Share the blame
On Election Day a few years ago, I was putting gas in my car and noticed the fellow on the other side of the pumps looking at me intently. It turned out he was reading the "I voted in Lincoln County" sticker on my jacket.
"You voted, huh?" he said gruffly. "So whatever goes wrong, I can blame you."
Then he smiled and said he'd voted too.
"I guess we can share the blame then," I told him.
If you follow that philosophy, there will be plenty of blame to go around next Tuesday. There are a lot of important races to be decided in Lincoln County and across the state.
Locally, we'll be deciding who fills county offices including commissioner for District 3, sheriff, treasurer, clerk and recorder, and justice of the peace for both the southern portion of the county and the Eureka area. Voters will also be deciding on Lincoln County's state senator and representatives for the county's two state House districts.
Montana's sole congressman, Republican Denny Rehberg, is running for re-election against four-term Democratic state legislator Monica Lindeen. And in one of the nation's most closely watched and hotly contested Senate races, Republican incumbent Conrad Burns is facing a challenge from Montana Senate President Jon Tester, a Democrat.
There are several statewide initiatives on the ballot as well, including proposals to increase Montana's minimum wage and to require former legislators to wait two years before becoming a lobbyist. Three other initiatives, which would place a cap on state government spending, require compensation to property owners in the event of government action lowering property values, and allow the recall of judges for any reason, have been declared invalid by the courts due to problems in the petition process by which they got on the ballot. Votes on those initiatives won't be counted.
The Western News has provided a lot of information to voters over the past few weeks, including front-page profiles of local candidates, stories about the initiatives on the ballot, and letters to the editor from many people wishing to share their views on the candidates and the issues. There have also been plenty of advertisements paid for by the candidates and their supporters.
Read the papers, look at the ads, and listen to what the candidates are saying on radio and TV. Make an informed decision, then go out there on Tuesday and shoulder your share of the blame along with me and my friend from the gas station. - Brent Shrum