by Helen Sabin, Corvallis
Attention, all freedom-loving Montanans! State Senator Theresa Manzella, representing SD 44-Hamilton, head of the so-called “Montana Freedom Caucus,” is once again demonstrating her disregard for our fundamental rights and liberties. Her latest assault on our constitutional freedoms comes in the form of SB 479, a bill that rivals her infamous 2023 proposal, SB 434, A Commission of the States, in its absurdity.
In 2023, Manzella attempted to undermine the very foundation of our nation by proposing a “commission composed of just nine individuals,” to dictate whether the federal government could introduce any legislation without the commission’s approval in her bill SB 434. This outrageous power grab not only crushed and destroyed the US Constitution and its carefully crafted system of checks and balances but also sought to dump our cherished founding document into the garbage.
During the committee hearing on her bill 434, she brazenly ignored her infamous “JUST SAY WHOA” to big government, as this bill would have cost taxpayers over one million dollars in its first year alone – and that’s just for ONE person to serve on the commission! But wait, there’s more: this exorbitant price tag doesn’t even include travel or living expenses for these unelected, power-hungry bureaucrats.
Now her bill 479 asserts that an abortion drug is poisoning us and our environment as it is in the water we drink. Her fraudulent claim is based on no study, no proof, no peer reviewed research. An expert on pharmaceuticals in drinking waters stated at the hearing of the bill that there is NO PROOF of her claims. Thus she was shown again to be producing bills that can only be described as “worthless,” wasting time, money, and the energy of our very busy legislators. In 2023, 12 of her 17 bills failed and were not passed. This shocking statistic shows that she is failing the valley. When compared to David Bedey, HD 86, Hamilton, who passed 16 of 18 bills, it is clear that Manzella needs to be “retired” from her position as a state senator. She is NOT producing good legislation for the valley or state.
It’s time for the citizens of Montana to demand an end to Manzella’s relentless attacks on our constitutional rights and freedoms. We must stand together, united in our love for liberty, and reject Manzella whose bills promote a destructive agenda. Let’s reclaim our state from those who seek to control and subjugate us under the guise of “freedom.”