Election mail bag Oct. 21

Your freedom is a risk

Voting is our right and our obligation if we are to maintain our freedom. Television ads have very little accurate information and are dominated by character assassination and lies. The website: excellenceinvoting.org provides truthful election information.

I personally know the candidates in the upcoming statewide elections because I served with them in the Montana legislature for 16 years. Matt Rosendale is a realtor and does not build houses or control the cost of insurance. He has done a great job on the land board. Jon Tester was an obstructionist and he pushed hard for more spending. He rated zero on moral issues and now has a “D” rating by the NRA. Greg Gianforte is presently working across the aisle in Washington DC to solve problems and fortunately does not vote for every spending bill. Kathleen Williams did not work across the aisle in Helena as she claims. She is too extreme.

At the local level, Bob Keenan, Randy Brodehl, and Carl Glimm have shown that they are fiscally responsible and have the financial ability to analyze spending and eliminate waste in providing essential government services. Derek Skees, Mark Blasdel, and Mark Nolan are experienced legislators who are helping to keep zebra mussels out of Flathead Lake and property taxes reasonable. John Fuller is a teacher and constitutional scholar believes the purpose of government is to protect the rights of all citizens and keep taxpayers’ burden light. Matt Regier has emphasized forest management to prevent forest fires, improve air quality and provide good paying jobs.

Cindy Dyson and Jerry O’Neil are our best choice to replace Dave Fern and Zac Perry who voted for the CSKT Compact which gave control of our water rights in Western Montana to the Federal Government/Tribe.

Please Vote “no “on I-185 and I-186. I-185 punishes smokers and adds money to a totally out of control health-care system. I-186 was developed to end mining on the totally false premise that Montana does not take care of our water.

— Verdell Jackson is a former state senator

Gianforte a Trump ally

With an outstanding record over the past year and a half, Greg Gianforte deserves to be re-elected. Time and time again in Congress, Greg has voted in support of our Montana values. Yet, on the other hand, his opponent, Kathleen Williams, has publicly stated that an “F” rating from the NRA is more of a badge of honor. That doesn’t sound like Montana values to me.

Kathleen Williams supports and is supported by radical left-wing environmentalists who believe in shutting down access to our land, not building a wall to secure our southern border, and taking away our fundamental right to gun ownership. Kathleen Williams will obstruct President Trump and his agenda every step of the way.

Re-electing Greg Gianforte guarantees that President Trump has a strong ally that will work to protect the sanctity of life, our Second Amendment, our access to public lands, and building the wall at our southern border. Join me in voting for Greg Gianforte so that he can continue to drain the swamp!

— Michelle Tafoya, Kalispell

Tester champions public lands

Have you ever gone fishing in Montana? Taken a hike? Been cross-country skiing?

If you’ve spent any amount of time enjoying Montana’s incredible natural beauty, chances are you’ve benefited from public access to public lands. This November, protecting public lands will be on the ballot — and Jon Tester is the only proven champion for Montana’s outdoor heritage.

Jon has always fought to keep public lands in public hands. Recently, Senator sponsored the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. Many Montanans with different viewpoints (snowmobilers, mountain bikers, horseriders, loggers, wilderness advocates) worked together to propose this plan. Senator Tester took the agreement and created the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act and has introduced it in the Senate. This Montana-created legislation should be supported by our entire Congressional delegation, but until now Senator Daines has not signed on to co-sponsor the bill nor has Congressman Gianforte introduced companion legislation in the House.

In contrast to Jon Tester, his opponent this November is East Coast developer Matt Rosendale who has pushed to transfer our public lands. When Rosendale sees public lands, he sees an opportunity to develop their natural resources. He’s been a developer for most of his adult life, developing farmland into housing subdivisions. Now, wealthy landowners and developers across Montana have been dumping money into Rosendale’s campaign because they know they can count on him to prioritize their interests.

If you want your children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy the same beautiful Montana lands that we get to enjoy, you should vote for Jon this November. He is the only candidate for the Senate who can be counted on to fight for all Montanans — not just wealthy developers.

— Debo Powers, Polebridge

Clark is the moderate choice

Flathead County, we have the opportunity to elect a moderate to the position of county commissioner who will make it his job to listen to his constituents, research topics thoroughly, be fiscally knowledgeable, and be present for meetings. Tom Clark is a Kalispell native who has lived and worked in the valley his entire life. He is a master plumber with 35 years of experience and has run his own shop for 22 years. During his two terms on the West Valley School Board, a hot lunch program and a bus system were approved. Clark was elected to three terms on the Kalispell High School Board, an entity with a budget of over $18 million. He has served on the West Valley Land Use Advisory Board (two terms). He and his wife Angie were co-chairs of a committee whose hard work culminated in the completion of the West Valley bike path. While raising his two children, he coached numerous youth athletic teams. Tom Clark is a true public servant who has volunteered his time and energy to better our community. County commissioners affect so many facets of our daily lives. This is a crucial election! I urge you to vote for Tom Clark. Please be an informed voter and visit his Facebook page to see where he stands on the issues: “Clark for Flathead County Commissioner”.

— Charlene Iannucci, Kalispell

Time for new blood in D.C.

Nothing in Washington is free.

Tester has taken a drink from the payola Kool-Aid well. He has gotten almost $400,000 in the 2018 election cycle from lobbyists and that pales in view of other special interest and out of state money he has received. If he is re-elected, those putting up the money will collect their dues from him. It is very likely, that what they collect from Tester in payback will not be in the best interest of Montanans. I lived in Washington for over 11 years and have personally observed this payola game played. It is not a pretty sight.

Montana needs some new blood in Washington, not someone who is planning to make politics a career. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind. Rosendale is not beholding to big money, he is for term limits and he is for Montana, not outside interests.

Time for a change, Montana. Let’s vote for Matt Rosendale and send Tester back to Big Sandy.

— Bob Cote, Polson

Health officials support I-185

Tobacco kills. I witnessed the deadly impact of smoking while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a genetic form of breast cancer. I made friends with people who were receiving similar treatments at the same time for cancers caused by tobacco-related diseases. Too many Montanans have similar stories. Too many have lost their lives.

Each year, 1,600 Montanans die from smoking. It is the number one cause of preventable death, and the culprit of several debilitating illnesses. In November, voters will have the chance to raise the state tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products by supporting Initiative 185. Doing so will prevent 4,800 premature deaths and keep 8,000 Montana kids from becoming adult smokers.

Leading health organizations in our state support I-185. I hope our community joins them.

— Ryndee Hamilton, Polson

Support Brodehl

Please join me in supporting Republican Randy Brodehl for County Commissioner in the general election. During his legislative career, Brodehl stood strong for our public safety, private property rights, water rights and conservative fiscal management. Brodehl has extensive fiscal management experience with his experience as a Montana legislator, fire fighter and private business owner. Brodehl opposed the CSKT water compact as a Montana legislator. Brodehl will work hard to create a business friendly environment in Flathead County and oppose any new taxes. Brodehl is a proud NRA member and avid hunter. Brodehl will fight hard for natural resource jobs in Flathead County. Please join me in supporting Republican Randy Brodehl for County Commissioner in the upcoming general election.

— Jeff H. Larsen, Lakeside

Vote for civility in politics

Anarchy is the Viagra of the “new” Democratic Party. This midterm election season has brought out the best and the worst in not only candidates but also the voting public. From the uncivilized behavior at the Kavanaugh hearings for the Supreme Court to the vandalizing of a Fox TV station in Dallas after calls by the MSM to “fight back,” confrontations like these are a portend of things to come right here in the Flathead Valley.

The Flathead County Commissioner race is not immune. That is why we need a candidate who understands the rule of law, the limits of the Commissions’ authority, and the need for civilized dialogue in the decision deliberation process. Randy Brodehl is that candidate.

We have learned costly lessons from the whims of Democratic county commissioners who flagrantly waived their disregard for the process to the tune of millions of dollars of taxpayer monies with both the Whitefish Donut and the North Shore Subdivision. We can’t afford that kind of thinking or support candidates who encourage the kind of uncivil reactionary politics we are currently witnessing.

Vote this November for Liberty. Vote for civility in politics. Vote Randy Brodehl for County Commission.

— Rick Breckenridge, Kalispell

Williams a left coast liberal

San Francisco raised and UC Berkeley Indoctrinated. How else can an American become a cultural Marxist? Clearly, Kathleen Williams is a Left Coast Liberal who wishes to represent Montana as their Congresswoman in the House of Representatives.

In the last Congressional election Greg Gianforte was portrayed by Democrats as a carpetbagger from New Jersey. Now that their candidate has roots in San Francisco and is an alumni of one of the most detestable universities in the United States, Democrats have nothing to say about Mr. Gianforte’s New Jersey connection.

I wanted to know how Ms. Williams votes and her stand on the issues stacked up next to Greg Gianforte, so I went to the non-partisan best source on the Internet, VoteSmart.org. Ms. Williams profile on her VoteSmart profile had a red flag at the top which stated as follows:

“Kathleen Williams has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2018 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.”

Clearly, Ms. Williams wishes Montana voters to remain uninformed about her stand on issues before they go to the polls and vote. The other congressional candidates from both parties, Jon Tester, Democrat, Greg Gianforte, Republican, and Matt Rosendale, Republican, have no red flag warning at the top of their Vote Smart Political Profile.

Apparently, Ms Williams does not have the “courage” of her political convictions to submit them to Vote Smart’s “Political Courage Test”.

— William H Biernat, Columbia Falls