On September 26, the Bozeman City Commission gave us a powerful civics lesson, providing an excellent case study of how the political world works. They showed how difficult it is to convert good intentions into concrete expression when operating in the political arena. By voting to keep the $4 million granted for the parking garage […]
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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 […]
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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.” […]
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We protect the environment because we care about clean air and preserving other species, not mainly for financial reasons. But we also value inexpensive supplies of power and fast and convenient transportation. All interesting and important policy questions involve choosing among competing values. Consider climate change. How does human action influence future climates? How willing […]
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Dear Max and Denny: Thanks so much for giving Montana such good highways. Céline and I enjoy taking road trips to explore and photograph the state. The drive up Routes 287 and 89 along the Rocky Mountain Front is beautiful. We really appreciate the fine condition of Montana’s roads. I, particularly, am grateful since I […]
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I’d like to help reduce the frustration of folks who care about national politics and public policy. It’s my observation that a simple truth drives the major political parties. Here it is. When a national government goes beyond its most fundamental functions, e.g., enforcing the rule of law and providing national defense, it becomes a […]
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Government transfers resources, money, and opportunities from the poorly organized to the well organized. That’s the way the world works. One form is corporate welfare. The Continental Pit copper mine in Butte, Montana, exemplifies this sorry process. In 2000, due to high electricity prices and low copper prices, Montana Resources, Inc. suspended operations at its […]
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The emptying of the Great Plains brings hardship to those holding on to a disappearing way of life. But it also brings opportunities for those who see the signs and adapt. But, however well-intentioned, 13 U.S. senators are providing false hope. Through a serpents’ nest of tax breaks, credits, debt forgiveness, loan guarantees, and federal […]
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Ecosystems are subject to invasion, e.g. by spotted knapweed. Likewise in political systems. When governments create programs to redistribute wealth, opportunists, like noxious weeds, crowd out intended recipients. Unfortunately, any effort to aid a particular group invites those with connections and power to exploit the program. Louisiana is notorious for its corruption. I lived in […]
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Forestry, one of Montana’s traditional industries faces rough times. With continued demands for environmental quality and rejection of the negative consequences of resource extraction, what is the future of our state’s timber economy and the communities which rely upon it? Unfortunately for this industry, the future ain’t what it was. Here are six reasons why. […]
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