Letters to the Editor

Arguments baffling

Marc Racicot's defense of electric deregulation (Your Turn, Jan. 15) should give pause to the citizens of Montana who must live with the effects of his most enduring legacy. His patronizing lecture on free market economics and, comically, his assertion that deregulation brought wind turbines to Judith Gap, ring hollow in the face of rising energy prices.

Many of his arguments are baffling.

First that deregulation was "bipartisan" implying that a bill written by Montana Power, pushed through a Republican controlled legislature and signed by a Republican governor, was an example of teamwork.

Second, to prove the ineffectiveness of regulation, Racicot inexplicably links skyrocketing gasoline prices in the last half of 1973 to Nixon's price controls. Not only does this contradict his earlier praise of the price freeze at the beginning of deregulation, but he conveniently ignores the true reason for the massive increase in oil prices in 1973: OPEC's oil embargo in response to America's support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War.

Why does Racicot continue to spin deregulation as a success? Does he reveal his contempt for the truth or for the people of Montana?

Jay Partridge

802 5th Avenue

Thanks for donations

Thanks thanks for donating to our recent Chili Feed fundraiser:

Betty Bicknell, Julie Schweitz, the Fantini, Kapphan and McEwen families, Helen Lundberg, Grady Ranch, Lundberg Shop, Don Dallas, Poo Putsch, Myrna Whitclaw/Canyon Creek Store, Great Divide Ski Area, Back Country Quilts, Hi Country Beef Jerky & Trading Post, Western Fuel, Lincoln Telephone, Bill Frisbee/Real Estate of Montana, PondeRose's, Floppy Rock Feeds, Doug's Tire & Auto, Connie Ferriter, A+ Lube & Wash, Allegra Print & Imaging, Harrington Pepsi, Albertsons, Safeway, Van's Thriftway, Pallister Plumbing & Heating, Bob's Valley Market, The Grub Stake, Northwest Airlines, Heaven's Best Carpet Cleaning, Hair Co. & Product Shop, Murdoch's, The Floor Show, VolumeOne Books, Strawhouse Market, WIC staff, Valley Bank, Kleen King, Intermountain Heating & AC, Columbia Paint, Eaton-Turner Jewelry, Elkhorn Federal Credit Union, Haps, Montana Rail Link, The Pattern House, Vacuum City, Jorgenson's, Saunders Jewelry & Design, Birds & Beasleys, Montana Book Company, Lewis & Clark Library, Bridger Veterinary Hospital, Lasso the Moon, The Windbag, Pan Handler, Taco Del Sol, Coney Island, Park Ave. Bakery, Great Northern Carousel, Valley Farms, Greg Bahny, Charlotte Robertson, UPS Store, Miller's Crossing, Amy Demaree/Plymouth Congregational Church, Scott Dickhoff/Sweetheart Bakery, Montana Discovery Foundation/USFS, J&J Trading Post, Made In Montana Store, Bullwhackers, The Memory Trail.

Wendy Schultz

Canyon Creek School Parents Association

P.O. Box 523

Canyon Creek

Obstructionists

Well, the obstructionists are at it again. They've found yet another clever roadblock designed to stop future mining in this state.

Yes, I know, we're not supposed to use the word "obstructionist." Former Gov. Judy Martz used it a few times, and so it became a politically incorrect four-letter word. But if the definition of the O-word is "One who systematically blocks or interrupts a process," then the environmentalists fit the bill for Montana. (They just don't pay them).

The O-Team in Montana does deserve credit for being savvy and powerful, and a little sneaky with their latest attacks that are coming in the form of proposing regulations to the Board of Environmental Review.

(Let's admit it, until six months or so ago, how many of us even knew there was a Board of Environmental Review?)

This "rule" says mines can't treat water for more than two years after it's done mining ore. That's right, no water treatment after two years.

Now if you're trying to make sense of that, don't bother because it doesn't. Which is the point -- it's not supposed to make sense, it's supposed to stop mining, under the cloak of environmental protection. (Zealotry seldom is logical.)

Ray Panisko

1801 Oregon Ave.

Butte

A technicality

I guess you will have to forgive us non-lawyers/judges, but us common folk don't understand why these escaped convicts from September 2004 are having to be re-tried. I have read the articles and all I see is that some ridiculous technicality is to blame. Were these four men not aware that they were in police custody and that they were on their way to PRISON? I have a sneaking suspicion that they new exactly where they were going and why. Do you think they thought ... ya know these jokers aren't really peace officers so lets get out of here. Please, I think these "public defenders" are scraping the bottom of the barrel and it makes me very mad that my tax dollars are paying them for their time in this case.

We the people should change the laws to read that if you are a prisoner and you are being transported to prison and you break a window to crawl out of a van and you hide in a garbage can to avoid being seen by the helicopters and the hundreds of police officers hunting you down, you are guilty of escape.

There, problem solved.

Mary VanderMars

1340 Angus Road

Racicot's legacy

If former governor Marc Racicot could rewrite the Constitution it would begin, "We the PPL." I applaud the IR for its detailed analysis debunking his position that deregulating a monopoly was the right thing to do. Every family, business and taxpayer in Montana has been hurt by his actions. Mr. Racicot should be forever remembered in this state for his prominent role in this multi-billion dollar fiasco.

Jon Nehring

P.O. Box 116

Fort Harrison

Racicot out of touch

Marc Racicot must have spent a few days at Bob Gannon's mansion on Finley Point before blessing Helena with his opinion.

Of course deregulation is a good idea. The idea being, of course, the rich get richer. Of course, President Bush will go down in history as one of the greatest presidents. If your are very wealthy, President Bush is your ticket to ride. Is greed destroying America? My bet is that Marc makes more than a million dollars a year. That is more than $83,000 a month. What does Marc know about a Montanan trying to pay the power bill? That's OK though. With his good friend Bush in power, Marc can expect a tax cut. We should not have listened to Marc in the past and we should not believe him now.

Timothy Thane

616 Peosta