Wednesday, April 9, 2014

MONTANA MESSAGE TO THE NATION: ROUGH, ROWDY, RAUCOUS, REBELLIOUS, COLORFUL, ADVENTURESOME, CREATIVE ON THE BARE NECESSITIES, WITHIN BUDGET--FUN CELEBRATION OF MONTANA'S CENTENNIAL TRAIN, LOOKS LIKE A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL IN 1964, WE SHOULD DO IT AGAIN, NEW IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER, BACK TO THE FUTURE!

MONTANA MESSAGE TO THE NATION
I’m just absolutely dumbfounded how they did it

In 1964, the Montana Centennial Train celebrated the territory’s 100th birthday, promoted the state at the New York World’s Fair.  A sprinkle of gold dust from Gov. Tim Babcock on a February Friday in 1964 and the Montana Centennial Train was on its way, often referred to as the state’s most successful publicity stunt, that paraded, promoted, promulgated and pronounced the Big Sky Country as the greatest and most rewarding place to visit--and that it is, and I am still absolutely dumbfounded how they did it, not the train, but the 4th largest state, with barely 1 million people, a small tax base, but rich in state treasures like coal, oil, gas, water, wind, timber, gold and silver.

A note of thanks to the Missoulian News, for writing a fun article, and giving a historical event a real flavor of the people, the train, the contents of the train, the people involved, named individually, and presented the remarkable feat, with 150 paintings of the colorful people and landscape of Montana.

Last summer, as I was kicking around in Helena, the Montana State Capitol, I was walking up to the colorful Capitol Building, with colors that symbolize the alive, passionate, thrifty, hard fighting, hardy, tough people of the state of Montana, my adopted state of choice, and I was struck by another symbolic street name, Washington Street, between Russell and Montana; it is a half street, that goes right up the middle of the Capitol grounds, running right into, I am guessing the first governor, riding on a life size horse, leading up to the stairs that take you into this homespun, simple, but elegant building of stained glass windows, gold original light fixtures, statues of founding fathers and mothers, quilts hanging on the Secretary of State’s walls, raspberry and green colored walls, large windows that let you overlook the valley, mountains, and lakes, encased in solid oak--my first stop in Montana, after being captured by the magic and majesty of the state, in a promotional ad campaign in Salt Lake City, Utah, about two years ago.

WASHINGTON, D.C., OUGHT TO LOOK TO MONTANA

With a burgunig debt, too much big government, scandals by the incompetents, a parade of anti-American activities, Washington, would do well to look to Montana, who always has a surplus of funds for a rainy day, believes totally in the U.S. and their state Constitutions, and tries hard to follow it, makes due with the monies they have or less . . . and makes due, with what I would call the bare necessities.

For all intents and purposes, the people seem happy, without sidewalks, frills or luxuries.  Government buildings are what they should be, stripped down, to just what is necessary to carry out the function for with it is made.  Contrast and comparison, between Utah, who taxes the people to death, but nothing it too good for the government, Montanans in Kalispell, had just remodeled their local library.  I was somewhat shocked, because I felt like I had just stepped back into a history, to a more simple time, simple, basic decor, in fact, I thought to myself, if this is a remodel, what did it look like before?

I remember seeing the Washington City, Utah library, and thought is was a fancy Chinese Restaurant, that was overlooking the Ocean, in an expensive part of California, with oriental type decor, huge windows, expensive wood casings for the windows, inlaid tile, not sparing a penny for anything, tons of wasted space, with large ceilings and very expensive oak furniture, to me shocking for a government building--the Kalispell Library, was just as shocking on the other end of the spectrum, but guess what, it works just as well!

Revamping the Republican Party, Who Has Always Stood, At Least in Principle, for Less Government, Less Taxes, and More Jobs

Montana, with its, large membership of Republicans in the legislature, both responsible for making the laws, and also for making a budget, and allocating and appropriating money for state projects, interests, and necessities, fight as they may, hunting down alleged Rhinos, and fighting with a governor, who is a Democrat, giving balance and perspective, does a pretty good job.  And in this time, of budget cutbacks, a call for austerity, we don’t have to suffer, if don't the Montana way.

Now, politics is about compromise, everyone gets something and everyone gives up something--you don’t get everything you want, and the rest of the population of the state get nothing!  Unless you are in Utah!  But Montana has very strange politics--why?  The local areas tend to be more conservative, and the larger cities, especially in southern part of the state, Missoula and Helena, but the more populated areas, tend to be more liberal; therefore, you have state offices held mainly by Republicans, and national and higher levels of statewide officers, being Democrat, but that is kind of a mix you want . . . reasonable people agree to disagree, but the product that is created between the battling sides, is better than just one side controlling everything!

THE MONTANA MODEL

Progressive, populist, or centrist--we have to get together and solve the nations problems, working together, blending ideas, taking the good on both sides, and avoiding the bad, incorporating a working model of, how best to solve the nations problems, and accomplish the most benefit, for the least amount of money, having the best long term goals, with the least intrusive methods of government involved, costing less.  We are smart enough to do this . . . so, let’s get at it!

Montana, with all the natural resources, has long struggled with the balance between exploitation of the land, and building the economy through jobs, harnessing the resources necessary to keep America going, for generations; case in point, the debate of the Keystone Pipeline or Otter Creek Coal Mine.  Is there a way to bring the desires of most people to fruition?  Can we possibly make everyone happy with the results?  What would a model look like?  How do we preserve the beauty of nature, protect the ecosystems, and still get the products we need, giving people the jobs we need.

How do we leave the smallest carbon footprint on the planet, but created the brightest children, through education, that will leave the world a better place, making their mark, and leaving human capital footprints on society, that will enrich all of us.  Our greatest resource is, human capital, so we can’t just focus on money profit, golden parachutes, and retirement packages, we have an obligation, to bring the next generation, into the game, anyone with skin in the game, is going to contribute!

Young Republicans, survey, said that they saw the party as outdated, bigoted and racist!
The Anwr Oil Fields, And Scholarships for Inner City School Children

My friend Doug is a smart guy, who reads all the time, and knows a shit load of stuff.  This is a plan, he just pulled off the top of his head . . . this is not an issue that just affects America, but we need to get other countries buying onto the model, like China, who is starting a new coal mine, like once a week.  America, I believe, now is the largest producer of natural gas, we have large reserves of oil, coal, gas, etc.  We only leave 5% of the environmental imprint, but have the most resources of any country.

However, we are falling behind on education, jobs, opportunities for our children.  We have technology companies that can’t get qualified workers, trained to do all the technology has created to better the world.  So, we have the most resources, in the world, that can be used as a bargaining chip to get money for education, and more than worthy goal.  Doug suggests, that we ta the Anwr Oil Fields, and 20% of the monies or profit from the pipeline, or the source of oil has to be used for education, not basket weaving classes, but math, science, technology, computer skills, etc.--maybe even training that connects with the export of natural resources, after American needs are met.

Montana Has A History of First

I was shocked to find out last week, that pioneers in the preservation of wilderness area, starting with the Wilderness Act, were from Kalispell and Missoula!  Montana had the first female governor, therefore, one would surmise that, women had the right to vote also, earlier than the rest of the country.  While Utah has the most dismal record in the nation, for equal pay for women, doing equal jobs, paid only 55 cents for every dollar a man make, Montana, a much poorer state, due to size and population, pays about 77 cents, and is working to get those numbers up.

Doug and I attended the GOP training meeting, last Saturday, since then, Doug has been over to talk to the Voter Engagement Team, and said, he and I would come up with a proposal, to present on how we can come up with some common sense editorials and letters, supporting, not only individual candidates, but coming up with a new and improved Republican Model, that will captivate the young people in the nation, who are tech savvy, smart, informed, care about everything from the environment to social and pay equality--they were babies of the social movements.

To quote Jimmy Buffett, we are the people our parents warned us about!  Frankly, I am incredibly impressed with the younger generation, let’s tap their resources, their minds, their ideas, get their devotion and loyalty, and we haven’t been doing that.

LETTER & OPINION OR EDITORIAL TEAM

Doug is impressed with the fact that Jesus Christ, one man, could come in a day and age, without technology, social media, and literally, change the world . . . Christ said, there are those who come after me, who will do greater things than I . . . let’s do it!

Doug and I, through the direction of the Voter Engagement Team and various, Republican organizations, like the Pachyderm Clubs, Republican Womens Federation, Campus Republicans, Legislators, and others, not mentioned, come up with 5 good writers, who are in the vicinity of the 6 major newspapers throughout Montana, who may be experts, knowledgeable, or recognized and often published for their thoughts, and make suggestions to the Campaign Communications Oversight Committee, that as thoughts, ideas and talking points, come to people’s attention, or in the newspaper, we have a team of ready, willing and able writers, who can get a editorial, letter, or opinion out, ASAP.

Both Doug and I feel that the Freedom of the Press is the best way to get the various sides to come together, and get something done, rather than fight forever--we are losing time.  This will be a two way, exchange with insiders, privileged, with insider information from meetings, and what not, with a finger on the pulse of the local, state and national politics and issues, that need to be addressed, they will then notify Doug or I, and we will activate the writers, to action, and vica versa, with the flow of information going both up and down the food chain.

Fractured Party Than Needs Common Ground--Divided We Fall

The Republican Party is feeding on itself--United we stand, divided we fall . . . we have to come up with a model, plan, or program, under the penumbra of the Grand Old Party, that encompasses, traditional Republicans, Tea Party, Evangelicals, progressives, Liberatarians, constitutional conservatives, centrists, and moderate Democrats, with a model that takes into the fold, all the conditions, options, and solves the objections, of just this group.

The founding fathers had 12 political parties represented when the created and penned the U.S. Constitution, so if they can do it, so can we--plus they had 28 attorneys involved, so we have it easy!

There Are Those Who Come After Me, Who Will Do Greater Things Than I--Let’s Make It Montana Republicans!
P.S., Dylan and others at the GOP, Missoula, Headquarters, Doug and I would like to have a meeting with you, to get your feedback, ideas, thoughts, suggestions, kind of a brainstorming session, if you will.  At least this is a starting point, something we can sink our teeth into, and get going.  Election cycles go fast, so let’s get on it.

Doug and I will work on this together, but we wanted to get it into your hands a fast as possible, Doug mentioned getting it together by Monday, but we can have a product, from which to work and change, instead of starting from scratch on Monday.  If you want to get together sooner, we are both amenable to that.

JoAnn S. Secrist, J.D.
Constitutional Law Attorney--reporting from the Breakfront Cafe, Missoula, Montana, 9:08 a.m., Wednesday, morning.  Doug is gathering thoughts, and out walking.  So I am sure we will have more to add, and send to you after he reads this.

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