Racicot Seems Right For the GOP

Racicot Seems Right For the GOP
By Rick Jore
Constitution Party of Montana
December 2001

Recently, Marc Racicot (pronounced "Roscoe") was tapped to be the next Chairman of the Republican Party National Committee. Racicot was Governor of Montana for the entire time (3 terms) that I served in the Montana State legislature, so I felt it would be appropriate to communicate some of my experiences regarding his governing style in Montana. My basic description of him is that he is very well spoken, even eloquent in his speech, charming, intelligent and likeable, yet entirely committed to political expediency and pragmatism.

He originally was a Democrat, then changed parties to run for Attorney General of Montana in 1988. However, I perceive that it was a switch based on political expediency rather than any strong Constitutional or Republican convictions. As time progressed, even "moderate" Republicans in the House and Senate expressed frustration with having to overcome a "RINO" in the Governors office who, more often than not, had the entire support of the Democrats in the legislature. I even remember there being a Democrat bumper sticker during one of the election cycle's that said something to the extent of: "Give Governor Racicot a majority-VOTE DEMOCRAT."

Racicot was very cozy with the unions. The largest union in MT, the teachers union, endorsed him. He promised to veto any 'right-to-work' legislation before the legislature even convened in 1995 with huge Republican majorities. In a meeting in his office when I asked him personally why he believed it was proper to use the force of law to compel membership in a private organization and deny individual freedom he told me that "it simply was not an issue in Montana." (Union influence in MT is very significant. Our current Republican Governor Judy Martz, Racicot’s former running mate, is also adamantly opposed to a Right-to-Work law.) By the way, every State that borders Montana is a Right to Work State.

If you are like me, you still get calls and letters from the RNC. Invariably, they start with "We need your help in fighting the big union bosses!" I have always had fun telling them how the Republicans in Montana cater to the unions and telling them I won't send them a cent as long as they continue to violate their oaths to uphold the Constitution and violate our liberty of conscience and association and other rights. It will be interesting to see if they change their spin for their fundraising with a union man at the head of the RNC.

Racicot called for huge budget increases in each of the four bienniums that he served as Governor and he got them, the last three from very large Republican majorities in both the State House and the Senate. He even referred to himself one time in the Republican Caucus as a "Government Rat", meaning one who has always been in government. And it is true. He had never been employed in the private sector and he came from a family of teachers and coaches. Government is all he has known. He seems to love big government and his philosophy and policies indicate that he believes government can and should solve all our problems. Personal conversations with him have convinced me that he has no comprehension whatsoever of the fact that there are constitutional restraints in force upon the powers of government.

When Federal mandates that were in violation of both the US and Montana Constitutions were tied to over $100 million of Federal welfare dollars, Racicot asked the legislature publicly to "hold your nose and vote for it." He was also instrumental in working with ultra-liberal Democrat Nancy Keenan, who was Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction at the time, to circumvent the legislature when it rejected Goals 2000 funds in 1995. They were successful in convincing the Dept. of Education to change the application process so that individual school districts could apply directly to get on the federal dole.

Racicot should also be good at defending the questionable "creative accounting" methods of the Republicans in Congress that somehow show surpluses even though the national debt continues to increase. He has had experience in this area as well. While I was in the Montana State House a bill was set forth to establish a foreign depository (Swiss style) banking system in Montana. (In Montana, it is required that if a bill is expected to have any fiscal impact that a "fiscal note" must be attached to it prepared by the budget director.) The original fiscal note attached to the bill showed no income for the biennium since, even if the bill passed, it would take several months to implement the system and it was highly unlikely that any substantial amount of foreign investors would use it within the next two years. This made obvious sense. But late in the session when we were debating the budget, all of a sudden along came a revised fiscal note from Racicot’s budget director moving the figures for the bill upwards some $10 million so that they could include that much more spending in the Governor’s budget. The media caught wind of this and ripped into Racicot and his administration and many in the Republican House legislative caucus were embarrassed by the incident. Rather than take responsibility for what his budget director had set forth, he responded with the often-used technique of denial of involvement, but I don’t think there were many who believed him. (Side note: although I voted against it, the bill still passed. However, now over 5 years later, there still has not even been one single dollar in revenue taken in to the State and no banks are presently participating in the foreign depository banking system in Montana.)

Regarding the fight to protect innocent unborn children, I do not consider Marc Racicot to be a champion of the unborn. While it is true that he signed three "pro-life" related bills in 1995, all three were what I call compromise bills. None of them assumed the concept of abortion being what it truly is, murder. Instead they sought to regulate the practice of abortion. They simply required parental consent for minors before an abortion, that women are informed of risks (to them) and alternatives before an abortion, and that only licensed physicians (rather than physician assistants) could perform abortions. In my recollection, Racicot was never outspoken or displayed passion about the issue of abortion. In fact, Racicot strongly endorsed Sue Akey, a staunch supporter of abortion on demand, in her role as Chairman of the Montana Republican Party.

But there were other acts he committed as governor that went against the principles of family and fundamental decency. Marc Racicot publicly supported removing the anti-sodomy statute from the Montana Codes. This is one area where the legislature did not give him his wish. (The statute is still on the books but the Montana State Supreme Court has since blocked enforcement of the statute, almost a quarter of a century after it was enacted.) Also, just before leaving office, Governor Racicot granted the homosexual lobby a big favor by establishing, via Executive Order, a pro-homosexual policy affecting state government hiring; a policy that the Republican-controlled legislature was unable to undo in the 2001 session.

Conclusion: I’ve been a GOP legislator in Montana and have seen Marc Racicot operate. Unfortunately, his approach to governing does not seem out of step with the unconstitutional governance package that the Republican Party is promoting nationally. He should fit right in as a spokesman for Bush administration policies. If Marc Racicot gets the nod, the Republican National Committee will have picked a well qualified individual to promote its politically expedient, socialistic, unconstitutional, go-along-to-get-along, politics over principle agenda.

three were what I call compromise bills. None of them assumed the concept of abortion being what it truly is, murder

Hands are tied by Roe- Many Republicans and virtually no Democrats would even sign a compromise bill- Better than nothing. Racicot strongly endorsed Sue Akey, a staunch supporter of abortion on demand, in her role as Chairman of the Montana Republican Party

And Republicans appointed Souter, Stevens, Powell, Stewart, Brennan, and Blackmun to the Supreme Court.

Marc Racicot publicly supported removing the anti-sodomy statute from the Montana Codes

Prisons are already full of inmates at taxpayer expense-

Hold your nose and concentrate upon the economic aspects of the article. What the author doesn't mention--as many "radical republican" legislators from the Racicot years do not--is that under a Republican goveror and a Republican Legislature property taxes--and a host of other regulatory taxes-- skyrocketed. The "private scector" was further thirdworld-ized. The education bureaucracy enoyed an economic bonanza. (No child left behind in Montana either!) Government salaries in Montana are 50% higher than those in the ever-dwindling private sector.

Montana is a warning to the rest of the Nation. Ask yourself--from your reading of history--how long classically liberal social notions last when the majority of people are proletarianized--people who were raised to believe they deserved a different fate....

"...Remember the pro-lifers are mainly an embarassment to the party leaders who only roll them out at election time to deliver the vote...."

And what do we call those who allow themselves to be rolled out to vote on election day?

In Chicago they call them "stiffs"......

Pretty much tells one where the Pubbies are today. The "Two-partyCartel" has hoodwinked all true conservatives. This is the lesson #226 why I have left the party after decades & probably will never again participate in the charade of voting.

RNC, at Urging of Bush, to install Eisenberg, a liberal, pro-abortion activist, as RNC Finance Chair

If Bush is really concerned about changing "hearts and minds" on the abortion issue, maybe he can start with Eisenberg. Ha Ha.

Between Racicot and Eisenburg, there is not much hope for the grand old party.

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