Viewpoint: Republican leadership leaving Montana hungry, broke

Justin Ailport

Rep. Ryan Zinke must have thought he was being cute when he posted a photo a few days ago on his social media wearing a hat that read, “TEAM ZINKE, MORE HUNTING. LESS POLITICS.”

Politics, an ancient Greek word that means ‘affairs of the cities,’ is the act of making group decisions about the distribution of resources for the wellbeing of the people. So, yes, I think we can all agree that Ryan Zinke – and his buddies Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy, and Congressman Downing – are doing less and less of that.

While Zinke is bragging about not working, more than 77,000 Montanans are staring down a potential 114% increase for their health insurance premiums. Because our all-Republican delegation chose to shut down the government rather than negotiate like adults, premium prices in Montana could skyrocket to over $4,000 a month.

While the delegation sits in Washington with their cushy jobs and top-notch benefits, Montanans are wondering how to pay for health insurance, groceries, rent, and childcare without picking up a third job. To make matters worse, the Republican shutdown has also forced SNAP funding to run dry – leaving already struggling families in an even bigger pinch.

Although the federal government has a contingency fund to make the payments, the Trump administration and Congress are refusing to utilize it. The State of Montana also has a contingency fund for these situations – Gianforte refused as well. Apparently, he doesn’t think feeding hungry Montanans is a worthwhile use of money.

Montana has suffered for too long under Republican leadership. Just in the last year, we’ve seen our leaders do nothing while the cost of living crisis worsens, while federal funding was pulled from our communities, and while they handed out a $1.3 trillion tax break to billionaires off the backs of hard-working Montanans.

Montana Democrats know that putting food on the table and getting to a doctor are not radical ideas. We know that our community is everything – which is why we’re showing up most when it counts. We’re hosting a statewide food drive to help fill the gaps left by our Republican leaders.

Get in touch with your local central committee to find out how you can help.

While we’re showing up for Montanans, Gianforte, Zinke, Daines, Sheehy, Downing – they all would rather let Montanans go broke and starve than oppose the wishes of Donald Trump. They seem to have forgotten a core Montana value: You show up for your neighbors when they’re in need. It begs the question: If they’re not representing Montana interests, then who are they representing?

Justin Ailport is the interim executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.