Montana Sportsmen Alliance 2015 Legislative Scorecard

[Pierre]

Sportsmen, here is the link to the 2015 Montana Legislative scorecard by MSA.
It is election time. Don't vote blindly. Ask candidates about funding for FWP, transfer of Fed Public Lands, ask if they have signed any statements pledging support for the transfer of Public Lands, ask them about the public trust and the N. American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Ask tough questions! Complacency will get you more and more commercialization and exploitation. How can we transfer fed lands to the state? State land mgmt agencies have been defunded to the point where they can't manage as well as possible. Same with Federal agencies.
Vote and vote smart!


http://www.montanasportsmenalliance.com/MSA 2015 Legislative Scorecard.pdf

 

[Schaaf]

Truly amazed Jennifer Fielder tied for the lowest rating in the Senate. Valuable tool Pierre, thanks for the hard work!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Truly amazed Jennifer Fielder tied for the lowest rating in the Senate. Valuable tool Pierre, thanks for the hard work!

There's someone else who has as bad a record? That is amazing!

 

[u1299]

Large majorities in both chambers for Republicans. I didn't do the math but just glancing it's obvious MSA scores the Senate and House Dems significantly higher than the R's.

So if these majorities don't change, don't expect MSA's scorecard to change.

 

[airlocksniffer]

I did the math with some Excel fu:

D: 82.63%
R: 28.42%

Tell me why the Republican party assumes the sportsman's vote is locked in? Oh yeah, gunz.

 

[katqanna]

Large majorities in both chambers for Republicans. I didn't do the math but just glancing it's obvious MSA scores the Senate and House Dems significantly higher than the R's.

So if these majorities don't change, don't expect MSA's scorecard to change.

MSA didnt score anyone higher or lower. They chose the bills and had their position. The numbers are reflective of how many times the legislators votes lined up with MSA's positions on these 10 bills. Since 3 bills did not make it to the Senate, their percentage was based on 7 bills.

Interesting though, there are 12 Republicans that scored 50% or greater and the bulk of them are in areas of key MSA board members who spend time talking to their legislators about sportsmens issues. I dont think that is a coincidence.

 

[shoots-straight]

MSA didnt score anyone higher or lower. They chose the bills and had their position. The numbers are reflective of how many times the legislators votes lined up with MSA's positions on these 10 bills. Since 3 bills did not make it to the Senate, their percentage was based on 7 bills.

Interesting though, there are 12 Republicans that scored 50% or greater and the bulk of them are in areas of key MSA board members who spend time talking to their legislators about sportsmens issues. I dont think that is a coincidence.

Kats right. If we had enough people to reach out to their representatives, you would see that number go way up for Republicans, as well as some for the Dems.

One Republican rep, (scores low) actually saved our wolf seasons in Montana because of hours on the phone with us. He and one other Republican, rep that Kat referred too, stood on the floor of the house and carried the day moving against his own party.


This was an SFW bill that was taking a hard line on wolves and their management. Similar to Wyomings plan.

Mis information is in abundant supply in Helena during the legislative session.

It's not as tough as it sounds., Meeting with candidates, talking over (listening) to their viewpoints, and finding common ground. I've had great conversations, and met with good people in Montana that want to do the right thing, whatever that might be.

 

[katqanna]

After I posted about the 12 Republicans, the majority from areas I know MSA board members are from and have had conversations with legislators, I got a call from a conservation hunter friend and we were discussing this report, including the 12 Republicans.

I have to admit, much to my shame, that in all these years that I have been dealing with conservation here, I have spoken to a lot of legislators, had legislators from other areas than my own call or email about conservation issues, but I have never gone to speak directly with the Republican legislators from the Gallatin Valley that, coincidentally, have some of the lowest ratings on this scorecard. Hinkle, Vance, Sales, White, Burnett, Wittich and Monforton are not my direct legislators, but they are in this area.

By those legislators quotes and statements, conversations with others, and a few personal observances from meetings, I had dismissed them as not being willing to have a mature discussion, not willing to listen to an independent, science/stats based perspective. So I failed by not even attempting to bridge that gap, to sit at that table, undertake that two way conversation. Like the old proverb, you will definitely fail by not trying.

After compiling, tabulating the report, looking to see what the data might tell us, I was ashamed of my own personal shortcoming in the Gallatin Valley and the take home message for me, is that the value I put on conservation education, for future generations, I need to look at my own backyard, for opportunities.

 

[u1299]

After I posted about the 12 Republicans, the majority from areas I know MSA board members are from and have had conversations with legislators, I got a call from a conservation hunter friend and we were discussing this report, including the 12 Republicans.

I have to admit, much to my shame, that in all these years that I have been dealing with conservation here, I have spoken to a lot of legislators, had legislators from other areas than my own call or email about conservation issues, but I have never gone to speak directly with the Republican legislators from the Gallatin Valley that, coincidentally, have some of the lowest ratings on this scorecard. Hinkle, Vance, Sales, White, Burnett, Wittich and Monforton are not my direct legislators, but they are in this area.

By those legislators quotes and statements, conversations with others, and a few personal observances from meetings, I had dismissed them as not being willing to have a mature, discussion, not willing to listen to an independent, science/stats based perspective. So I failed by not even attempting to bridge that gap, to sit at that table, undertake that two way conversation. Like the old proverb, you will definitely fail by not trying.

After compiling, tabulating the report, looking to see what the data might tell us, I was ashamed of my own personal shortcoming in the Gallatin Valley and the take home message for me, is that the value I put on conservation education, for future generations, I need to look at my own backyard, for opportunities.

Nothing wrong with talking to legislators, whether that be to thank them for supporting our issues or, trying to convince them to support our issues if they don't already. But let's be honest here, there are legislators and we should already know who they are, that have always supported us, and there are those who never have and most likely never will regardless how much we converse and try to convince them. The smart thing to do is to vote for and support our friends and avoid having to try and convince our enemies to be our friends later. In my opinion, and (my opinion only), a lot of sportsmen are helping elect people who aren't on our side, or as sportsmen/conservationists we are so small in number our votes really don't make a difference. The MSA scorecard speaks volumes to me, numbers don't lie.

 

[katqanna]

I understand that there are those that primarily will not advocate wildlife/habitat conservation, but, seeing the 12 Republican numbers in conservative areas, knowing the dynamics, I felt ashamed.

And yes, who we vote in is a hell of a lot more like preventative medicine.

John and I were talking a couple weeks ago about the voting issue for sportsmen, he said,

"It is relevant, now more than ever for folks to decide what is more important, their political ideology, or their conservation ethic."

I wrote the quote to headline one of my next newsletters.

 

[Pierre]

It is our hope that you look closely at the folks who represent you, engage them, and put them on the spot on our issues. Encourage attendance at your local group's meetings. Educate them and yourself before you vote. MSA is non-partisan. We will work with anyone. When I was young, the R's were the party of hunters and anglers....not so now. I think you can thank R leaders and their party platform for much of this. That said, make your local legislators know where you stand and you expect them to represent your area. With conventions coming up, are legislators going to sign a platform endorsing Fed. Lands Transfer??
Fact is, it is up to us to vote these folks out of office! Do your share.

 

[SixPoint]

I ran into Jeff Welborn last week, who is my representative here in Dillon, at a Hunting with Non-Lead Ammo presentation. I was very impressed that he showed up to a somewhat controversial event. After the speaker finished up, I talked with Jeff for some time and really put him on the spot with "So I have a tough question for you. How do you stand on the transfer of public lands". His response was that he doesn't support it. As you will notice Mr. Welborn scored a 50%, not great, but considering his party and the constituents, not too bad either. It never hurts to express concern to your representatives so that they are aware of what is important to us!

 

[shoots-straight]

Sixpoint,

Myself and another MSA leader met with Jeff, when running for the House in the last session. MSA endorsed Jeff over another candidate at that time. Now that person is running again against another fella. Looks like I'll be making another trip to Dillon.

We met with both of those people in the same day, had good conversation with both. When asked, we gave our insight on issues. We left feeling good about those meetings, and was told by those we met with that they appreciated the viewpoints we gave.

Jeff, has always treated sportsman with respect, in a fair manner. In the beginning of his political career he gave nothing to sportsman, and was the one that sponsored the Dirty Ditch bill that would have attacked our stream access. That bill he got pretty beat up over. I think something like 400 sportsman came to Helena to testify on that bill.

 

[antlerradar]

I got to work with Jeff on the Licence and Funding Bill. Sportsman in Dillon should be proud

 

[Pierre]

Jeff Wellborn has been engaged with sportsmen after his first beating on the dirty ditch bill (thanks to R leadership). He has donated his time for working groups, he has educated himself on issues, and he has listened to arguments. He was a fine chair of House F&G; fair and courteous to all. We may not get everything we ask but he is one damn fine legislator! We'll stand behind him.
Joe