Tester, Pearl Jam bassist Ament discuss Montana values, challenges

Laura Lundquist

(Missoula Current) Few congressional senators can sit between a rock star and a vlogger and hold their own in front of hundreds of people. But what Jon Tester lacks in hipness, he makes up for with humor and honesty, and that clearly appealed to the crowd of about 400 that gathered in the Wilma Theater on Wednesday evening to hear Tester team up with Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament for a one-on-one discussion.

It was actually a two-on-one discussion, as science communicator and YouTube vlogger Hank Green was recruited to moderate the hour-long conversation about Montana, the changes taking place in the state and what the two natives of Big Sandy, Montana, consider important to ensure a bright future.

Tester with his flattop haircut and Ament with his trucker hat may be a generation apart, but it was clear from their answers that they see eye-to-eye on many issues and have collaborated a number of times since Tester first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2006.

The casual nature of the event was established early when a member of the crowd shouted at Tester as he took the stage, wishing him a happy birthday. Unprompted, the audience broke into the birthday song as Tester beamed and then looked around for his microphone, which he’d sat on. Unfazed, he joked about certain sounds the microphone might have picked up.

Green started with a few softball questions, asking the two men what they tell people about Montana as they travel and what they like about living in a rural area.

Tester, who had spent the day harvesting his fields before driving to Missoula, said living in a rural area can have downsides - everyone knows what you’re doing and there isn’t much for younger people to do - but it allows you to get to know your neighbors and to establish enduring friendships.

“I don’t know if that happens anywhere but in rural America because of moving and family pressures. I really value those relationships you build,” Tester said. “The sense of community and making sure that people are taken care of.”

Ament said he loves Montana’s terrain, from the overlook along Highway 93 North looking toward the Mission Mountains or driving past Loma and over the hill looking toward the Bears Paw Mountains. He said seeing certain places prompts a feeling a great relief, and that’s what brought him back to Montana once his career with Pearl Jam was established.

“In terms of telling people about Montana, I don’t tell them much,” Ament said, prompting laughter from the audience. “I purposely don’t want my band guys moving back here.”

Pearl Jam might not be moving to Montana, but plenty of other people have, especially since the pandemic. Green asked how regular people can afford to buy a house in Montana with prices having been pushed so high. As of July, Montana has the fifth highest median home price in the nation of $672,000, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Tester said the demand was greater than the supply, so he would create tax credits for developers who build affordable housing to increase the supply. But the problem goes beyond just housing. Tester said he’d also encourage policies that make college education more affordable because graduates can’t afford down-payments on houses if they’re carrying too much debt from education loans.

“College is insanely expensive. Part of the reason is because education is seen by policy makers like me as not a public good but a personal good so the person has to pay most of the cost. When, in fact, it is both,” Tester said.