Unlike some, I've had a tendency to take recent Democratic success here with a grain of salt. While some have hailed this as Morning in Montana, I've always been worried that the 2004 election could wind up being an aberration.
Apparently I'm not the only one...
Earlier this week Gov. Schweitzer threw Republicans a bone by signing into law several new limitations to medical malpractice lawsuits. These reforms included making letters of sympathy or apology from doctors inadmissable, restricting liability to doctors for mistakes beyond their control (as in those made by pharmacists), and stricter criteria for expert witnesses.
Personally, I have no objections to these pieces of legislation. What I do find bothersome is that state Democrats are touting these reforms as the key to lowering medical malpractice insurance rates for state doctors. In other words, they have basically adopted the Republican talking points on this issue.
I find that I'm of two minds here. On the one hand, Democrats are simply doing what they have to politically, to illustrate to moderate Republicans that they're not exactly the loony left. But at the same time there's a nagging voice in the back of my head saying something is seriously wrong here. The idea that these reforms will lead to lower insurance rates is a shameless lie concoted by Republicans, and it pains me to see state Democrats perpetuate it.
Similarly, today state legislators voted overwhelmingly (33 to 17) to indefinitely postpone (read kill) SB272 which was a progressive tax designed to encourage companies like Walmart to pay their employees living wages, thus ending their abuse of the welfare system.
Much of Montana's history is the story of shameless exploitation by out-of-state industries. Republicans have proudly perpetuated this tradition these last few decades, ending with Judy "Lap Dog of Industry" Martz. Outwardly I've always scoffed at the idea that Democrats would be able to change this trend. Inwardly I hoped they would at least try. I give a great deal of credit to Ken Toole who authored SB272. I'm disappointed, but not surprised, that his fellow Democrats didn't back him up.
What I'm trying to say in this rambling diary is that I'm now convinced that state Democrats agree with me. They understand how tenuous their position is, and if they push too hard too soon it could all come crashing down around them. The 2004 election may have changed the political landscape, but it didn't change the culture. This is not a progressive state, and a single election can't change that. How many it will take, I can't say. But I do hope we find out some day.