Working for my constituents
Leading up to the first day of the Senate this year, a committee on committees was established to come up with committee assignments. These assignments included a committee that had not existed before. Several senators were placed on that committee to simply get them out of the way and off other committees they had expertise on. I had asked what this committee's function would be and was never given a good answer. There were also committees that were stacked to be kill committees.
In the background, those committees had some goals of killing some of the governor's appointments, Medicaid reauthorization and some of the governor's budget bills. This will not be admitted but being there it was a plan. Part of the pressure against the governor was because of his endorsements, or lack of endorsements, of candidates in the last primary election.
When the vote came on the floor to accept all the committees as set, the substitute motion came to not accept those committees and the rules and that set the stage for the turmoil. Some committees were restructured with two more Republicans and one Democrat. A few weeks later, bills were not being assigned to committees from the president's desk. Another night of turmoil ensued just making motions on I believe 24 random bills off the president's desk and assigning them to committees. After this, bills started being assigned and we started to get to work.
These votes I took created a stir, but they were procedural votes meant to create transparency and ensure all bills for all taxpayers would get a fair hearing.
After the first day's vote, we had a caucus meeting, and I got up and expressed my disappointment that there were people working in the background in the caucus that were trying to undermine our governor's work. I also stated we do not have to agree with everything he wants to do, but we do need to work for positive results. I was disappointed that after the State of the State address, there of course is a rebuttal from the Democrats but there was also a news conference pushing back slightly by the Freedom Caucus.
I am being bashed for not being a true Republican or turning on my constituents. This has even brought up the topic of censure ship. As you know, I have four terms in the house with all those votes on record as to my stance and character. In the primary election, I defeated another Republican candidate. Our views differed on topics, and I won that election.
The forums I went to and doors I knocked on, my story was consistent. I was going to back the small rural hospital and support Medicaid reauthorization. I would back public education, work on property tax reduction and support judicial review, among other topics.
In the general election, I had a Democrat candidate and an independent candidate. I won that election and am only one of two Republicans from Missoula County districts to be in the Legislature. If you look at my votes on those issues, I have followed those goals. There have been some bills that I have voted against in judicial review due to poorly written rules or the fact they will be challenged in court and we don't need to defend them in court just to poke the bear. There was one on property rights bill that my vote got questioned, but that bill had a serious flaw I could not overlook due to impacts on neighbors.
Not every vote is going to be satisfactory to every constituent, but I feel I am here to represent my constituents. If you look at the table to your left or your right, I am sure you would not all vote the same, but we can all look at the long run and be in agreement we want a bright future and must all work together to get there.
Sen. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis