<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2ORZ4L_1FPAvsyF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ORZ4L_1FPAvsyF00" width="1935" height="1071" ><figcaption>Local residents listen to subject matter experts on current issues during a “Community Conversation” Sunday at the Dulcie Theatre at the Shane Lalani Center in Livingston. Liz Kearney/Livingston Enterprise</figcaption></figure>Sunday afternoon’s “Community Conversation” brought together a panel of experts on current topics facing Park County residents.Organizers Jerry Cole, Rick Lamplugh and Mary Strickroth called themselves a group of “concerned Park County citizens.”In a flier about the event, they wrote about their “growing unease about misinformation and the negative aspects on the quality of life for our families, friends and neighbors inspired this conversation.”They added, “As we look ahead to the midterm elections, we are eager to engage in this nonpartisan discussion to help inform Park County residents about critical issues that face our communities.”The panel featured six speakers on topics including health care, housing, data centers, public lands, dark money in politics, and election integrity.Each was afforded 10 minutes to explain the work they do and the issues the address. Audience members submitted written questions in advance, which were read aloud by panel moderator Scott McMillion, local author and editor of “Montana Quarterly.”Jane Arntzen Schumacher is the president of the Bozeman League of Women Voters, which is a nonpartisan political organization that works to expand and protect voting rights.Schumacher reassured the audience of about 50 people that Montana’s elections are safe and fair, and claims of widespread election fraud are false.She emphasized that Montana electronic voting machines are not connected to the Internet, and there are always paper ballots which can be hand counted if needed. Voting is restricted to U.S. citizens only, and all voters must present i.d. in order to vote. Absentee ballots are safe and are due no later than 5 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.Schumacher suggested citizens check on their voter registration, which can be done on the Montana Secretary of State’s website at https://voterportal.mt.gov.Jeff Mangan, the founder of the Transparent Election Initiative, spoke on ballot initiative I-194, also known as the “Montana Plan.” I-194 is on the ballot for voters to vote for or against. The Montana Plan seeks to get “dark money” out of elections. Dark money, he explained, is political spending that cannot be easily traced to its original source.I-194 would prevent corporations from spending directly in elections and would allow political spending only by individuals. Mangan argued that this would make the source of every contribution or expenditure transparent.Mangan said this lack of transparency did not let voters see who was supporting a particular candidate or ballot measure.And he argued that voters cannot make fully informed decisions when they do not know who is funding political messages or advertisements.The Supreme Court ruled against Citizens United in 2010, a case which held that corporations and other organizations may engage in independent political spending as long as that spending is not coordinated with a candidate or campaign. This ruling paved the way for super PACs, or Political Action Committees, to spend unlimited amounts of money supporting candidates and ballot measures without having to identify individual donors.He pointed to a dramatic increase in political spending in Montana. For one example, in Montana’s 2008 U.S. Senate race, outside groups reportedly spent approximately $33,000. In the 2024 Senate race involving Senator Jon Tester, outside spending reportedly reached approximately $162 million.Mangan cited national independent political spending of approximately $143 million in 2008 compared with approximately $4.2 billion in 2024.I-194 would prevent corporations from spending directly in elections and would allow political spending only by individuals. Mangan argued that this would make the source of every contribution or expenditure transparent.The remaining speakers included Laurie Bishop with LiveWell49; Heather Grenier with HRDC; Jeff Edmunds with Not My Bill, pushing to make data centers accountable for their water and power useage; and Mary Erickson with Montana Conservation Corps.Find more information on these topics at:<ul><li>Transparent Election Initiative, https://transparentelection.org/</li></ul><ul><li>.</li><li>Data centers:</li></ul><ul><li>https://www.notmybill.org/</li></ul><ul><li>.</li><li>Access to healthcare:</li></ul><ul><li>https://www.livewell49.org/</li></ul><ul><li>.</li><li>Housing issues:</li></ul><ul><li>.</li><li>Voting rights and information from the Bozeman League of Women Voters:</li></ul><ul><li>https://my.lwv.org/montana/bozeman.</li></ul></div></body>

Block Source: Fairfield Sun Times

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

Sunday afternoon’s “Community Conversation” brought together a panel of experts on current topics facing Park County residents. Organizers Jerry Cole, Rick Lamplugh and Mary Strickroth called themselves a group of “concerned Park County citizens.”. In a flier about the event, they wrote about their “growing unease...

'Community Conversation' offered facts on issues confronting Park County

NewsBreak

Sunday afternoon’s “Community Conversation” brought together a panel of experts on current topics facing Park County residents. Organizers Jerry Cole, Rick

'Community Conversation' offered facts on issues confronting Park County

Comments