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.
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.
It’s been a banner year for Calumet, the company behind the oil refinery in Great Falls. Despite gross profits of over $70 million dollars in 2021, both the GF City Commission and Cascade County Commission continue to give Calumet massive tax breaks.
Property taxes are a key source of funding for our community, including our schools. Earlier this year, the City Commission approved a tax abatement to the tune of $2.77 million. That’s money Calumet doesn’t have to pay into property taxes. This means Calumet continues to enjoy prime river-front property and its increase in employees adds stress to our infrastructure, with almost no return on investment for the rest of us.
With no commitment to hiring locally, how do these tax breaks benefit us? The short answer is: They don’t. Although I fully support Calumet’s transition to more renewable energy, the company is absolutely capable of paying its fair share of property taxes.
As regular Great Falls’ families struggle with rising taxes amid extraordinary inflation, Calumet was given another property tax break, this time by the County Commission. A second gift to this million-dollar business, Calumet will pay only 50% of its property tax value for the next five years.
Highlighting the absurdity of these abatements, Great Falls citizens are currently being asked to pay higher taxes to support a public safety levy. Asking already-struggling families to suck it up and pay more while simultaneously giving the refinery a multimillion-dollar tax break is a hard pill to swallow.
As stress on our roads, schools, and housing market near a breaking point, its time that we all ask: Why the funk aren’t we making Calumet paying its fair share?
Once again some of Great Falls’ most prominent pseudo-Christians are leading the charge against First United Methodist Church. The church’s offense? Allowing homeless people to exist on their property. Even worse, the church has allowed homeless people to shelter themselves from Montana’s weather in tents. The latter is simply too much for some of the God-fearing folks on the city commission. They want their homeless people quietly unhoused, and without any shelter whatsoever. Why would anyone need a tent in this temperate paradise anyway?
Rather than addressing poverty, increasing affordable housing, or creating a low-barrier shelter, the city sees fit to spend our money on a lawsuit that very likely violates the First Amendment. For those in the cheap seats, the First Amendment says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof; or abridging freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Now before folks start screaming about CRIME! DRUG USE! And SCARY HOMELESS PEOPLE! Please remember that crime of any kind is not allowed on First United Methodist Church property. The homeless in the church parking lot are subject to the same criminal laws we all are, and the church has never tried to argue otherwise. Nor is this lawsuit in regard to those concerns. The city is going after the church using zoning rules, in an attempt to claim that those tents themselves are illegal.
I, for one, am doubtful that the petty crusade of commissioners like Tryon to further displace the homeless trumps the Supremacy Clause and the First Amendment. Rather, the city is opening themselves up to significant liability and the possibility of a costly counter-lawsuit. I can’t help but wonder what kind of resources we could provide for our unhoused community members if we chose to spend our money on harm reduction measures rather than suing one of the only churches in town that genuinely serves the poor.
If you’re a Christian out there pondering “What would Jesus do” take it from your friendly local Atheist, taking tents away from the homeless is NOT the answer.
Earlier this week, KMON Radio decided to share “BREAKING NEWS” about the transfer of Reverend Jeff Wakeley to a new church. Rather than do any research or follow basic tenants of journalism, KMON opted to sensationalize this transfer. KMON wrote that they were “unable to confirm” if the transfer was related to the city’s pending lawsuit against First United Methodist Church for helping the homeless. (That sentence is astounding, no matter how many times I type it). It appears a basic google search is outside of the investigative tools of KMON. A quick look at the Mountain Sky Conference shows dozens of upcoming transfers. In fact, four-year transfers are the norm. Far from “breaking news,” this transfer is routine. Despite being provided this information, KMON has yet to update their post to reflect the truth of the matter. Perhaps KMON is more concerned with Likes than accuracy? Come on, KMON. You can do better than this.
