The group of hard-line Montana House and Senate conservatives called the “New Montana Freedom Caucus” (whatever that means) have a hatred of democracy. The problem, as they see it, is we have too much democracy. The country was founded as a republic on a democratic platform and system designed primarily to protect the rights of property, not people. The first ten amendments to the Constitution tried to expand democracy beyond just the needs of white propertied males. The entire struggle for real democracy in the U.S. has been to expand democracy to others – racial minorities, women, gays, immigrants, Indigenous people, and so on.
But to the acolytes of this “New GOP” this expansion of democracy is a danger to their hold on power and their ability to further their right-wing agenda. Trumpists do not desire democracy. They desire more of what Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Matt Rosendale, Ryan Zinke, and the “Freedom Caucus” represent. Hatred of anyone who is not like them and disdain for democracy and its institutions at all levels of government, right down to the local school or library board.
As the Montana Legislature cranks up for its latest session, one is reminded of Will Roger’s statement, “When Congress is in session, nobody’s property is safe!”. Only now we need to modify it to say, “When the Legislature is in session, nobody’s rights are safe!” Over 4,000 proposed bills have been put forward, including several to curb people’s rights. Voting rights, the judiciary, women’s right to determine their own medical decisions, Native American sovereignty, public access for hunting and fishing, the Montana Constitution and so on are all under attack. They want to shut down any feedback on proposed legislation that doesn’t agree with their goals. Trying to suppress the input from the Consumer Counsel was just one example. The resolution on Tribal Sovereignty is completely legally unfounded. Reservations are not “diametrically opposed to the U.S. Constitution” – Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states that “Congress shall have the power to regulate Commerce with foreign nations and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes”, determining that Indian tribes were separate from the federal government and states.
