AJ Otjen | montanafesto

Establishment Republicans Hill and Conrad Burns

While it appears GOP Gubernatorial candidate Rick Hill has the reluctant? support of the typical establishment Republicans in Montana, the new breed of Montana conservative isn’t so sure. While I love a guy with confidence- anyone with confidence for that matter- there is a fine line between that and arrogance. If a candidate is going to mention, in a newspaper interview; that he was part of the TEA party before it was cool, he better have the voting record to back up such claims. In the case of Rick Hill, he clearly does not. This morning, a prominent Montana conservative forwarded me the following email thread which was sent to a list of other prominent liberty-minded Montana Republicans:

Hello everyone,

I went to the JBS web site and looked up the old Freedom Indexes for when Rick Hill served in Congress 1996-2000. Can you say RINO? I have attached them if you are interested.

105th Congress: Aug ’97 – 60%

Jan ’98 – 40% July ’98 – 70%

Oct ’98 – 39% (yes, that’s what it was)

106th Congress: Aug ’99 – 80% Jan ’00 – 65%

July ’00 – 65% Nov ’00 – 65%

And a reply from another prominent Republican:

Good job XXXXXXXXXX!

These are the real issues of this man who calls himself a Republican but does not pay much attention to the Republican platform, not to mention the Constitution. He is a pretty polished and experienced showman, but what about the heart of the man? Shouldn’t that be what matters? He is a politician. Is that what we need? NO!!! We need statesmen who revere the Constitution and the Republican platform. Lipservice Republicans are repulsive and devastating to our state and nation. This is what has put us in the shape we are in!

People, DO NOT fall for this empty show biz!

I took the liberty to put labels on his unconstitutional and socialist votes.

Take a look for yourself. I don’t think we want this man at the helm in our state.

Congress 105-1

1. Extension of rural multifamily rental housing loans, guarenteed by the taxpayer.Please show me where this is listed in the enumerated powers of the Constitution. Either amend the constituion or abide in it, we can not continue to ignore it. HR 28

2. Build more prisons. HR 30. We need to use capitol punsihment or other deterances to keep people out of prison. We don’t have enough money to educate our kids, but we choose to lock people up to the tune of $100,000 per year. If a body can not control the disease within it, it will die.

3. $20 billion spending for socialist programs. HR5

4. Auto pilot federal spending. HR 1469

5. He opposes withdrawl from UN. HR 1757

6. Spending. FEMA, Peace keeping in Bosnia. Disaster relief. HR 1871

7. Most favored nation trading status for China. HJ 79

Congress 105-2

1. Opposed constitutional disclosure of intelegence spending. HR 1775

2. For Federal block grants. HR 1818. Where is in the enumerated powers? Either amend the constituion or abide in it, we can not continue to ignore it.

3. He opposed eliminating the national endowment for humanities. HR 2107

4. Opposed eliminating sugar loan subsidies. HR 2160. The Constituion does not allow for charity. Either amend the constituion or abide in it, we can not continue to ignore it.

5. Opposed eliminating of market access programs. Subsidising overseas advertising for big corporations. HR 2160

6. Opposed eliminating export subsidies. HR 2159

7. Opposed eliminating population controls and foreign aide. HR 2159

Congress 105-3

1. He favored VA/HUD appropriations. HR 2158 The constitution provides no provision for charity. People are to give freely if they choose. Government has nothing to give unless it takes it from someone first.

2. For foreign aide. HR 2159

3. For a global crime court. H.Con res 137

4. For dismissing Dornan election fraud. HR 355

5. For IMF Bailout. HR 3579

6. Dissanster assistance to Bosnia. HR 3579. If people or organizations choose to be charitable, great. Government has no provision for charity. Either amend the constituion or abide in it, we can not continue to ignore it.

7. For more federal involvement in public schools, stealing the local schools autonomy.HR 6

Congress 105-4

1. For super pork. HR 2400

2. Monkeying around with the 1st amendment. HJR 78

3. For food stamps etc. S 1150

4. Against 150 billion in tax cuts. HJR 284

5. Opposed Elimination of corporate welfare. HR 4101

6. For Agriculture subsidies. HR 4101

7. For funding welfare for women, infants and children (WIC). HR 3874 Again, no charity. Either amend the constituion or abide in it, we can not continue to ignore it.

8. For taxpayers subsidizing trade with China. HJR 121

Have ya had enough? There is more

Congress 106-1

1. Voted against Clinton impeachment article. HR 611

2. Voted for wild and scenic rivers land grabs. HR 193

3. For more AG subsidies. HR 1906

Congress 106-2

1. More support for China. HJR57

2. Opposed slight farm aide cut. HR 2606

3. Supported corporate welfare. HR 2606

4. Supported more foreign aide. HR 2606

5. Opposed transparency in campaign dislcosure in Doolittle campaign finance legislation.

6. Supported assult on 1st amendment and free speech. HR 417

7. Supported more Ag subsidies. HR 1906

8. More Federal Education subsidies, removing local autonomy. HR2

9. For Federal Education grants. HR 2

10. For labor/ HHS / Education spending. Where is does the Constituion address education? Either amend the constituion or abide in it, we can not continue to ignore it. HR 3064

Congress 106-3

1. For small business admin. corporate welfare. HR 3843

2. Opposed 2001 budget by conservative action team. This bill wanted $270 Billion in tax cuts.

3. Supported HUD expansion. HR 1776

4. Supported providing TV for “underserved areas. HR 3615

5. Supported funding for disabilities education. HR 4055. Note: Veterans need to be taken care of under the well funded department of defense.

6. Supported monies for more land grabs by Feds. HR 701

7. Supported permanent normal trade status with China. HR 4444

Congress 106-4

1. Automatic funding of the welfare state. HR 853

2. Opposed disclosure of intelegence spending to Congress. HR 4392

3. Supported the welfare state mother load. > 7% spending increase. HR 4577

4. Assault on the seconf amendment. June 21, 2000, Roll call 308.

5. More Ag subsidies. HR 4461

6. Foreign aide giveaways. HR 4461

7. More normal trade relations with communists. HJ 103

And another reply:

Let’s nip this one in the Bud. We don’t need another fake Republican!!

It appears the establishment Republicans would like us to believe that Rick Hill has this locked up. AJ Otjen, who along with Mark French lost to Denny Rehberg in the 2010 GOP primary race for US Congress, has expressed her support for Hill publicly. Otjen claimed her reasons for supporting Rick Hill were the same reasons she supports Barack Obama. Does Rick Hill share her Keynesian belief of spending our way out of crises? Sources close to Hill say he told them that even Montana Democrats were urging him to run because he was the most moderate in the race. That doesn’t sound very “tea party” to me nor does his voting record. If these rumors are true, Steve Daines who is hoping to unseat Senator Jon Tester may be wise to distance himself from Rick Hill.

Last week, my grandmother received a polling call asking if she intended to vote for Steve Bullock or Rick Hill for Governor in 2012. She refused to answer. The 2012 elections are nearly 2 entire years away and my grandmother is hopeful that there will be a clearer choice after primaries as she is tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. I sure hope so too.

Gun Owners of America announced this week they are endorsing Steve Daines, a Republican who recently announced his bid to unseat US Senator Jon Tester from Montana.

GOA endorses Steve Daines for US Senate

“In this race for United States Senate, we’ve found a pro-Second Amendment candidate with real leadership skills in Steve Daines,” said GOA’s Vice-Chairman Tim Macy.

“Steve understands that protecting the Second Amendment is not just about gun control—it’s about control. Elitists in Washington want to control our economy, control our ability to protect ourselves and our families and, in effect, control every aspect of the lives of Americans.”

"I'm a Republican for Rick Hill" says AJ Otjen

Gubernatorial candidate Rick Hill picked up an endorsement from liberal Republican Agnes Otjen this week. “AJ” Otjen ran unsuccessfully (as a self-described “Teddy Roosevelt Republican”) for Montana’s GOP nomination for congress earlier this year, gathering just 6% of the June primary vote. Otjen may be best remembered for her 2008 vote for Democrat Barack Obama. She agreed that this was the very same reason she voted for Barack Obama, who ironically enough has been described recently as “too far left” by European leaders. Hill has told friends that several Democrats have been encouraging him to run for Governor in 2012, because he “would be the moderate in the field”, although Hill’s more recent statements have attempted to court conservatives. About Hill, Otjen said “I believe Rick will build a broad coalition and focus on the things with which we can all agree.” Hill has joined former state senators Ken Miller of Laurel and Corey Stapleton of Billings in what is expected to be a crowded field for the open seat. Democrat Brian Schweitzer is barred from running again due to term limits.