Big Sky Cairn

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Project Vote Smart, a non-partisan clearinghouse for political candidates’ views and positions on issues. This nationally recognized and appreciated source is based right here in Philipsburg, Montana.

According to a 2007 Pew Research Institute Study (cited in Congressman Rehberg’s Op-Ed at MTPolitics), more and more people are using the internet to research where candidates stand on the issues that are important to them. Viewing issue statements on official or political websites run by the candidates is useful to a certain extent, acknowledging that no intelligent candidate is going to include controversial positions and that they’ll always shade things to favor their views. That’s where a non-partisan clearinghouse of issues like Project Vote Smart plays a unique and important role in our democracy. They ask all candidates the same questions and standardize their responses for fair comparisons on the issues that matter. It’s a monumental undertaking:

Picture this: thousands of citizens (conservative and liberal alike) working together, spending endless hours researching the backgrounds and records of thousands of political candidates and elected officials to discover their voting records, campaign contributions, public statements, biographical data (including their work history) and evaluations of them generated by over 100 competing special interest groups. Every election these volunteers test each candidate’s willingness to provide citizens with their positions on the issues they will most likely face if elected through the Political Courage Test. (emphasis added)

Congressman Denny Rehberg and Gubernatorial Candidate Roy Brown - both Republicans - completed the Political Courage Test. They answered the survey and put their views out there in the public sphere. They have nothing to hide.

Max Baucus, Brian Schweitzer and Jim Hunt - the big ticket Democrats in 2008 - chose to ignore the survey. Montana Democrats have claimed over and over again that this election should be about issues. They have have made a habit of misrepresenting Republican views these issues. So why are they so afraid of telling Montanans where they stand on those issues that they claim are so vital? This is especially insulting since Project Vote Smart is based in Montana so the Political Courage Test is literally coming from the constituents these candidates hope to represent.

Why does it matter? Project Vote Smart has this to say:

At a time when Americans are increasingly frustrated with the attack advertising and empty rhetoric of many campaigns, the need for this relevant information has never been greater. The public integrity of candidates and the quality of their campaigns can be viewed, in part, as a measurement of their willingness to provide their prospective employers (voters) with this information during a campaign, the point when voters need the most help and when the candidates are asking for their vote.

Join me in urging Senator Baucus, Governor Schweitzer and Seventh String Hunt to answer the questions posed to them by Montanans about where they stand on the issues that matter. There’s just no excuse for not putting their views out there for public discussion.

I don’t think they should answer the questions. It allows the Republicans to define them.

I think they are very courageous to not fill out the survey

Yes, Locke, it’s a heroic stand. What fortitude they personify in their brave silence. Someone ought to write an epic poem about their courage. Maybe it can be read to inspire our troops in Iraq…

Heaven forbid a candidate be defined by his or her positions on the issues!

Someone should ask Max Baucus where he stands on donations from federal lobbyists. I am sure he would take the courageous way out though.

No one will ask though, so unfortunately, Max’s courage will go unappreciated.

Your man-crush is embarassing

Wiley - I think you’re pretty much an idiot with a flare for rhetorical flourish. You’ve obviously got man crush issues with Republican candidates, and can’t see that opposing candidates have brains and judgment, It reminds me of my overriding axiom - that there are two types of conservatives. - those who know nothing, and those who know everything. You are the latter, but honestly, it is hard to tell the difference.

.

[…] who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw […]

[…] John Driscoll for being the only major ticket Democrat to fill out a Project Vote Smart survey.  Shame on Baucus and Schweitzer for hiding their […]