It’s called a “Super Majority.” And Republicans are just two legislative seats away from having it. It means that, in addition to the crappy bills they pass in the legislature, they will be able to change the foundation of our government that protects citizen rights. . . the Montana Constitution. And they just can’t wait to do it.
First, they will be able to propose constitutional amendments by referring them to the ballot, if they garner the support of two-thirds of legislators. That means that 100 politicians in Helena can put amendments to our constitution on the ballot. Currently, amendments can only be proposed by gathering enough citizen signatures. It’s hard to do, meaning that lots of amendments are proposed, but few actually make it to the ballot.
Second, a super majority can call for an unlimited constitutional convention by referring a convention call to the ballot. If approved, a convention can propose changes to virtually anything in the constitution by a vote of the delegates. At a time when large swaths of the Republican Party support the January 6th insurrection and believe the hocus pocus dished out by the likes of Donald Trump, it is scary to think about what they would do to our constitution.
We encourage everyone to look at our constitution. It is an amazing document. https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/index.htm We thought it would be good to list a few of the rights we stand to lose if the Republicans achieve their super majority in this election.
Section 4. Individual dignity. The dignity of the human being is inviolable. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws. Neither the state nor any person, firm, corporation, or institution shall discriminate against any person in the exercise of his civil or political rights on account of race, color, sex, culture, social origin or condition, or political or religious ideas.
Section 8. Right of participation. The public has the right to expect governmental agencies to afford such reasonable opportunity for citizen participation in the operation of the agencies prior to the final decision as may be provided by law.
Section 9. Right to know. No person shall be deprived of the right to examine documents or to observe the deliberations of all public bodies or agencies of state government and its subdivisions, except in cases in which the demand of individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure.
Section 10. Right of privacy. The right of individual privacy is essential to the well-being of a free society and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest.
Article IX (1) The state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.
Article X, (2) The state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity.
Of course these are just words on paper (or pixels on a screen). The constitution comes alive over time and primarily through actions in the court system. Here in Montana and nationally conservative Republicans believe they have lost many of their goals in the courts. One result is that they have made it a priority to replace judges who don’t share their views. This is probably the reason so many evangelicals supported Trump. . .and he delivered for them by appointing three Conservative Supreme Court justices. Here in Montana, Supreme Court candidate Jim Brown is the epitome of a judge with a Republican agenda.
Changing our constitution would be the Holy Grail for the far right in Montana. And they are very close to being able to do it in the Montana Legislature. The stakes in this election are very high. If you care about protecting our constitution, vote for Democrats.
In the last monthly reporting period that ended October 15, Kerns reported receiving over $6,500. A large chunk of that came from Republican organizations and officials. Here’s a breakdown.
Former and current legislators:
Mark Noland (Flathead County)…………………………………….$250
Steve Fitzpatrick (Cascade County)……………………………..$100
Steve Gist (Cascade or Flathead County?)……………………$400
George Nikolakakos (Legislative Candidate Cascade County)…….$208
Republican PACs:
Cascade County Republican Central Committee………..$200
Cascade Republican PAC………………………………….$400
So, why do you suppose Kerns is getting this late infusion of cash from politicos in the Republican Party? Could it be that they can see that Kerns’ opponent, Melissa Smith, has run a strong campaign? Could it be that Kerns has not run a good campaign? Could it be that this house district has the best “numbers” for Democrats in Cascade County? Probably all of the above.
I first spotted Nick Henry at a protest. Standing over 6ft tall and carrying a huge, tattered American flag, he was hard to miss. My initial thought was “Is this Republican here to start shit?” So as any good organizer would, I asked him just that. I quickly learned that this patriotic giant was attending as a supporter. Thus began my acquaintance with HD 22’s Democratic Candidate, Nick Henry.
At the time we met, I was actually running for that same seat. So, Nick and I had several conversations about what mattered to him and what mattered for our district. There are plenty of points we agree on, and a few that we don’t. I’d say what stands out most about Nick is his firm belief in the good of people- even those he doesn’t agree with.
Nick is many things. He’s a husband, a public servant, a deeply spiritual person, and a hunter. He’s also an outspoken advocate for mental health services, especially for men. Nick takes on the stigma of mental health directly. He’s been very forthcoming about his own struggle with depression, including a previous attempt to take his own life. Now, Nick is looking to revitalize the mental health care system in Montana.
What I think makes Nick stand out the most though, is that he’s a regular hardworking guy who knows that you can work your ass off and still be poor. I grew up in a doublewide trailer in a neighborhood full of trailers. The same neighbor Nick is running in. The fact is, running for office is time consuming. Its expensive, and unless you’ve got easy access to cash it can be almost unattainable. Most of us can’t afford to self-fund. Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck. We’re being priced out of the housing market. Gas and utilities are going up, and we’re doing a lot more math figuring out how we’re gonna make ends meet each month.
Nick is living this same struggle. He works a full-time civil servant position, but you’ll still find him doing odd jobs on the weekend and stocking his fridge with wild game to get through the winter. He’s one of very few candidates that understands the daily struggle of low and middle income families- because he lives it. Money has taken such a hold on politics that you’ll almost never see a guy like Nick with his name on the ballot. Electing one of our own is a rare opportunity. The biggest point of agreement between me and Nick is that class solidarity is the most powerful force in the world. I can think of no better person to represent HD 22, our home, than Nick Henry.
Two texts I’ve received from Barbara on countless occasions.
When initially deciding on how I wanted to go about writing this, I couldn’t move past the first question “How can I help?” which is essentially Barbara’s signature phrase at this point. Not just for me though, but to essentially anyone who reaches out to her.
For background, not only am I Barbara’s treasurer, I’m also her cousin. Though we’re tied by blood, we really didn’t know each other until 2015 when I moved to Great Falls. One of the first things we talked about was her desire to run for office and be able to help her community on a larger scale than just her position working Substance Abuse Prevention in Cascade County. 2016 was too soon to fully prepare, but she set her eyes on the 2018 cycle and dove in.
I’ve had the privilege of walking with her while she’s knocked doors on multiple occasions and, not only does she speak (and continues to speak) truthfully with constituents, but she listens actively and wholeheartedly. Barbara remembers specifics about those living in her district. She takes causes they’re passionate about and concerns they have to heart and, from the second she walks away from the door, starts brainstorming solutions on how she can help.
I’ve watched Barbara face many obstacles as a candidate, Representative, and person. I could list a slew of traits that I see in her that she keeps close in her toolkit to be the very best representation for House District 24, but at the end of the day only one thing matters.
Barbara wants to help.
I’ve heard, personally, on the doors in HD 24 that some voters feel Barbara’s opponent will “say anything” to get the vote. In contrast to that, Barbara isn’t the candidate that will smile at your door for five minutes and disappear until the next election.
She’s the candidate with true integrity and tenacity.
Grit.
The candidate that is reachable year round – not just during the election, and not just during legislative sessions.
Truly, Barbara Bessette is the best candidate to represent -all constituents- across House District 24. Period.
A 5,000 pound elephant was sitting in the room on Monday night at MSU-Northern in Havre while the Hill County candidates participated in the public forum sponsored by the Havre Daily News. Republican Incumbent Senator Russ Tempel of Chester and Democrat challenger Dave Brewer of Havre respectfully agreed on nearly all issues and demonstrated what politics can be like when you’re not a partisan hack. Independent Les Odegard and Democrat Sheri Williams challenged Republican Diane McLean on her history as Hill County Commissioner in a spirited discussion.
And then there he was, the giant elephant we couldn’t ignore: the empty chair where Representative Ed Hill was supposed to be sitting. Democrat Paul Tuss running for House District 28 was not shaken by the no-show status of his inferior (on all levels) opponent. Tuss focused his answers on breaking through partisanship to achieve progress for Montanans. He touched on utilizing the private sector to address Montana’s housing crisis, using the budget surplus to support nursing homes, and affirming his support for the right to privacy as guaranteed in the Montana Constitution. Where was our lone representative Ed Hill? Why wasn’t he sharing his legislative vision for the people of Havre and answering honest questions in front of his constituents?
According to a constituent in Havre who had the unfortunate experience of having his door knocked by Ed Hill on Tuesday, “He declined to debate because he wanted to speak on neutral turf.” Of course Ed Hill would consider that an institution of knowledge such as MSU-Northern would be considered “unfair turf”.
Hill further buried his head in the sand Monday night by refusing to speak to the Havre Daily News for their Campaign Profile series, because “he couldn’t get the questions ahead of time.” Why is Ed Hill so afraid to answer questions from the people of Havre? Why can’t he think for himself on his toes? Havre is essentially a small town, and folks notice when you don’t have the guts to answer basic questions. The other six (two of them Republican) candidates did, and all answered with integrity and bravery.
If ever a title fit the Representative from House District 28, Coward of the County would be it. Except if Hill came across poor Becky after being assaulted by the Gatlin brothers, he would probably tell her that life begins at conception and be on his way.
By Lindsey Ratliff Lindsey is a lifelong Montanan born and raised in the Malt Barley Capital of the World (Fairfield, MT). A Dirt Road Democrat and political junkie, she interned in Sen. Baucus office in 2012 and has been active with local Democratic races since. She currently lives in Havre where she teaches kids how to draw, paint, and discern between facts and bullshit. She is currently serving her 2nd term on the Havre City Council.
If you follow Jasmine Krotkov (@JKrotkov) on Insta, you’ll see a Montana gal through and through. You’ll find her snowshoeing in subzero weather, or perhaps cutting and stacking her own firewood to heat her self-built, underground home through the winter. If she were the type, she could enjoy a lucrative career as an off-grid influencer. Luckily, she’s decided to keep fighting for things that will benefit her neighbors in Great Falls. Nobody does more voter contact than Jasmine Krotkov. Nobody. That’s how she knows what to do in the legislature – just what her constituents tell her.
It’s no surprise then that Jasmine Krotkov’s politics are largely focused on the practical. She’s not one of those politicians who shake their fists and yell, Rather, she’s working behind the scenes to assure that county roads are funded, snowplows functioning, and people are able to go about the business of life. This is the community-minded kind of politics that doesn’t garner much (if any) media attention. It’s the Get Down To Business attitude that drove her to build her own house, grow her own food, and keep her community moving forward. And it’s one of the reasons I trust Jasmine Krotkov to represent us – all of us – because she listens to us, and then speaks truth to power.
Krotkov’s work has always garnered trust from her neighbors. As a former postmaster, Jasmine braved all manner of weather to keep her community connected. She also served as the editor for the National Association of Postmasters, a position which introduced her to the intricacies of working with both state and federal government in a uniquely non-partisan capacity.
I know that Republicans would have you believe that Democrats are a monolith. But in Great Falls, that couldn’t be further from the truth. That’s why I think it’s important to note that Jasmine and I haven’t worked together on anything, ever. I wasn’t even sure she’d accept my request to answer some questions for this article. I’ve always viewed Jasmine’s platform as very moderate. Not only do I think she would agree, but I think there’s a tremendous need for folks like her in our House. I decided to approach Jasmine for this story after hearing her speech at the Democrat’s Fall Dinner. With an even tone and understated confidence, Jasmine talked about the growing divide between the Have and the Have Nots.
I think Krotkov’s speech is best presented in its entirety. And, let’s be honest, it’s damn good. So I’ll let Jasmine speak for herself here.
“I’m running for office because I want to build a society where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
When I was growing up, I was taught that If I worked hard, played by the rules, I’d succeed. Its not the same for Montanans growing up now. Young people today work just as hard as my generation did, but they just. can’t. get. ahead.
They work hard, but in our economy, the rules don’t apply to everyone equally. Some of us have been pushed to the back of the bus. Nowadays only SOME people are able to access decent health care, childcare and housing, not everyone. There’s no excuse for that in the richest nation ever to exist. One of every eight people in Montana lives in poverty.
Only SOME people in Montana get access to public lands for hunting, fishing, hiking, recreating or studying. Only SOME of us get to vote. Those are Policy choices, not personal failures. Our state legislature is building a class-based society of haves and have nots.
My opponent tried to pass a law that would de-fund fire departments, in favor of his own personal business. Apparently, he wants to be a HAVE MORE. My ancestors immigrated to America because they got a belly full of that junk back in the old country. Aristocrats and peasants. In America, we’re supposed to act like all people are created equal. Instead, our state legislature is enacting laws based on a distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism. Laws that relegate some of us to the back of the bus.
Its not about who’s left and who’s right, its about who is left behind”
Its clear that Jasmine knows her district, and the struggles of her neighbors, intimately. No matter who you are, Jasmine Krotkov will fight for you. Now, let’s fight to send her to Helena.
