'We the People' deserve more

In a respectful response to Rep. Ed Leiser’s recent article on the workings of the Montana Legislature, I would offer the following commentary for consideration.

First, I compliment his energy and honest attempt to aggressively sponsor 16 bills and am confident that he learned first hand how hard it is to get things done in Helena. I also agree that a highlight of the session was the unanimous passage of the budget bill in the House. My hat’s off to Lakeside’s own Speaker of the House Mark Blaisdell for putting Montana first and providing real bipartisan leadership.

The Senate, as Rep. Leiser correctly pointed out, was a different matter entirely, but for different reasons. An early power struggle within the Republican controlled Senate saw leadership move from the moderate and largely pro-public education Republicans to the more conservative and pro-school choice faction.

Throughout the session, friction remained within the chamber despite a comfortable Republican majority. It was clear that passing the budget bill with little debate or amendments in the House signaled that any contentious and unresolved budget matter was destined to be hammered out within the experienced and powerful Senate Finance and Claims Committee.

The suggestion, however, that the Republican controlled Senate was improper in passing legislation in the absence of a “missing” Democrat senator is simply not in keeping with either the Montana Constitution or the intent of the rule that mandates that every legislator must be present in order for the vote to be counted.

A point of fact is that the Montana Constitution allows for a law to be initiated by the vote of the legislature or by a referendum by either order of the legislature or by petition of the voters. The Senate was entirely right to order a referendum for voter approval despite the disingenuous disappearing act of a respected senator from Browning. The disgraceful act was knowingly and willingly using a cheap trick to attempt to stop legitimate legislation from being voted on. The rule serves to ensure that every bill on the floor is voted on and that every elected representative is held accountable for their vote.

“We the People” deserve more than from those serving to represent our interests than a political vote of “abstain, present, or in hiding.” I was shocked and disappointed with my friends in the Senate Minority with their willingness to orchestrate such a sham and turn the time honored Senate into a circus.

— Ryan Zinke is a former state senator from Whitefish