Montana consumers, especially in energy rate cases. If adopted as a joint rule, the Counsel would be forbidden from testimony for or against a bill unless allowed by an affirmative vote o...
It is time to end Montana’s “don’t ask-don’t tell” groundwater development policy. Broadwater County’s controversial Horse Creek Hills — HCH — major subdivision proposal is a prime example of a developer asserting their “right” to subdivide and develop with no regard to impacts on senior water rights or local water resources. The method employed at HCH (and many other projects) is well known: break the subdivision into phases and limit the size per lot to squeeze each “phase” underneath the 10 acre-foot exception. It...
I don’t consider myself a person bound by tradition. Usually, I’m all about change, encouraging people to change and looking for ways to change myself. I generally think that new experiences make life both more memorable and meaningful. Except for Christmas. I want Christmas to remain exactly the same. Nearly every year of my life, Christmas Eve has been celebrated with my father and his family. My dad has only one sister, my Auntie Jo, so this has been relatively easy. My...
Montana physicians, including pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, and family physicians, can find our specialties overlap significantly during one crucial period: the first year postpartum, when the new mothers and infants in our care need comprehensive support and access to quality health care. Mothers face a heightened risk of potential health issues during the postpartum period, including maternal depression, substance use disorder and serious physical health problems. It is vital that mothers do not face...
A new year brings with it new hope for a new beginning. As the ancient saying goes, the old has died that the new may be tried. And so we celebrate the happy holiday time in the spirit that the year to come will bring more peace, good will, and good faith. The outbreak of modern war in Europe will only end with the resolve or the existence of Putin, the war’s perpetrator. Our devout expectation is that more rational world leaders will contain the spread of this conflict. Here in the traditionally peaceful and protected p...
I don’t mean to sound overly dramatic, but I think I may have proven the existence of God while I was at a church Monday. I know, no one can be more shocked than I am that this happened on a Monday. Just kidding, there’s nothing wrong with a Monday. I often have to live through as many as three Mondays in one week. No, the real shocker was me in a church. Not that there’s anything wrong with a church, it’s just not my natural habitat. Also of note, people find God in churche...
The 90-day marathon of issues and opportunities that will be the 2023 legislative session begins in two weeks. On the unique opportunity front, the excess federal stimulus dollars from D.C. fueled a large one- time surplus of state funds. I advocate treating these funds as a Montana business or homeowner would: 1) First, pay off expensive debt, 2) put some money away for a rainy day, 3) invest in key infrastructure for the future (roads, water, sewer, mental health facilities, nursing homes, schools …) and, 4) return some t...
Your recently elected state representatives and senators are busy writing a new set of laws for you, our voters. December is a critical time to draft new bills and workshop policy, as we have less than two months between Election Day and Jan. 2, the start of the 2023 Legislative Session. This is the time to turn the concerns and ideas we heard on voters’ porches into bills that meet the needs of our communities. What bills has your legislator requested and what work are they preparing to do on your behalf? Are they f...
Christmas is a-coming soon and although there are only five couples and me in residence at the Rancho at present, plans are afoot and afloat for communal gatherings. Me, I’m trying to respectfully decline invitations while ignoring judgmental comments without cringing. I cringe. We all would prefer our friends to understand us, right, to support us unconditionally, right? Back-story first. When the COVID pandemic hit, most of us here masked, bought disinfectants and hand sanit...
I put my feet on the floor, first thing in the morning, and take a look at them. They are not the most attractive feet, that’s just a fact. I have big feet and skinny ankles and it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see how much they resemble duck feet, but I try not to dwell on it. The point is, they are good, stable feet. They don’t hurt and they carry me on my daily walk, and I am grateful to have them — even if they are a little bigger and less attractive than they mi...
This whole idea started out lighthearted, but then it got all data-driven and serious. Leave it to the science nerds to research the life out of the fun. I had a thought about pronouns that made me laugh, y’know, on the inside. But the more I thought about it, the more I laughed until I actually laughed out loud. You’ve been there right? If not, you really need to reassess your approach to life. No doubt, a bunch of you are yawning and eye rolling, checking your wrist lik...
The campaign is over, the yard signs are down, the votes have been counted and it’s now time to get to work. I want to thank the residents of House District 28 for the confidence you have placed in me to serve your interests in the Montana Legislature. While we may not always agree on specific policy considerations, I know we do agree that Havre and northern Montana deserve a fair shot in Helena when it comes to promoting an economy that works for everyone, assuring public access to public lands, rehabilitating our aging i...
As elected officials, we are responsible for delivering for all our constituents, whether from blue or red districts. Today, Montanans in every county face real challenges, including increased cost of living and being priced out of the communities they’ve called home. In the past year, Democrats knocked on 270,000 doors. We heard about skyrocketing rent costs causing the loss of once-stable housing, moving in with relatives, or even living out of a car. People told us of having to use a food bank for the first time to feed t...
I own a revered and older washing machine. A washing machine is possibly the most wonderful tool ever created by man for the use of women. I never did like lugging laundry down to the river to pound it on rocks and dry it slung over prickly berry bushes. I highly recommend men learn to use a washing machine also. My washing machine is ancient. It was old when I bought it. I live in Mexico. When something breaks down, somebody will be able to fix it. That’s what we do here. T...
Nearly everyone who runs for federal office campaigns on the notion that Washington is broken. Year after year that message continues to resonate with the American people. Americans work hard to provide for their families, but the cost of living continues to climb along with tax rates. They’re watching millions of people invade our borders, and they feel unsafe in their communities. They’re frustrated that politicians in Washington are getting nothing done to address these issues. We need a drastic change in Washington — t...
