With Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano travelling to Montana to discuss Northern border security, the state senator who represents 5 high profile northern border projects says the officials must be dodging Northeast Montana. State Senator John Brenden (R-Scobey) lashed out at Napolitano and Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jon Tester (D-MT) for failing to schedule a visit to Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 24, 2010 09:18 :: 1316 Views This is just borderline hilarious, another “are you kidding me?” move by the Montana ACLU.  So apparently the Montana ACLU is springing into action and sending letters to Billings School District 2 officials because they plan on holding meetings in a church auditorium.  Here is Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 24, 2010 08:43 :: 1225 Views The Flathead Beacon’s Dan Testa gets reaction from Governor Schweitzer’s budget director and Flathead Valley lawmakers, offering another look at a proposed continuation of the pay freeze for public employees in Montana.    Last time I spoke with Eric Feaver, President of MEA-MFT, he mentioned Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 24, 2010 08:34 :: 977 Views Lawmakers are strengthening guidelines required to garner a medical marijuana among other changes, as KRTV reports.  While the medical marijuana community says the proposed changes are too strict, the Montana Medical Association says it still leaves questions unanswered. The bill draft requires a two Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 24, 2010 07:57 :: 1253 Views As the Associated Press reports, even Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) was taken aback by the harsh questioning and criticism of the federal health care bill he helped author, as the US Senate’s Finance Committee Chair and a Cabinet secretary held a listening session in Libby, Montana.   Health and Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 23, 2010 09:10 :: 1013 Views The Daily Inter Lake conducts a post-mortem of the recent Energy and Telecommunications Interim committee meeting, where a statement concerning Montana’s energy policy died following a party-line vote. In the article, Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar added fuel to the fire over Montana’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 23, 2010 08:33 :: 2092 Views The Montana Telecom Association is scrutinizing the award of $64 million in federal broabdand stimulus dollars to a Gallatin County firm.   You may recall my initial post on the subject, posted the same day the funds were announced by the US Department of Agriculture.    Since that time, the Bozeman Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 23, 2010 08:17 :: 1034 Views Hundreds turned out in Lewistown Friday for a panel discussion concerning a potential new national monument for Central and Eastern Montana.  Fred Lark, with KXLO radio in Lewistown, says a majority of some-200 plus residents who attended the meeting sponsored by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT) Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 20, 2010 16:11 :: 1654 Views The subject of a green power mandate in the state of Montana is landing right in the middle of a debate over a proposed rate increase by Montana Dakota Utilities (MDU).  It started with MDU announcing news on August 12th that they had filed Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 20, 2010 14:05 :: 1083 Views Dennis McDonald took to the statewide airwaves Friday morning, taking phone calls from listeners to “Voices of Montana” in his second appearance this year.  McDonald- a rancher, former trial lawyer, and former Chairman of the Montana Democratic Party- is the Democratic candidate challenging Congressman Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 20, 2010 09:05 :: 990 Views by Michael Noyes, MontanaWatchdog.org Montana dropped eight places Thursday in an annual ranking of the number of days taxpayers must work in each state to pay off their tax obligations. Montana ranks 18th on the Center for Fiscal Accountability’s annual list for 2010. According Read More…

As an update to a previous post covering the latest fundraising numbers between Beth Baker and Nels Swandal, apparently the Montana Chamber of Commerce has decided to endorse both candidates. Dustin Frost, the senior advisor to the Swandal campaign, had this to say: “While we appreciate the support from the Montana Chamber of Commerce, it’s Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 19, 2010 08:47 :: 1724 Views UPDATE: The other two fugitives have been arrested in Arizona, read more by clicking here. Less than two weeks ago, a nationwide manhunt for Arizona prison escapees was centered on Yellowstone National Park.  That’s where Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Mike Linder found himself and two other deputies Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 18, 2010 15:58 :: 1267 Views The Montana Democratic Party had this announcement: Yellowstone County Democrats nominated Laurel resident Shirley Hanson to run this November in Senate District 29, replacing former candidate Friederick Schweitzer, who dropped from the race last week.  Didn’t read exactly why Schweitzer decided to drop out.  I Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 18, 2010 12:39 :: 1936 Views As an update to my “Transparency Delayed” post, it is worth starting this post off by adding a correction to my earlier entry.  And, in the interest of transparency, as Senator Tester’s staff would say, my original post is included below.    Earlier this week, Senator Jon Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 18, 2010 12:02 :: 1209 Views Backers of a proposed $85 million natural gas-fired power plant near Great Falls have brokered a critical agreement with environmentalists and landowners who have been opposing the project ever since it was first pitched as a coal-fired power plant.  The Great Falls Tribune is Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 18, 2010 08:02 :: 1286 Views According to The Great Falls Tribune:  The director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has accepted an invitation from the Phillips County Commission to visit Malta in September. During the visit, Bob Abbey will talk about the agency’s internal planning for new land protections Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 17, 2010 15:15 :: 2123 Views Governor Brian Schweitzer, in comments taped at a recent legislative fundraiser, says anyone who claims Montana is facing a budget deficit are quote “damn liars”…and also proposes $4.5 billion in new spending based off of projected income from the Otter Creek Coal Tracts.  Schweitzer Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 17, 2010 14:22 :: 1489 Views According to a press release from Senator Jon Tester’s (D-MT) office, Tester has released more documents pertaining to the Obama Administration’s discussions concerning a new national monument here in Montana.    The press release says the documents are being made public “in the name of transparency.”  This, Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 17, 2010 07:49 :: 975 Views BigGovernment.com says US Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) is “pushing a stealth energy tax” in this article, also picked up here by National Review.  In a little remarked upon move earlier this month, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) put forward a legislative proposal to raise taxes on Read More…

“This president does not have a strategy to contain, defeat, or win.” Potential of over 300 New Jobs in Central MT Should you go solar? Consider these factors first… Former SC Congressman says people will make good decisions about energ… ‘This president I think is unilaterally disarming our country as it re… Rep. Jeff Essmann Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 16, 2010 09:18 :: 1049 Views It’s not very often that you see the schedules take center stage in Montana’s Congressional Delegation relations.  However, this August is different, as what Montana’s members of Congress are (or are not) doing in their spare time is front and center in the debate Read More…

Aaron Flint posted on August 16, 2010 09:05 :: 1135 Views Added coverage from Flathead Beacon below A year after the federal health care debate sent Congressional Democrats into hiding following raucous August townhall meetings, it appears Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) is inching his way back into dialogue with constituents.  According to the Daily Inter Read More…