Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.

 

30 September 2014

Reviewing the planks in Amanda Curtis’ platform

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Amanda Curtis’ campaign website has undergone a major revision and now includes an issues page. It’s much, much more of a bandwidth hog, but it’s also cleaner and much easier to navigate.

Curtis is running mostly on her personal story, so her platform is short and its planks thin. Her positions are pretty much those of Sen. Jon Tester: long on rhetoric, concise on specifics. Much to her credit, she omitted a plank on the deficit and national debt.

Much to her discredit, she omits foreign policy, yet she seeks an office with clear constitutional foreign policy responsibilities, such as ratifying treaties, approving ambassadors, and declaring war. If she doesn’t intelligently address foreign policy soon, she could find herself being booed on college campuses.

Below, I’ve reprinted — and annotated — her platform. What I consider boilerplate is in gray. My comments are in sans serif type on a light yellow background. Be sure to revisit her issues page frequently, as it will change to address emerging issues.

 

Amanda’s issues planks, annotated

Social Security and Medicare

Social Security and Medicare provide financial security and healthcare for seniors across Montana who have worked a lifetime for their benefits. We have an obligation to our senior and disabled Montanans to guarantee these benefits for decades to come. I will fight tooth and nail to strengthen and protect Social Security and Medicare.

Flathead Memo note. She uses the word strengthen instead of expand. Social Security and Medicare benefits need to be more generous, but she doesn’t commit herself to that. She only commits to preserving what is in place now. That’s the Blue Dog position, and coming from reputed liberal Curtis, it’s a disappointment.

Native Americans

Montana is lucky to have a rich and long Native American history. I plan to visit all seven of Montana’s Indian reservations and [I] will work with the eight Tribes to ensure the U.S. Senate is creating policies that work in Indian Country. We need to improve healthcare services and education for all Montanans, including rural and urban Indians. Federal and state policies have to support reservation-based community leaders in their efforts to plan for economic growth and improve opportunities for businesses to thrive in Indian Country.

Education

As someone who started from a humble background and worked my way through college, I know what it takes to make sure everyday Montanans have a voice. As a math teacher, I know the importance of investing in our students. Education is the best way to ensure a successful future for our young people. But Congress has failed our students. Student debt has become an economic catastrophe and has created a generation of young people crippled by debt right when they come out of college. I promise to fight for policies that will lower student debt and provide opportunities for our students to succeed.

Public Lands

Montana is home to the most beautiful and pristine public lands in all of the United States. Like the majority of Montana families, I depend on public lands to recreate. As an avid mountain biker, snow boarder, and rock climber, I enjoy the majestic lands Montana has to offer. As a native Montanan, I understand the value of our unmatched fishing and hunting opportunities. I vow as your United States Senator to never allow the sale of public lands. I promise to keep our public lands public for generations to come.

Flathead Memo note. The sale of public lands is one thing. Transferring them to the states as a gift is another. Curtis opposes the former, but is silent on the latter. I don’t think she wants to give away public lands, so I think this is a case of not using language well.

Energy Development

Montana is blessed with an array of energy options, and I believe we need to responsibly develop all of them. Natural gas, solar, wind, coal, and geothermal energy are all available to help ensure America becomes energy independent, and I will work to develop all of Montana’s resources responsibly. I believe we need to innovate as well; green energy and the green jobs industry provide an amazing opportunity for Montana to lead us into the next generation of responsible energy.

Flathead Memo note. This is the “all of the above” strategy employed by President Obama and most politicians to avoid making choices that would anger one constituency or another. And she salutes the false flag of energy independence (translation: no more buying oil from those Islamic nut cases who behead Americans).

Agriculture and Rural Montana

Agriculture is the number one industry in Montana. We can keep it number one by supporting producers of all sizes. Independent family farmers and ranchers are hampered by corporate ag at every level of production—from the price they get for their product to what it costs to ship those products across the world. I know how important farming and ranching are to Montana, and I plan to protect those jobs. The Farm Bill must be implemented to work for Montana farmers and ranchers so they have the assurances they need to succeed and have the security they need to operate.

Flathead Memo note. This paragraph boils down to “more money for farmers.”

Healthcare

In Montana, healthcare comes down to access. I plan to work to ensure all Montanans, including veterans and Native Americans, have access to quality and affordable healthcare. In Washington, I will work to improve access to healthcare facilities all across Montana. Healthcare is a basic human right and I will stand up to the deep-pocketed insurance companies to fight for Montana families. I will ensure no one can be denied care because of age, gender, or a pre-existing condition.

Flathead Memo note. Not one mention of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). She must think that defending or even mentioning the ACA is toxic, so she’s pussyfooting around the issue. That makes her look weak, irresolute, and it will cost her votes.

Women and Families

I will always be a champion for a women’s (sic) right to choose. I believe women should be in control of their own healthcare decisions and I will support legislation that protects this fundamental right. The government has no business in our bedrooms or our doctors’ offices. We must also ensure that Montana women receive equal pay for equal work. It’s unacceptable that Montana women receive less than men for the same job.

Second Amendment

I am a staunch supporter of Montanans’ Second Amendment rights. I will work to protect those rights and safeguard Montana’s outdoor heritage. My husband and I have always been gun owners and we use our public lands to shoot. I’ll not only defend our Second Amendment rights, I’ll preserve our public lands so we can practice our rights.

Flathead Memo note. She received an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association. And if she hasn’t already, she’ll receive a similar grade from Gary Marbut and his Montana Shooting Sports Association. Why? She thinks for herself — and the gunpowder caucus thinks a U.S. Senator who thinks for herself is a danger to democracy.