Two Montana Bills Will Effectively Eliminate 3rd Party Candidates
OPINION - I typically don't write about politics much, nor do I try to get too outspoken about it on my radio show. It's not that I don't care. I absolutely do... but I figure if you want political commentary, God knows you have plenty of sources for what is typically echo-chamber rhetoric and propaganda.
Also, I'm not keen on the idea of potentially alienating approximately half of my audience. Once you get into political chatter, you kind of need to go "all in", if that makes sense. I typically just encourage people to vote. If you feel strongly about an issue/candidate, VOTE. That's really all we can do.
Fed up with the two-party system? Yeah. Me too.
However, the Montana legislature is currently looking at two bills that will essentially make voting for any third-party candidate nearly impossible. I'll disclose that I voted Libertarian in the last presidential election and I feel like many Montanans align more closely with the Libertarian ideals than they do hardcore Republicans or ultra-left Democrats. The Montana Libertarian Party wrote,
The Montana Libertarian Party is the real choice for less government, lower taxes, and more freedom. The Libertarian Party believes in both economic and personal freedom. We believe people should be free to make their own choices, provided they don't infringe on the equal right of others to do the same.
In a desperate attempt to prevent Senator Jon Tester from winning another election, Republics are trying to monkey around with the way our primary elections work. Senate Bill 565 and Senate Bill 566 would make it nearly impossible for third-party candidates (e.g. Libertarian, Green Party, Independent, etc) to have a voice in Montana's political landscape. Proponents are touting these election changes as a one-time deal for the 2024 election, just to see how it goes. These bills are both bad news and reek of political trickery. Even some Republicans agree. Read and track the progress of SB 565 HERE and SB 566 HERE.
Find details on contacting your Montana legislator HERE. You can also send a message to the State Administrations Committee HERE.
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