| Charles Johnson has a nice piece up about the recent state Republican convention here in Missoula.
I thought I'd chip in a few thoughts...
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Iverson's making guarantees:
There's always plenty of bravado at both parties' political conventions, but Iverson made a bold prediction in the governor's race that he repeated at least once.
"You heard it here first," Iverson said. "Roy Brown is going to beat Brian Schweitzer in November."
A bold prediction! This will be put in the time capsule until November, then we'll see if he got it right. And, yes, I know the party boss is supposed to be a cheerleader. Still, it's fun pestering Iverson with his mistakes.
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Johnson brought up the story that Democrats Kevin O'Brien and Bryce Bennett were turned away from the convention by hotel staff and police. (Montana Headlines, for one, was quite passionately on the side of the Republican party.)
But what Johnson failed to mention was that it seems O'Brien and Bennett had the right to attend and film under Montana's sunshine laws. Apparently, anywhere at least half of a legislative caucus assembles is considered a public meeting, and open to reporters and members of the public - who may wield video cameras, if they choose.
Keeping O'Brien and Bennett out appears to have been in violation of the law. I'm sure they have a valid reason to take the hotel, policy, and MT GOP to court for violating their rights...
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The biggest news, however, of the convention was this bit:
Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar of Laurel was angry over what he said was a right-to-work provision added to the party's platform, but it wasn't debated on the floor.
It says: "We believe that work rules and membership in labor bargaining units must remain free and flexible."
Right-to-work laws ban so-called "closed shops," which make payment of union dues a condition of employment. Unions strongly oppose right-to-work laws.
"I think this was a severe breach of the peace we had with unions," Molnar said. "For 12 years, they thought Republican control (of the Legislature) would mean right to work. There still isn't enough votes to do it."
A union member himself, Molnar predicted this new platform language "will be a rallying point to hurt Republicans unnecessarily."
"We recognize the right to collective bargaining," he said, "and the government should not interfere in a contract between two entities."
The Republican party is now officially anti-labor and anti-union. |
