Our modest ranch lies near the mouth of Gallatin Canyon. It’s 10 miles from Bozeman — an easy 40-minute bike ride — and 27 miles north of the Big Sky turnoff. A mile and a half of the West Gallatin Canal winds through it, and Wortman Creek cuts through the pasture just south of our […]

Gallatin County is asking voters to approve a $20 million bond issue to build a new jail. Supporters argue that the present jail is overcrowded, and all too often we read of an nth-offense drunk driver cited and released because the jail is full. Will a larger jail solve our problems? Here are some points […]

By studying how Congress funds roads, we can learn a lot about America. We’ll see how our politicians transfer wealth to protect their job security. Last Friday’s passage of the highway bill demonstrated how politicians have perfected plundering without violence. In contrast to Zimbabwe where Mugabe’s thugs use machetes and bulldozers to transfer wealth, our […]

Bozeman is the state’s fastest growing and most prosperous city. Much of our public discourse centers around how to manage the stresses that come with our growing popularity. Hence, I was surprised to read that the Bozeman City Commission will soon decide if the northeast section of town is a “blighted” area. This designation will […]

Bozemanites live in the midst of a fascinating experiment in environmental economics. We are in the vortex of two colliding principles. First, trash flows downhill or downwind toward poverty, and second, economic systems evolve toward efficiency. We are watching these forces play out at the Holcim Trident cement plant near Three Forks, Montana. Holcim Inc., […]

Gallatin County is undergoing rapid economic and social change. We are home to increasing numbers of high-tech and biotech start-ups. Our population grew 50 percent from 1990 to 2004, far outpacing national growth of 18 percent. This is not the case in all rural areas; many regions face diminishing opportunities and populations. And those fortunate […]

On July 3rd, Independence Eve, FREE celebrated its 20th anniversary. While we always enjoy Fourth of July celebrations, we wanted more than food, fireworks, friends, and frivolity. An important part of FREE’s mission is to harmonize responsible liberty with environmental quality. Hence we designed a special program to recognize our glorious, though imperfect, nation. We […]

America’s founders understood this law of politics: The governing class advances policies that benefit the wealthy and well connected. As George Will notes, “The world is divided between those who do and do not understand that activist, interventionist, regulating, subsidizing government is generally a servant of the strong and entrenched against the weak and aspiring.” […]

Will water move uphill toward money? Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. City of New London, makes it more likely. Here’s how. The Kelo case is the latest challenge to the 5th Amendment’s constraints on governmental seizure of private property. In a 5-4 decision, the Court held that the government can transfer property […]

Each summer Eagle Mount’s Camp Braveheart program brings 10 to 20 kids from throughout the nation to the Bozeman area. All of them are stricken by cancer and many come from families of modest means. While here, they revel in Montana delights: horseback riding, camping, canoeing, etc. FREE and Curmudgeon friends sponsor a day at […]