Oh Boy! Our big, tough-talking governor really told them didn't he? He was asked to comment on the negative decision by the PSC about the potential purchase of NorthWestern Energy by a respected Australian company.

And he responded with, "Pack your bags and ride a kangaroo because you're not going to be in Montana." Now his spokeswoman says it wasn't a negative comment about the company, but that's a distinction without a difference.

This was in the same week that Senator Baucus was touting the importance of the Chinese delegation that he brought to the state to interest them in buying Montana products. He frequently encourages foreigners to invest in Montana by purchasing Montana products.

Hmmmm, I guess that means Chinese money is good but Australian money is not so good, even though Australia has been a longtime ally of our nation and China is something less. I wonder if the governor would sing a different tune if an Australian company wanted to invest in liquid coal. Or maybe Montana's top Democrat was just exhibiting his personality trait that he describes as "overbearing."

It was this trait that he said was the reason he chose to attend the Kentucky Derby instead of staying in Helena to meet with a few Republicans to find "common ground" in the negotiations over the budget and tax relief. I had wondered what the Senate Democrats, who are in the majority, thought about getting left out of the negotiations. But I guess I got my answer when one Democrat in the Senate publicly called the governor a "bully" and another said he had "intimidated" them over a lobby-related bill.

And speaking of lobbying and lobbyists, the governor has at least been clear about what he thinks of that profession. He thinks lobbyists are pretty unsavory characters and denigrates them whenever and wherever he can.

I've never been a paid lobbyist but during my four years in the legislature, I was on the receiving end of lobbying and I recall it being usually educational and informative, but then I was never "bullied."

I thought being governor was like being the chief lobbyist for the state but Governor Schweitzer must not consider that a fitting role for him. He travels around the country a lot, I wonder what he's doing if he's not lobbying?

Living here, in the state capital, I know lots of lobbyists; they are friends and neighbors of all of us. Some go to Carroll football games, some shop at the Real Food Store, some coach their kids' soccer games, some go to church, some give money to local charities and they all support the community in one way or another. I think most of them are pretty special people, at least here in Montana.

But I have a suggestion for the governor, if he wants to get rid of lobbyists -- get state government out of so many aspects of our lives so we wouldn't need lobbyists to protect or promote our individual and group interests. Our public servants -- even a governor -- don't always know how some rule or law is going to affect each of us. We need to tell them. And they need to listen.

Bobby Spilker of Helena is a former Republican legislator.