Politics in Montana

In response to the upcoming healthcare legislation, local protesters filled a Kalispell city block on both sides of the street this afternoon toting "kill bill" signs and one sign which read socialism! The woman who was holding that sign wore a frightening mask of the same color. Another sign read "AX MAX" (One of Montana's US Senators). The experience made me think about Montana politics and how distinct the political experience is in this sparsely populated and isolated state.

I think the best example of the flathead valley's political distinction is represented in one man and his many followers. Local conservative talk radio-host John Stokes, stirred up hatred in the valley for many years before a defamation lawsuit forced him into bankruptcy. Before he went off the airways, Stokes took many measures to elevate people's insecurities and turn members of the community against one another. For example, during the fall of the mining industry, Stokes began to blame environmentalism for the destruction of Montana's economy, and burned green swasticas to symbolize the demise of the environmentalist nazis.

I recently read the book Collapse by Jared Diamond which really explained Montana to me. Collapse is an argument for examining the history of collapsed societies and the ramifications of environmental degredation on their destruction, in order to learn how to protect our own society from a similar downfall. Diamond, who spent his boyhood summers in the Bitterroots, relates the collapse of past societies to modern America, through the lens of environmental and social contention in Southwest Montana. He presents an interesting observation of Montana politics this way:

"...Montanans bristle at the geographically and psychologically remote federal government...telling them what to do.... One consequence of those political attitudes is opposition to govenmental zoning or planning, and a feeling that landowners should enjoy the right to do whatever they want with their private property.... Unfortunately, by permitting unrestricted landuse and thereby making possible an influx of new residents, Montanans' long-standing continuing opposition to government regulation is responsible for degradation of the beautiful natural environment and quality of life that they all cherish."

Conservativism in Montana is destroying Montana. It is an odd paradox and it creates a lot of heated discussion and grassroots mobilization.

During my first go around in the MCC, I volunteered for the Foys to Blacktail Trails project which you can read about at this link. Montana is known for its isolated beauty. Programs like FTBT strive to protect what beauty of Montana remain. Montana is the Last Best Place. Hopefully it will be able to retain more than a grain of its former self as it attempts to accomodate the growing number of people that seek it.