We can learn much from observing the Democratic primary debates. Politicians are rarely rewarded for taking principled positions. Their incentives encourage constituent pandering. Once elected, they use their office to transfer opportunities and benefits that increase the odds of reelection. It works. According to opensecrets.org, in 2002 98 percent of House incumbents were reelected, as […]

Ramona and I just returned from Moab, UT, the mountain bike capital of the West. I discovered that Moab is also the epicenter of 4×4 off-roading and the home of the annual “Easter Jeep Safari.” This event draws over 1,000 of these tricked-out toys and the behemoth trucks that bring them to Moab from all […]

The dreaded mad cow disease has finally arrived. How worried should we be? Do I need to avoid the range cattle I come across on my hikes in Montana or skip that steak when I visit Bozeman? This issue is complicated by scientific complexity and strong emotions — ingredients for error. Given their limited resources, […]

In late 2002 Sierra Club Books published Downhill Slide: Why the Corporate Ski Industry Is Bad for Skiing, Ski Towns, and the Environment by ski journalist Hal Clifford. I just reread it after skiing our newest area, Moonlight Basin. Clifford gives an extremely harsh critique of the ski industry. He faults its cultural, economic, and […]

Ramona and I created Gallatin Writers more than a decade ago. Our goal was to foster sensitive but analytically sound analysis of problems and opportunities in our emerging West. With generous support from the Fanwood Foundation and in cooperation with Yellowstone Public Radio, Gallatin Writers and FREE are again sponsoring the Wallace Stegner Essay Contest […]

Globalization has rapidly improved the social and economic status of women in the developing world. The explanation is straightforward: In a competitive, globalized world, the role of women becomes ever more valuable. Cultures that exclude women from full participation (e.g., Saudi Arabia) fall ever further behind. Societies that embrace education for women enjoy dramatic social […]

Here’s my proposed New Year’s resolution for well-fed Greens in wealthy countries: Quit starving or condemning people to malnutrition. Let me explain. I don’t fault those who choose to die for their religion…provided they harm no one else in the process. Thomas Moore, Joan of Arc, and others who preferred death to deviation from their […]

I recently had the pleasure of talking with two senior high school government classes. We explored the use of language and the nuances beyond words such as “conservative” and “progressive.” I urged them to think in terms of causal relationships, not the slogans so common in today’s political discourse. Here’s an example. Critics of markets […]

Sunday, NPR awakened me with this wonderful news: Saddam Captured While Hiding in Hole Near Hometown. And I immediately thought, another monster finally came down. Let’s be joyful and proud of America’s good work. On the Wall Street Journal’s web site Peggy Noonan wrote: “He can’t kill anybody now. He cannot gas women and children […]

During the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, we confront the problem of plenty. The classic problem is what to get someone who has the ability to treat herself to far more than you could possibly afford. But there is another problem, one that requires inspiration and organization. How do we give something meaningful […]