CITIZENS UNITING
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The University as a Civil(izing) Institution
My younger brother Dave having died unexpectedly on September 30 of this year, I found myself in New Englan […]
Thinking Beyond 2024
A decade ago, when the very idea of Donald Trump becoming pres […]
Not for Sale
As the American colonists multiplied and elaborated their impassioned descriptions of 18th century British political corruption, they turned time and again to a quote from Jugurtha, a 2nd century B.C.E. king of Numidia. “All of Rome is for sale,” Jugurtha was supposed to h […]
Citizens Uniting, Missoula Style
I’m going to start with some ancient history to introduce a couple of the players in this story.
In 1981, during my tenure as the minority leader of the Montana House of Representatives, I met a young intern who was working for another member of the Missoula delegation. That intern, […]
Media and Democracy in an Era of Mistrust
Faithful to its stated belief “that enlightened discussion of public policy is the cornerstone of our democ […]
Our Bipolar Political Disease
Seeking to “increase the chances of issue and solution-oriented candidates to move on from the primary to the general election,” two lifelong Montana Republicans have […]
What Does Self-Determination Mean to You?
Most of us would probably agree that democracy has something to do with self-determination, although few of us might be able to say exactly how the two concepts are related. It’s far from clear to me, even though I often use phrases like “democratic self-determination.” So I’d like to see if I can […]
Good Mayors: Better Citizens
Earlier this summer, Mike Kadas, who had succeeded me as mayor of Missoula back in 1996, asked me if I would […]
