SB 442 - Habitat and Access
- Thread starter Ben Lamb
- Start date
SAJ-99
Well-known member
Being 'unvoted' seems an abdication of responsibility. Until voters make them pay, they will continue to get screwed.
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BourbonSnowCone
Well-known member
Many Republicans stated early on that they didn’t agree with the court’s decision to send the veto override out for vote and would not be voting. Not sure they could get much more spineless. Can’t even stand up for their own Legislative authority to override a veto. At least vote No.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
It’s clear that with a lot of these reversals, the Party did their thinking for them.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
Until Montana elects legislators who can read, write right, learn, and legislate ... the state is in a dark quagmire, with no footing forward.
Again ... that's why I'd rather see them convene for two days every ninety years, instead of ninety horrible days every two years!
mtnkid85
Well-known member
I cant think of a clearer example of political gamesmanship taking priority over the wishes of the constituency than this right here. Outrageous.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
Maybe someone closer to the ground can help. It is still hard to understand the "why" part. Sure, it's probably money, but it is hard to see exactly where the money is going. It was basically something everyone agreed to, so it is hard to find an opponent who directly benefitted. Those who didn't mail in the vote this time are basically following the party line - which is apparently just a big F U to all constituents. Do those reps think they have a political career outside of the circus that is the Montana legislature?
I would love to see it voted on the first day in 2025 session.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
Yep. It’s real disappointing. A lot of legislators surrender their role as a coequal branch of government, and instead become the executive office’s bitch. It’s disappointing when the independent thought I felt certain reps were exhibiting in their responses to 442 during the session were abandoned.( including my own rep who voted yes last year and no yesterday )
I think what’s in it for them is the alleviation of pressure that comes with the party doing all your thinking for you and not going against the tribes leadership grain and the political capital one gains by being a good soldier.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
Agree, I just can figure out what the political capital gained would be. The overwhelming desire to be part of the tribe seems to be the only reason I can come up with. Given this whole thing started with a citizen ballot initiative 190 to legalize weed on the premise much of the taxes would go to conservation, it seems the R's in Montana are set on pissing off as many people as possible.
Busse should put signs up along roads that say "this pothole was brought to you by GG".
BuzzH
Well-known member
Sure seems like Jersey Greg is doing all he can to un-elect himself.
Tired of being Governor or just that dense?
Tired of being Governor or just that dense?
Carnage2011
Well-known member
I fully agree with you. Unfortunately he’s not losing to the current opponent.
Luke_with_a_lab
Well-known member
Anyone got the list of how representatives voted?
mtnkid85
Well-known member
Elky Welky
Well-known member
To me the "why" is one of the easier parts to understand in my mind: It's an election year. The Party needs to show a united front behind their governor, because even though he vetoed much of this last session's Crazy, he's still going to let slide even more of the supermajority's stuff. Right now consolidating power, standing with the Party, before the election is much more important. It's not money, it's Power.
And there were two very persuasive arguments presented to help kill this in the last couple months: first, that many of the counties not paying in to the tax would benefit (and how dare taxes go to help other Montanans!), and second, the judiciary (when they rule against them) has become the Enemy. These two arguments have significant pull among some.
Jock Conyngham
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2023
- Messages
- 106
That’s it. If the veto override ballot had gone out when it was supposed to, the override would have occurred at about the percentage of the original vote—the most widely approved bill of the session. Extreme party leadership instead got time to apply pressure and say, do NOT embarrass the governor in an election year, or you will pay dearly. And my understanding is that there was some tax dogma and judiciary bashing in addition, Elky.
I’m not one to predict elections (mostly because I’m terrible at it), but they may have won this battle and lost the war. Between 442 and the property tax debacle, I’m hearing more antipathy toward GG in rural Montana than I have since his first unsuccessful run as a bible-pounding, self-funded carpetbagger.
