Opinion

Housing prices in the West are over the moon

Published on Mon, 05/10/2021 - 3:29pm

One hundred thirty thousand dollars. That’s what it takes for a down payment to buy an average-priced home in Bozeman, Montana. Then an aspiring homeowner must fork out another $3,000 each month, which is more than two-thirds of their household’s paychecks if they make the median income for the metro area. 

Pushing Congress to enact sensible gun reform measures

Published on Mon, 05/10/2021 - 3:28pm

For more years than it is comfortable to count, the National Rifle Association and its abettors in Washington have forestalled even the most sensible efforts to confront our national scourge of gun violence.

Mas(k) confusion

Published on Fri, 05/07/2021 - 3:19pm
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President Biden’s economic agenda may be more Truman than FDR

Published on Fri, 05/07/2021 - 3:14pm

Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar plans to revive the economy, fix America’s infrastructure and ease poverty have spawned comparisons between him and Franklin D. Roosevelt. At the 100-day mark of the Biden presidency, David Gergen, who has advised presidents of both parties, wrote, “Biden is off to an excellent start -- arguably, one of the best since Roosevelt.” 

And Biden hasn’t discouraged such talk. He now has a giant portrait of FDR in the Oval Office, right across from the Resolute Desk.

IN THE MAIL— May 7

Published on Fri, 05/07/2021 - 3:12pm

US Census and your privacy

Editor:

The U.S. Census created ads in newspapers, radio, TV and social media stating that your privacy of the information provided is sacrosanct and would not be shared with any other governmental agency.

This paper printed a story a few days back stating that a majority of the people who replied to the census returned their general election ballots last year prior to Nov. 3.

Thoughts on the 67th Legislature

Published on Fri, 05/07/2021 - 3:11pm

The 67th Montana Legislature adjourned April 29. I sincerely thank the voters of Sweet Grass and Park counties for allowing me to be their representative for the session. 

During the 80 days that we were in session, I had the opportunity to submit legislation and, more importantly for me, was the opportunity to work with other legislators to improve bills and promote those bills on the House floor. 

COVID vaccines for kids and teens

Published on Fri, 05/07/2021 - 3:07pm

What’s the next step in America’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts?

There are at least two directions this could go.

One direction involves getting those adults ages 16 and older who haven’t received the vaccine yet to finally decide to get the jab. This one seems quite problematic, of course, with many adults either holding off or resisting the vaccine for their own particular reasons.

The Third Wave

Published on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 3:31pm
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The FDA’s slippery slope toward mandating raw broccoli for breakfast

Published on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 3:30pm

By Veronique de Rugy.
Syndicated Columnist

If it doesn’t look like avocado toast, you can’t have it. That’s the message I get loud and clear from Uncle Sam when I read story after story about the Food and Drug Administration’s latest foray into stopping ordinary Americans from doing what ordinary Americans like to do.

Biden has set an ambitious goal. I say, go for it.

Published on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 3:30pm

WASHINGTON -- Bill Clinton used his 1996 State of the Union address to push for school uniforms. George W. Bush called in 2004 for athletes “to get rid of steroids now.” President Joe Biden, in his first speech to a joint session of Congress, asked for . . . pretty much everything.