TAKING AIM AT CONSERVATION

Advisory Group Gives Sportsmen Voice on Conservation

Federal officials unveiled a new advisory council on wildlife conservation and hunting issues on Thursday.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer joined Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for the announcement at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial in Washington.

The new Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council is intended to give sportsmen’s groups a forum to advise federal agencies on policies related to wildlife and habitat conservation. It’s also meant to encourage partnership among the hunting industry, sportsmen’s conservation groups, wildlife conservation groups and government.

Assessing the Court’s campaign finance ruling on Montana

Have the Corporate Floodgates Really Opened?

Among the more memorable moments from President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address was his direct criticism of a Supreme Court decision the previous week relaxing restrictions on political spending by corporations and unions. Rebuking Supreme Court justices for a decision face-to-face is a highly unusual move for a president, but Obama’s reaction underscores just how polarizing and momentous the ruling has the potential to be.

The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision overturns court precedent on corporate spending in politics, and potentially makes bans on such spending in states throughout the country, unconstitutional. In Montana, that ban has stood in place for nearly a century and its future now appears uncertain.

Supporters of the decision, praising the conservative majority, saw it as a victory that protects free speech rights under the First Amendment. Critics of the ruling, broadly comprised of those on the left, lamented how it confers upon corporations rights given to people, and predicted it would only worsen the problem of special interest money in American politics.

GUEST COMMENTARY

Forest Jobs Bill: Working Together for Montana

The numbers are painful.  Last year, 1,700 Montanans lost jobs in our timber industry.  Timber harvest across our state plummeted a staggering 40 percent.  Several mills—including Montana’s largest—boarded up.

If we do nothing, Montanans who work in the woods will get hit even harder.  It’s an industry that today directly employs just over 7,000 Montanans.  Thousands more rely on the industry indirectly.

If we do nothing—or if we let partisan politics trump the ideas of Montanans who worked together for years on a common sense solution—all those jobs will be on the rocks. 

In order to put Montanans back to work in the woods, we need to rethink the way we manage the woods.  We need a 21st century plan.

That’s exactly why I introduced the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act.

opinion: presidency

The Theory Behind Obama’s Appearance with the GOP

I watched a video of President Barack Obama appearing at the GOP House Issues Conference for an hour-long Q&A session, and it just made my little wonkish heart go pitty-pat.

For a few years last decade, I went to graduate school for public administration at Boise State University. Remember high school English, with all the man’s-inhumanity-to-man, Hester-represents-the-Church-of-England symbology stuff? Graduate school is full of that kind of thing, and when you’re done, you swear you’re never going to use it again.

But watching the Obama-GOP interaction today, my fingers were itching to write some sort of turgid, footnoted, Org Theory-heavy, academic paper with all that stuff in it that nobody but wonks would appreciate, because it was just so cool. (I promise, though, no footnotes.)

Idaho Legislature

Commercial Broadcasters Support Idaho Public Television

The Idaho State Broadcasters Association today released a resolution in support of continued state funding of Idaho Public Television.  ISBA Legislative Chairman, Fred Fickenwirth, General Manager, KLEW-TV, Lewiston said, “Idaho Public Television plays a vital role in the education of future broadcasters through their facilities at the University of Idaho and Idaho State University.  Commercial radio and television both depend on this educated source of employees for our stations.  In addition, Idaho Public Television keep our citizens up to date on the deliberations of the state legislature, adding an extra layer of education for those who vote for our lawmakers.”

Follow-Up

Idaho Gov. Otter Likes Texas - For Mercury Storage

The U.S. Department of Energy is recommending a Texas site for storage of unwanted, highly toxic, elementary mercury - and Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter is pleased.

“It’s a step in the right direction. But it’s not a final decision. I won’t be satisfied that we’re safe from the prospect of having mercury stored atop the Snake River Plain Aquifer until the Record of Decision is on the books,” Governor Otter said. “It’s too soon to declare victory here, but I’m pleased to see that the Energy Department is moving toward a storage site other than Idaho.”

After studying seven sites around the country, including the Idaho National Laboratory, as possible locations for a mercury storage facility, the Department of Energy this week identified the Waste Control Specialists (WCS) facility near Andrews, Texas, as its preferred alternative.

The selection of a site for storing elemental mercury has troubled Otter, who said last year that storing mercury at INL contradicts the campaign to clean up the site.  In this year’s State of the State address, the Governor said that he “will not allow Idaho to become the nation’s dumping ground for its elemental mercury.”

In fact, Otter was so mad about the idea of the poison coming to Idaho that last July he said, “If they want to put it in a desolate and useless place, they should put it on the (U.S.) Capitol grounds.” Here is last year’s story on NewWest.

HANDS OFF PLAN NOT WORKING

Obama Needs to Change Approach to Congress

It isn’t the American people who aren’t eager for change.  It’s Barack Obama.

The President spent his first year in office either unwilling or unable to change his approach to the Congress. His virtually hands off, milk toast attitude toward providing legislative leadership has stymied the public’s demand for change. But it appears that the President may have stepped on a bold new path.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR GEEZER POWER!

Congress, Greens: Time to Spike RAT, Out-of-Control Forest Service Fees

The bad news is we’re getting older, and the good news is we’re getting older.

Nobody likes the older-slower-fatter succession, but at least when you get to be a geezer--and yep, I’m officially a geezer, so I take it personally--you usually have more time, but less money, to enjoy the outdoors and our public lands for camping, hiking, fishing, or scenic driving.

But not if the Forest Service has its way.

Idaho State Politics

Idaho State Rep. Cronin Will Introduce Memorial Urging Congress to Negate Supreme Court Decision

Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision which struck down campaign finance reform legislation troubles Idaho state representative Brian Cronin, D-Boise.

Next week in the House State Affairs committee, Cronin will introduce a memorial protesting the decision and urging Congress to take steps to again limit corporate money in campaigns.

House State Affairs chair Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, has agreed to hear Cronin’s presentation in committee.

The 5-4 Supreme Court decision did away with several controls and prohibitions on corporate political contributions. The majority opinion states that legislative measures to control corporate spending infringes on corporate First Amendment free speech rights.

The decision now allows corporations and unions to spend unlimited treasury funds on independent campaign expenditures.

A memorial is a non-binding recommendation to a legislative body or government. It carries no force of law, but Cronin thinks it’s important.