Billings Gazette Op-Ed: Let’s focus on what matters in Tester’s bill
Let’s put behind us the recent unseemly and inaccurate charges that Sen. Jon Tester’s bill on timber jobs and wilderness was crafted in secrecy. It’s time to focus on what the bill will accomplish rather than try to paint some vague conspiracy that belongs in a pulp fiction novel.
Sen. Tester is to be commended for taking on timber jobs and wilderness designation in one bill after these issues have been stalemated in Montana’s political wars for 25 years.
Every bill starts out in the minds of a few select people. They try to find a sponsor to put their ideas into reality. Such a process happened with Sen. Tester’s draft legislation. He listened to people. He asked for our ideas, accepting some and rejecting others. That’s what happens when Americans craft legislation.
As it reads now, we don’t think the bill is perfect and we are working for changes. But we strongly support Sen. Tester’s efforts to free our forests from political gridlock.
Posted on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 10:38 am.
