MontanaBuzz

July 29, 2010

 

THE BUZZ

Heard of Russ Sullivan? Buzz never did until July 26 when the Washington Post ran a short -- and favorable -- profile of him.

Sullivan is director of the Senate Finance Committee, which is chaired by Montana Sen. Max Baucus. Post writer Mary Akers says it would be hard to find an aide on Capitol Hill who strives as hard as Sullivan does to emulate his boss. "I would love to be characterized as a mini-Baucus," Sullivan told Akers. "I'm doing my absolute dead-level best to think as much like him and become as much like him as I can. That's what I want to do."


Sullivan, who played a key role in developing the health-care reform legislation, is originally from Arkansas, and once worked at the same law that Hillary Clinton worked for. In fact, he decided to go to Washington based on her advice.

Sullivan, a devout Christian and single man, is also a foster parent who has cared for a dozen young men and teens. Four are still in his care.



Gov. Brian Schweitzer was in Las Vegas Thursday to kick off the 5th annual convention of the progressive group, Netroots Nation.

The organization, an influential voice on the left, was originally organized by readers and writers of Daily Kos. The term netroots describes political activism spurred by blogs and other online media.

Other speakers includedHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, and MSNBC personality Ed Schultz.

UPDATE: Markos Moulitsas, the founder of DailyKos, railed against "bull... Democrats" at the kickoff event, and urged Schweitzer to run in the 2012 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate against Max Baucus.  Baucus is blamed by many liberals for sinking the chances of a "public option" in this year's health care bill.


Travis R. Kavulla, the GOP candidate for the Public Service Commission in District 1, has been profiled in what might seem an unlikely spot: The Harvard Crimson. But then, Kavulla earned the honor by graduating from Harvard just a few years ago.

As a student, he wrote a column for the Crimson and served as editor of The Harvard Salient, which garnered national attention by republishing the infamous Danish cartoons that aggravated many in the Muslim world. Later, the Montana native worked for William F. Buckley's National Review, and toured east Africa. During his travels and studies, he wrote about subjects ranging from religion to energy. 

“I've always been kind of an energy policy nerd,” Kavulla told the Crimson. 

Kavulla told the Crimson his conservative views were often challenged at Harvard --an experience that helped him to appreciate that “so many people of such different political persuasions have very good points.”

There's an odd twist to the news that San Diego Gas & Electric wants to invest up to $600 million in a wind farm on the Montana Hi-Line.

And the twist? The power wouldn't go to Southern California, but would be shipped to Canada, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. So why would the San Diego utility be investing in a Montana wind farm if the power won't be shipped to California? It's because the utility can use the investment to meet an arcane California requirement that utilities get 20 percent of their power from wind, solar and other alternative sources.

The program is called the Renewable Portfolio Standards, or RPS, and the utility could earn RPS credits by investing in the Montana wind farm.

Consumer groups are expected to protest the San Dieto utility's plans to the California Public Utilties Commission. "It's (the utility's Montana investment) a disturbing example of how this Commission's obsession with renewable power results in perverse incentives for utilities," said Michael Shames, executive director of UCAN, the Utility Consumers' Action Network. "And a very compelling reason why the regulators have to seriously reassess its tradeable renewable energy credit policy."

Last year, San Diego Gas & Electric signed an agreement with developer NaturEner USA to purchase 309 megawatts of power from the $800 million Rim Rock wind farm in Glacier and Toole counties. In a July 15 filing with the state of California, the utility asked to amend the original power purchase agreement to allow the $600 million equity investment in Rim Rock.


Sen. Jon Tester is being targeted by a group that doesn't like him messing with the gun laws in Washington, D.C.

Tester is the sponsor of a bill that would eliminate any locally enacted firearms regulations within the District. That has drawn the ire of a group called the Free and Equal D.C. Fund, which claims the bill would let people in the District carry around semiautomatic rifles and is just an effort to score "cheap political points" with the NRA.

The group has started running a radio ad in Montana that accuses Tester of ignoring Montana interests and instead wasting time on D.C. matters. The ad doesn't mention what precipitated the controversy: Tester's gun legislation.

If it did, it probably would score points for -- rather than hurt -- Tester. Of course, Montanans may be so curious about the ambiguous ad that they do a little digging. If they do and they  find out that Tester is sticking up for gun rights, it is unlikely that the ad will do the Democratic senator much, if any, damage.


Montana ranked a measly 36th in CNBC's annual survey of the "Top States for Business."

Montana got its best scores in the Quality of Life and Economy categories. It ranked 15 in both categories, compared to the countries other states.

The Treasure State was weakest in Technology and Innovation (rated 44) and Business Friendliness (rated 42).

Montana has, for the most part, avoided the severe economic stress that some states have experienced. Yet this survey suggests it has considerable work to do to boost its appeal to the business world.


President Barack Obama's poll numbers may be slipping, but he's still an inspiration to White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina, a  University of Montana graduate who also once served as Sen. Max Baucus' chief of staff.

"It's like a dream every single day," Messina said about his job in the White House. "It's the single best thing. It is as cool as you think it is."

Dana Milbank, an acerbic Washington Post columnist, wrote about Messina's comments to a group of young Democrats in a column that surmised that one reason for Obama's struggles is that he "set impossibly high expectations." Milbank said Messina's remarks showed that Obama's deputy chief of staff showed that he still believed his boss "walked on water."

Milbank said Messina called Obama "the leader you all wanted him to be" and proclaimed that "I couldn't be any more proud of the guy."

He even held out the possibility that the students could someday "be Jim Messina," a status that allows you "to have a cool car and work for a cool president."



ALL THINGS MONTANA


Mt Travel Info

State Government

Montana Cities & Towns

Counties

Tribes


WEATHER

Billings

Bozeman

Butte

Kalispell

Great Falls

Glasgow

Glendive

Havre

Helena

Lewistown

Miles City

Missoula



Paige Wilhelm, right, and one of her two sons, center, all of Fort Worth, Texas, take down a tent Wednesday at the Soda Butte campground just east of Cooke City. A bear came into the campground in the middle of the night and attached three tents, mauling three people. One victim died.  (David Grubbs / Billings Gazette)

Grizzly mom, 2 cubs caught after campground death

1 dead, 2 injured in bear attack near Cooke City

Survivor of bear attack says: 'I told myself, play dead'

Scalia: President's State of Union talk 'silly spectacle'

Skydiver dies when parachute fails at Marion festival

GTF man charged with unprovoked attack on angler

Swimmer missing on Missouri River near Cascade

Supreme Court takes a look at public defender system

Senate panel votes to keep Saturday mail deliveries

Tornado spotted near Hinsdale

Man arrested, charged with beating GTF angler

Taiwanese woman dies after falling into park river

JP resigns after getting DUI, complaint is filed

'Rainboffalo' statue donated to GTF's River's Edge Trail

Crews make progress on Bitteroot fire

Feds rescind decision to bury power lines for oil rigs

Investigator: No evidence kids drinking at grad party

Scientists, historians gather in Glacier to talk shop

Democrats lose big donor in spat over Rehberg lawsuit

Artist lends color to Arlee's Garden of 1,000 Buddhas

Disaster declared in Sheridan Co in wake of tornado

Judge: Feds must review use of fire retardant drops

Tester: Congress will block end to Saturday mail service

Dive-bombing hawk makes GTF residents run for cover

Bear mauling reported in Gallatin Forest

GTF fisherman severely beaten in random attack

Glacier Park biker injured by deer leaping over his cycle

Environmentalists try to derail Tongue River Railroad

Twister that killed 2 was MT's deadliest since 1923

Bozeman human-resources chief steps down after flap

Belgrade man hit with third charge of domestic assault

Baucus wants to amend Constitution to limit contributions

Group wants formal review of oil-rig transport project

Zookeeper Jack Hanna repels charging Glacier grizzly


BUSINESS

Groundbreaking Friday for Deer Lodge medical center

Billings Chamber aims to land Custer Country ad contract

Yellowstone Co gets 5 bids to rebuild MetraPark arena

UM economists to tour state with economic outlooks

Billings businesses adjust to life after tornado

Montana farmers harvesting a bumper crop of hay

Kalispell businessmen buy controversial radio station

Seattle fragrance firm to open plant in Corvallis


SPORTS / OUTDOORS

Dolphins sign MT kicker Carpenter to $6M extension

Bozeman fishing guides think pink to fight breast cancer

Former Griz thinks UM life helps in new career as cop

South Dakota star commits to Grizzlies

Griz to open against Tennessee Volunteers in 2011

UM's Reynolds, Johnson picked for preseason honor

Lady Bobcats announce schedule for upcoming season


OPINION

Billings right to restrict drivers' cell phone use

One reason you must pay attention to local government

Marijuana law needs work to eliminate abuses

City should ban public use of medical marijuana

Let's get drivers off phones when they're behind wheel

Grizzly-human encounters are only bound to grow

MT's medical-marijuana law for patients, not profits


FEATURES

Kalispell man gets back class ring he lost 37 years ago

New book tells story of the driving force behind MSU

Grant to fund study of Montana's 1873 railroad battles

Artist: 'I hope to die painting' Glacier Park

Ivan Doig: The writing doesn't get easier with age

Whitefish man, 25, serves as Sudanese diplomat

Daly Mansion re-enactors bring history alive

Crows have long viewed Pompeys Tower as sacred


 EVENTS

Suzy Bogguss plays in Livingston July 31

Country star Josh Turner in Billings August 1

Jackson Browne to perform Aug. 3 in Bozeman

Scorpion, Hinder 2 others at MontanaFair in August

Dylan, Mellencamp play in Billings Aug. 11

Mission Mountain Wood Band plays in P-burg Aug 22

Celtic Woman comes to Billings August 22

Beach Boys plan Aug. 26 concert in Missoula

Beach Boys will play in Billings Aug. 28

Justice Scalia speaking at Museum of Rockies July 28

Dylan, Mellencamp play Missoula double-header Aug 31

Willie Nelson back for Big Sky concert Sept 3

MT Economic-Development Summit in Butte Sept 11-13

Sarah Palin speaks in Missoula Sept. 12

Baucus plans economic summit in Butte Sept. 13-14

Country star Brad Paisley plays in Bozeman Sept 30


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