Kendall Van Dyk. Sam Kitzenberg. Arlen Specter.

Before Kendall Van Dyk met the Northern Plains Resource Council……… he was a Republican.  “I was born into a Republican family and I spent more of the  years of my life as a Republican than I have now a Democrat. ”  Political opportunism at its finest.  I bet his parents are thankful they don’t live in his district.  It is one thing to become an independent but quite another to go so far across the spectrum to change parties- can a moral compass just disappear? This reminds me of the time Brian Schweitzer told me he was really a republican.  The governor doesn’t care much about parties, I believe that.  Brian Schweitzer is not a team player unless it benefits Brian Schweitzer.  Regardless of Van Dyk’s claims, he is known in the legislature as being a hot-tempered whiner who plays for his own team.  Whether or not you agree with Roy Brown’s politics, he is known by both parties as a consistent, even-tempered statesman.

Immediately After Reelection, Governor Schweitzer Broke Land Access Pledge

“As the governor, I’m not going to allow out-of-state interests to buy up lands and restrict access to public lands and streams.”- Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana

Another Broken Campaign Promise, Schweitzer Will Say Anything to Get Elected

What Governor Schweitzer forgot to mention was that he personally planned to buy up lands and restrict access to lands and streams as opposed to allowing out of state interests to do so.  Schweitzer owns 670 acres of land up Mullan Pass- land that in the past was available for hunting and fishing.  Shortly after being reelected in 2008, Schweitzer, citing vandalism,  placed chains, locks and signs prohibiting access to the land.  At least 4 signs grace the property- each reads “No trespassing. Jim Brenden no longer owns this ranch. Please respect my privacy. No hunting, fishing, snowmobiling or 4 wheeling. Do not enter.” Schweitzer said that if asked permission, he will most likely allow hunting, hiking, and snowmobiling although he fails to post a phone number or to otherwise direct parties who are interested in obtaining permission.

The federal stimulus provided $330,000 to upgrade the US Forest Service road providing access to the land. Schweitzer isn’t pleased that the road was improved- he preferred the remote nature of his property. It is good news for those angry with the governor’s signs, gates, and fences, however.  Hoodlums wishing to retaliate can more easily poach his elk and throw their litter onto his land-  of course neither behavior is advised.  My suggestion is to call the Capitol to ask Schweitzer himself.

Want to hunt, snowmobile or picnic? Give ole Bri a call…
Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Bldg.
P.O. Box 200801
Helena MT 59620-0801
(406) 444-3111, FAX (406) 444-5529

Perhaps if he doesn’t answer, you could contact his pal Montana Representative Kendall Van Dyk, Montana’s own environmental super hero who single-handedly clarified stream access laws across Montana.

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Dennis McDonald’s Campaign’s Last-Ditch Horse and Ass Spectacle

According to the latest campaign finance reports, as well as those prior,  it appears that Democratic US House Rep candidate Dennis McDonald’s campaign is broke.  Incumbent Republican Denny Rehberg has over a half million more dollars to use in the next ten days than McDonald.  These financial problems likely prompted McDonald’s latest publicity stunt- riding across the state of Montana on horseback- which he claims will display his incredible work ethic.

Unfortunately for McDonald, all potential vote gains disappear upon hearing reports from a Rehberg supporter tailing him since he embarked on his journey.  In a red rental car emblazoned with Rehberg stickers, Kaycee Hoagland of Billings estimates that McDonald has only ridden the horse at most a couple of miles since the trip began.  He claims McDonald transports the horse as well as an ass wearing a McDonald campaign garment via trailer, stopping outside of each town to saddle up and ride in for the photo opportunity.  In typical liberal fashion, McDonald’s story differs greatly as he estimates traveling from 60-80 miles of the trip on the horse.

His stop in Missoula, a liberal stronghold, had a turnout reflective of a lack of faith in McDonald’s ability to even compete in the US House Representative race.  The members of the local press and a group of vagrants out numbered the two supporters Mark Anderlik (Missoula Area Central Labor Council President) and Sharla Gade (Democratic State Committeewoman)  who publicly greeted their candidate.

Although McDonald mentioned that if he wins, he may ride his horse all the way to Washington, we all know that isn’t going to happen.  This is obviously a stunt designed to supply much-needed publicity for his struggling campaign and I must admit I really do enjoy seeing him on his pony  holding a Montana flag as his campaign donkey accompanies.  

 

 

Veg PAC Strikes Again

 

Vote Roy Brown SD25, James Knox HD47

 

 

Values, Energy & Growth PAC, the shadowy new Montana PAC responsible for the ridiculous mailers packed with lies about Roy Brown (which interestingly used the same photos of Brown as Kendall Van Dyk’s campaign) is now weighing in on the Knox/Ellis race in HD 48 in Billings.   The new mailer encourages citizens to call in bogus “privacy invasion” claims to the already busy authorities.  While Billings police are investigating homicides, they will be interrupted to look into absurd claims that James Knox’s signs are spying on private citizens.  It appears that those responsible for stealing Knox’s signs don’t appreciate the cameras and GPS units attached to random campaign signs.

Christopher Cady of Bozeman is the group’s treasurer.  I encourage all concerned citizens to contact him immediately or better yet, contact the Montana state Commissioner of Political Practices to report these illegal mailers. The candidates benefiting from the Veg PAC’s propaganda owe Montanans an explanation.  Call out this well-funded organization, denounce their tactics.  Mud-slinging isn’t welcome in Montana.  If a candidate cannot win on merit, perhaps they shouldn’t run and if Van Dyk and Ellis remain silent, we can only believe they condone or endorse these attacks.

Who is the REAL Kendall Van Dyk? A Story in Pictures

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National Democrats Focusing on Two Key Montana Legislative Races

According to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Montana is home to 2 out of 20 key legislative races in the nation.  The DLCC announced its “Essential Races” Program in late September along with a list containing the first of the races they felt were most important throughout the nation.   Out of the more than 6000 races nationwide this November 2nd, Democrats will have eventually have chosen a total of 50 critical races that they plan to augment by grassroots initiative.

 

Democrats Augmenting Races With Grassroots Initiative

 

HD 100 (Willis Curdy (D) and Champ Edmunds (R)- while widely endorsed by the ultra-liberals in Missoula County, Curdy hasn’t made his stances clear.  He refused to respond to the non-partisan Project Vote Smart Political Courage Test and his website lists only vague information in broad categories.  For instance, he believes we need high-paying jobs, good education, and protection from property tax increases.   The National Rifle Association Victory Fund graded Mr. Curdy a “C-“.

Republican Champ Edmunds, if elected, plans to enact “a moratorium on frivolous lawsuits put forth by radical environmental groups that stop progress and kill jobs”.  His website lists specific plans to combat the challenges our state faces today.  He scored a 100% on Project Vote Smart’s Political Courage Test- his views on issues can be found here.

As for the other race targeted, Montana Senate District 25 (Roy Brown v Kendall Van Dyk) we’ve covered it thoroughly in prior posts here and here.  We simply wanted to explain why it was so important to us…. the democrats believe it is a critical race and we agree with them.

Montana Environmentalist Democrats: Protection from thee, not from me

Montana Democrats Fail to Practice What They Preach

While we are all accustomed to receiving campaign literature, the amount, frequency and content targeting incumbent Montana state senator Roy Brown (SD 25) by either his opponent or  those working on his behalf  are not only excessive, but bordering on libelous.

Many Montana Democrats campaign on their “environmentally conscious” platforms,  so one would expect them to practice what they preach.  Perhaps they should consider an all email campaign to protect our forests.  Since absentee ballots were sent out early this week, voters in MT SD25 have received an astronomical number of expensive 2 sided, full color pro-Kendall Van Dyk mailers.  Some households have reported receiving twenty or more of them since Tuesday.

All Montanans care about maintaining the beauty and future of our great state.  To criticize a candidate as ecologically irresponsible while Van Dyk himself condones and supports forest devastation is rather hypocritical.  How many other issues does Van Dyk  promote while his lifestyle indicates otherwise?

The hypocrisy of not only the mailer content but the premise of mailers themselves is an issue that needs to be addressed.  Campaigning as an environmentally conscious candidate while ridiculously portraying your opponent as a tyrannical oil baron is duplicitous- especially when the eco-friendly candidate is partaking in the earth-raping deforestation by mailing large postcards in bulk.

These mailers, varying in size from large to gargantuan have no mention of the use of recycled paper or soy ink.  None of them display any indication of  biodegradability or if perhaps the liberal candidate has chosen to offset  contributions to our environmental demise by planting trees.

Our candidates for elected office strive to shine as heroes in one aspect of their lives and/or careers. When environmentalism is that aspect,  one expects to see that candidate promoting it in not only words, but actions.

An former boss once told me that the secret to his success was to determine what issues and characteristics were important to his employers and to then make those things important to him.  WE employ elected officials, isn’t it time our needs are important to them? Masquerading as “green” and condemning your opponent for being pro-energy is diabolical unless those values are also actions.  It is time that we hold our candidates to their campaign promises and start asking the tough questions.  We may or may not approve of Roy Brown’s stances on the issues, but we can all admit that they are consistent with his lifestyle.