Viewpoint: Zinke ‘for public lands’ leaves out history

Phil Hamilton

While driving highway 93 recently, I saw a puzzling billboard. It stated, “Ryan Zinke for public lands.”

I thought it might be a remnant of former times, when Zinke fashioned himself a “Teddy Roosevelt conservative” before he assessed the political winds of the day and sold himself to the gas and oil industry for their support, set up deals for his own benefit and left Montanans in the dust.

But no, it was associated with his current campaign to get back a job that he once quit in order to take a position as Secretary of the Interior, a job he also quit amidst allegations of fraud and ethics violations.

I thought maybe it was the first in a series of signs. Maybe it would be continued another 100 yards down the road. Like “Ryan Zinke for public lands being sold to the highest bidder.” Or “Ryan Zinke for public lands being strip mined, drilled, polluted and made unlivable for wildlife and humans.” Or “Ryan Zinke for public lands being reserved for private exploitation by his rich supporters from other states.”

But no, it was left to us to fill in the blanks however we see fit.