Another Red Scare
by Pete Talbot
What do the Peace Center, New Party and Forward Montana all have in common? You got me.
But according to perennial legislative candidate Will Deschamps, in a letter to the Missoulian, these groups want to run your life.
I’ll try to keep this post short because I’m not sure the letter dignifies a response. I get tired of this conspiracy theory crap, though.
First, the Peace Center (I assume he’s referring to the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center): the only area of politics I’ve seen JRPC work in is advancing peace. That’s a bad thing? As far as I know, the folks there don’t run or endorse candidates, don’t hire lobbyists, don’t have a PAC — their mantra seems to be: war is not the answer, and that’s hard to argue with. And I’m sure they’re not affiliated with the New Party or Forward Montana.
Second, from what I’ve seen from Forward Montana, its main goal is to get young people excited and involved in politics. Democratic politics, to be sure, but I wouldn’t hold it against the Republican Party for trying to engage young voters. The causes that Forward Montana advocates for tend to include voting rights, educational funding, environmental concerns and a host of other issues that will appeal to young people. Heaven forbid that there’s an organization out there trying to get more young folks into the political arena. Also, I don’t think that most of Forward Montana’s membership even knows that there was a New Party.
Which brings me to one of my pet peeves: the bandying about of the New Party label. To hear the conservatives, the New Party basically runs every aspect of this town — from growth issues to elections to transportation to taxes, ad infinitum. One problem here; the New Party no longer exists. It disbanded over five years ago and its members have been scattered to the winds. Some now work on affordable housing issues, some on education issues, some on American Indian or environmental themes. I should know, I was one of those New Party folk. After the New Party’s demise I went on to work with the Democratic Party, the so-called big tent, that welcomed me with open arms, sort of.
And I know for a fact that the New Party never had a relationship with JRPC or Forward Montana.
Now that I think about it, though, there is one thing that these three groups have in common. It’s the idealism that things could be better for average people in Missoula, the State of Montana, the country and the world.
I tried to link to the letter itself but the Missoulian doesn’t archive letters to the editor. Maybe look in your local bar, coffee shop or restaurant for today’s (Thurs., June 28) copy.
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June 28, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Deschamps is a hater. In fact, I have to wonder if a whole hell of a lot of Republicans don’t fall into that same category.
Peace is bad. Oh, that evil ‘Peace Center’. I mean, the ludicrousness of that point of view. They hate everything. It’s insane.
Republican’s had their Just Say No, which indoctrinated a whole bunch of today’s youth into the Republican party (that’s my theory, at least – I got nothing against people don’t use drugs)… If they want to openly criticize Forward Montana, I don’t think that’s gonna get them very far. Not a good way to make friends with the incoming pool of voters.
June 29, 2007 at 6:31 am
thou protests to much
June 29, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Republican’s had their Just Say No, which indoctrinated a whole bunch of today’s youth into the Republican party
Now that is a howler. So what drugs are you on now?
What ever happened to the New Party, hmmm?
June 30, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Just to clarify, Forward Montana is and always has been non-partisan. We’ve got Democratic members, Republican members, and some independents to boot.
This fall, our Progressive Happy Hour series will feature candidates from both sides of the aisles running in statewide primaries.
We’re ideological, but we’re not partisan — at least not as a group.
July 1, 2007 at 9:05 am
noticed you had a lot of conservatives on your board and staff. Very non partisan. Can you say wolf in sheeps clothing?
July 1, 2007 at 11:09 am
Wolves? Sheep? We love ’em both — wildlife and the outdoors and ranching are both critical to Montana’s economy.
In all seriousness, though, I never said that we’re conservative. I said we’re non-partisan. There’s a difference. Craig has been making the argument for some time that he’s a conservative and not necessarily a Republican. I’m a progressive and a Democrat, but in that order and I’m happy to abandon the Democratic Party to pursue progressive goals.
One of the things that we’ve found repeatedly while working with young people is that most of them have progressive values — check recent polls on young voters — but that they don’t identify with either party. They want to talk to more folks of both parties. One of our roles is to facilitate that discussion. We’re very happy to do it.
July 2, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Been out of town so a tardy response. Sorry, Matt, about typecasting Forward Montana as a Democratic Party organization. Just goes to show how much I know about what the group does. And to Cass, I think I answered your question about where the New Party went in my post. Also, I’m not sure if you’re directing the drug question to me but if so, I prefer a single-malt scotch. Cheers.
July 2, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Make mine Jack. My question was to the first poster, jhwydingbat.
July 2, 2007 at 7:34 pm
jhwydingbat here, cass – but let me first warn you against using names. I don’t call you ass cass, now, do I? I trust that you won’t name-call again. I do value an alternative point of view, as I believe an understanding on each side could bring better productivity to political discourse. Jay and I agree on much – and one of those agreements is that if you can’t be nice, go get your own blog.
That being said, I stand by my statement – Ronnie and Nancy’s Just Say No was a not-so-thinly veiled recruitment tool for those too young to join the Young Republicans. It was, on the surface, a non-partisan altruistic organization geared towards stopping young children from starting on drugs – but on a more practical matter it served to push a conservative political agenda on easily influenced youth.