I try to give Max Baucus the benefit of the doubt when I can, but he doesn't make it easy. The question that young progressives across Montana who are leafleting and canvassing and working hard this weekend have to ask themselves is, why is Max Baucus up in Kalispell, cutting a ribbon on a federal defense earmark that he has just delivered to right-wing state senator Jon Sonju’s family-owned business?
cross posted at MtCowgirl.com
Is this some sort of vendetta he has against the Democratic state legislative candidate for the seat, Mary Reckin, a serious trooper who is fighting an uphill battle in her race against Republican Jon Sonju? If an earmark is going to come out of Congress, then yes, better a Montana business get it than a business elsewhere. I don’t really begrudge Sonju the project, though he should be more upfront about his views on Government spending. But the timing of this whole thing seems almost in-your-face to Mary Reckin, especially since what Democrats are clammering for in the Flathead is a federal earmark that would protect the North Fork of the Flathead River from mining run-off coming from Canada, and so far has not materialized.
Clearly Max believes there is a value to him in doing this, perhaps a boost among persuadable voters who see him doing something that pisses off Democrats. If that’s the case, then I suppose he will welcome the criticism of a progressive blogger. This diary is cross posted atMtCowgirl.comfor those who wish to communicate with Montanans about this issue.