big sky democrats

Over 200 people and a donkey-- yeah, a real donkey-- came to eat, hang out in the sun and celebrate a new era in Montana with Jon Tester and the Big Sky Democrats last Sunday in Whitefish. As Jon and Conrad Burns exited the debate, our crowd of enthusiastic folks cheered "Tester Time" to kick off the late-morning tailgate. Conrad snuck away as Jon and the rest of us snacked on great food from our local organic farmers and played in the sun.

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make it an awesome day.

The 4th of July holiday is, of course, a great time to be with friends and family and drink beer as brats sizzle while you wait for a fireworks show that’s sure to drive the neighborhood dogs insane. It’s a summer holiday that is to be treasured for sure. But let us not forget the real reason for this day off of work: It commemorates probably the most significant act in the history of this great country.

July 4, 1776, was the day that 56 brave patriots said enough is enough. It was the day they told the tyrannical King of England to go jump in a lake. They declared our independence and established the U.S. as a sovereign nation. more

For several years now, thoughtful conservationists, sportsmen and women, and others have been trying in earnest to set aside Montana’s famed Rocky Mountain Front from gas and oil development. They’ve had Montana’s senior senator in their corner from the beginning, but it’s the other, Republican, senator that now has people scratching their heads.

On Tuesday, Burns slipped a provision into the Interior Department spending bill that could, conceivably, protect the Front from future exploits. (Although it does nothing to protect it from permits that already exist on fed land on the Front). more

For a long time now, we've heard denial after denial from our junior Montana Senator, assuring us all in that drawn-out, sweet-tea-sippin' Missouri accent that votes he cast against...then for....(or was it the other way around) the Marianas island trade agreement and the Michigan Saginaw Chippewa gaming go-ahead and...well, who knows how many others...were completely on the up and up. "Pay no attention to the campaign donations behind the curtain!" as they shooed us away and poo pooed any and all eyebrow-raising when more and more details came to light that made us scratch our heads just a little bit about why - I mean WHY ON EARTH - would Conrad Burns DO some of this stuff?

Come join the Big Sky Democrats for a post- debate 'Tailgate for Tester!'

Who: Jon Tester, our local candidates, and other enthusiastic Democrats. That means you!

What: Come meet Jon Tester and hang out...we'll have Montana Coffee Traders coffee, watermelon and pastries. It's going to be a beautiful day, so bring your frisbees, volleyballs, and even more munchies if you like.

Where: Grouse Mountain Park, just across from the Grouse Mountain Lodge,
2 Fairway Drive, Whitefish.

When: This Sunday, June 25, from 10 A.M. (post-debate) to 1 P.M.

We'll see you there! Bring your family and friends to a celebration that will help kick off our efforts to WIN the fall election.

click to expand photo.

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I can’t seem to get that song out of my head. The rockabilly down-home sounds of Tester Time!

Left in the West has the slide show from Friday’s Path to Victory Tour, which was a whirlwind rally tour that hit 4 cities in one day. Large crowds (390 in Billings) greeted Jon, Max Baucus, Brian Schweitzer, Monica Lindeen, and John Morrison, who by the way is a giant in my book for standing with his Party after a hard-fought primary race. And big props to everyone who helped put those events on. That kind of road show doesn’t run itself. more

Mark your calendars! The Big Sky Democrats are going to raise a roof in Missoula on Saturday, August 19th by helping with a Habitat for Humanity house building project.

We will spend the day pounding nails for a Missoula family in need. Any and all volunteers are welcome to help us with this community service project.

A party of great proportions will be planned for that evening so mark your calendars and come to Missoula on that day.

More details to follow...

via Mt Demo Party....

Baucus, Schweitzer, Tester, Lindeen, Morrison tour state to kick off campaign

Helena, MT - The Montana Democratic Party today released the schedule for the ‘Path to Victory' Tour and kicked off the 2006 general election campaign.

Joining U.S. Senate candidate Sen. Jon Tester(D-Big Sandy) and U.S. House candidate Monica Lindeen (D-Huntley) will be Montana's Senior U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, Gov. Brian Schweitzer and State Auditor John Morrison in a day of rallies around the state.

On Friday June 16th, Tester, Lindeen, Baucus, Schweitzer and Morrison will travel to Billings, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula for a series of events to introduce Montana voters to the Democrats' federal candidates for 2006. details

Thank you Max. Thanks for standing up for what is the right thing to do. Thanks 100 times over for taking a stand and NOT voting for the Federal Marriage Amendment.

After almost 2 weeks of hateful newspaper ads, push poll calls, e-mails and not being able to turn on your TV without hearing about "Activist Judges" and "1 man and 1 woman" the Senate again took up the issue of a Constitutional amendment which would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman only. I for one am grateful that once again this amendment failed yesterday, and to see our own Montana Senior Senator Max Baucus stand up and vote against what I think could have become an embarrassing time in our country's history. Once again, when it was important to me, Max made the right decision. Prejudice and hate has no place in my house, and it is good to see it has no place in our Country either.

I just received this from my wonderful wife. In case we were running out of reasons to eliminate Repubs, here are a few more:

"Just wanted to pass on some of the "good news" I received this morning... (yes, you detect sarcasm.... )

The President's 2007 budget proposal to congress contains a number of changes to employment related programs:
* Occupational and Employment Information - Eliminated
* Vocational & Technical Education Basic State Grants & Tech Prep - Eliminated
* TRIO Upward Bound and TRIO Talent Search - Eliminated
* GEAR UP - Eliminated
* Dropout Prevention - Eliminated
* Elementary and Secondary School Counseling - Eliminated
* Employment Services/One-Stop Career Centers - Reduced by 95%
* Adult Employment and Training - reduced by $145 million
* High School Reform (New) - $1.5 billion added (what exactly is this?)
* American Competitiveness Initiative (New) - $380 million added (and what is this?)

Why prevent problems.... I guess we'll just pay for the consequences later.."