News Letter

The Beaverhead Forest Partnership, a coalition of local timber companies and environmental groups, has come up with a proposal that would permit responsible logging while supporting the designation of additional areas within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest as wilderness.

We Democrats ought to support this plan, which will benefit both foresters and those who see the value of a relatively unspoiled natural environment.

Off-road vehicle enthusiasts (and some Republicans) are the main opponents of the plan. The ORV crowd, with their No More Wilderness stance, want to be able to roar around on their motorized toys on nearly every acre of public land.

The myth that the new Partnership plan will deny hunters and fishermen access to wilderness areas is being promoted aggressively. But outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen who've actually looked at the plan know just how false this myth is.

Matt Santos, a character played by Jimmy Smits on the television program "West Wing," was given a wonderful speech (responding to a right-wing senator) that we should think about when people disparage us for being liberals.

"Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did Conservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things . . . every one!"

"So when you try to hurl that label at my feet, 'Liberal,' as if it were something to be ashamed of, something dirty, something to run away from, it won't work, Senator, because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor."

John McCain, Republican Nominee for President, asked at a recent meeting

how long the American military should remain in Iraq, answered that fifty or one hundred years "would be fine with me."

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California: "I think gay marriage is something between a man and a woman."

George W. Bush, lame-duck President of the United States: "For every fatal shooting [in the U.S.], there are roughly three nonfatal shootings. And, folks, this is just unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable and we're going to do something about it."

Another from Bush: "You know, when you give a man more money in his pocket -- in this case, a woman more money in her pocket to expand a business, it -- they build new buildings. And when somebody builds a new building somebody has got to come and build the building. And when the building expanded it prevented additional opportunities for people to work."

Dillon city councilman Frank Mastandrea has opened his campaign for the State Legislature representing District 72 (Beaverhead County). Frank brings a wealth of experience to his candidacy.

Between 2002-07, Frank served as grants manager for the Beaverhead County Commission, raising over $900,000 in federal and state funds for capital improvements. Prior to this, he worked as a program specialist for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and as a soil conservationist in Sheridan County.

Since 1998, Frank has served as an urban and associate supervisor for the Beaverhead County Soil Conservation District.

Frank earned a B.S. in agronomy, plant and soil science from Ohio State University and a B.S. in secondary education, science broadfield, from Montana State University. After receiving his teaching degree, Frank taught junior and senior high school science and math classes and coached girls basketball and volleyball.

Frank is married to Eva Mastandrea, a professor of art at UM-Western. They have two sons: Adam, 30, and Saul, 26.

Lynn Giles is running for the open seat in State Senate District 36.

"I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and support that I have received from people all over the district when they heard I might run for the senate," Lynn said.

A resident of Beaverhead and Madison counties for almost forty-eight years, Lynn served for eighteen years as juvenile probation officer in Madison County. For twelve of those eighteen years she also served as the juvenile probation officer in Beaverhead County. She retired in 2003.

Prior to serving as a probation officer, Lynn, a graduate of UM-Western, taught English and social sciences at Twin Bridges High School. She also owned two small businesses in Twin Bridges.

Her public service includes a term on the Twin Bridges School Board. She also served on the Twin Bridges Library Board and was a member of the Twin Bridges Town Council.. More recently, she served a term on the Dillon City Planning Board.

Since her retirement Lynn has served as board member, including director and volunteer for a group that provides trained volunteer guardians ad litem and advocates for children who are the victims of abuse and neglect (the Fifth Judicial District Voice for Children/CASA).

"If I am fortunate enough to represent District 36 in the State Senate," said Lynn, "I will continue to focus on practical solutions to issues that are important to the district, including attracting and retaining high-quality jobs, providing a good education and a safe environment for our children, and protecting our and ranching and mining heritage."