Friday, July 29, 2016



#MTGov Daily Rundown: Bullock and Hillary Spell Bad News for Montana's Coal Industry



Hillary Clinton, who promises a radical anti-coal, anti-gun agenda for Montana and the nation, is officially the Democratic nominee for president, with the full support of Montana Governor Steve Bullock. One thing is for sure: An administration in Washington DC run by Hillary Clinton teamed with an administration in Helena run by Steve Bullock spells bad news for Montana's coal industry.


Hillary Clinton’s anti-coal agenda:

“…we’re gonna put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business”-Hillary Clinton, on CNN, 3/13/2016


Clinton has said that the country has to move away from coal.

"We need to move away from coal. Everybody understands that. There's no doubt about it." -Hillary Clinton event with the League of Conservation Voters, 11/9/2015


Hillary Clinton has called the Obama Administration's Clean Power Plan, which threatens thousands of Montana jobs, "the floor not the ceiling, and promised to go further." Even to the point of using illegal executive orders to bypass Congress.

"Clinton called the plan 'the floor, not the ceiling,' and said she would go further.
Her plan contemplates using executive orders if Congress tried to block her proposals." -
Washington Post, 8/2/2015


Meanwhile Governor Bullock will not stand up for Montana's coal industry. Last month, his office did not even send a representative to a hearing on a bill sponsored by Rep. Zinke and Sen. Daines that seeks to protect Montana coal jobs.

“Gov. Steve Bullock did not send anyone to the hearing.

Zinke spokeswoman Heather Swift said their office was surprised the governor didn’t want to be involved, saying he has voiced support in the past and has been opposed to federal moratoriums.


‘As far as his motivation we’re completely clueless as to why they wouldn’t want to participate,’ she said.”
-Great Falls Tribune 6/15/2016



This is after Bullock waited until the last minute (under pressure from Gianforte) to call on Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to veto a bill that paves the way for the shutdown of the Colstrip Power Plant AFTER first saying he wouldn’t demand a veto.

“Bullock isn’t likely to veto the bill.” -
MTN News, 3/15/2016

FLIP-FLOP:

“Montana Gov. Steve Bullock last week asked Inslee to veto the bill over concerns about its effect on Montana.” -Seattle Times, 4/3/2016


Last year, Bullock refused to support Attorney General Tim Fox’s lawsuit against the Obama/EPA Clean Power Plan which threatens thousands of Montana jobs.

A statement issued by Governor Steve Bullock didn’t say whether he thinks the lawsuit is a good idea.” -Montana Public Radio, 10/23/2015


Early in the year, after the U.S. Supreme Court put a stay on the Obama/EPA Clean Power Plan, Bullock simply suspended his Clean Power Plan Advisory Council.

"Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Tuesday suspended the work of a panel appointed to address new federal carbon dioxide emissions rules after the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the key component of President Barack Obama’s climate change plan.” -Associated Press 2/9/2016



A big issue is for Bullock is that his campaign has taken a combined thousands of dollars from environmental activists with the Montana Environmental Information Center and the Sierra Club of Montana. Both groups sued to shut down Colstrip Units 1 and 2.

 "'The firm MEIC that actually pursued this lawsuit against Colstrip, their board members have written checks, five of them have written checks to Gov. Bullock’s campaign,' Gianforte said. 'He’s bought and paid for by special interests that shut down Montana jobs.'”

Campaign records show Gianforte’s allegation is true." -Billings Gazette, 7/13/2016



Governor Bullock is beholden to Hillary's agenda. With Hillary Clinton in Washington pushing a radically anti-coal agenda, and Governor Bullock unwilling to stand up for thousands of good paying Montana jobs in the coal industry, an already struggling major industry will face even tougher day. And, with fewer jobs, less tax revenue, and higher energy prices, all of Montana will suffer.


No comments:

Post a Comment