by Mary Fahnestock-Thomas, Hamilton
A postcard from Tim Sheehy’s campaign for US Senate arrived in the mail the other day and I wonder if he means what he says – or knows what he’s saying.
“Get tough on China” – 80% of the merchandise in WalMart (and probably most other big-box stores here) comes from China, and no, China does not own stock in WalMart. If we get most of what we buy and use day-to-day from China, what does it mean to “get tough” with them?
“More Jobs. Less Government” – According to the official 2023 Montana Labor Day Report, “In 2022, Montana added 20,900 jobs – the most of any year in state history.” In fact, the whole country has set records for job creation since the beginning of the Biden Administration in 2021, largely due to the Infrastructure and Jobs Act signed that year.
A corollary to that (because … taxes) is provided by the Montana Budget and Policy Center, which says that for every dollar Montana sends to Washington, we receive $1.47 in federal revenue, and that our state budget relies heavily on federal funding. Seems like a pretty favorable exchange rate to me.
“Get tough” – It’s a traditionally popular way of promising action, but how effective is it really? In my own life such a policy (or threat) has never helped either me or anyone I love. We have always found that consideration, conversation, and compromise are much more effective in getting us what we want. What is your own experience?