those interested in moving here should read (Lolo: environment, showing)

[btroop]

Woah! I just read every post in this thread and it is disheartening. I have a good chance at moving to Montana from Michigan due to a job transfer. I gather that Monatana is turning into a liberal state such as California? That is a major turnoff for me as I've seen firsthand what liberal ideologies can do to a community and state.

Here in Michigan, we are taxed to death and the state goverment is still in the red. Their latest solution? You guess it, raise taxes! That's liberal politics for you.

I have lived all over the states, from the Northeast to the Northwest, from the Southeast to the Southwest, from the mid-Atlantic to now the Midwest. I really hope that GiftShoppeMan is correct and this will pass. I understand the points that Jenzebel and Anchorless were making that seem to go over some of the posters here. These "outsiders" bring with them their ideologies (ideologies that were the prime cause of the problems they are fleeing), and so the danger of the same thing happening in Montana is real. All I can say is VOTE! Vote for candidates that stand for your values and way of life. If you don't go out and vote, then you are part of the problem.

Lets not forget that there is probably a percentage of newcomers that hold the same values and ideologies as native Montanians. They could actually help by adding to your much needed votes. I am pretty much a Centrist but lean conservative on some issues. So, I hope I am welcomed in Montana. I will be living in GiftShoppeMan's neck of the woods and from what I can gather from these forums, that is where most of the conservatives reside. This is not by choice, it is simply due to my employer being in Central Montana.

[GiftShoppeGuy]

By and large, Montana is still really conservative as a whole.
Most of the liberal wingnuts live over around Missoula and some around the Bozeman/Kalispell areas.

Though there be some areas ruined beyond any good repair, we still know how to vote, so our Montana isn't going anywhere anytime soon..

You will be fine here.

[rickers]

The whole issue of Liberals verses conservatives is so way over blown on this forum and on this thread especially. It may be that people of opposite political leanings may seem to not get along with each other in many areas, Montana is not one of those places for the most part. There are still so few people, even in the most populated areas that folks are happy to see each other regardless of their politics. People here don't even think about politics all that much except for a few politically obsessed activist types and concerned civic minded folks. The vast majority of the people in Montana are too busy earning a living and enjoying their lives to be bothered with politics except when it comes time to vote.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by GiftShoppeGuy

By and large, Montana is still really conservative as a whole.
Most of the liberal wingnuts live over around Missoula and some around the Bozeman/Kalispell areas.

Though there be some areas ruined beyond any good repair, we still know how to vote, so our Montana isn't going anywhere anytime soon..

You will be fine here.

Trust me, there's wingnuts everywhere, it's not limited by geography. Also, if it's so conservative as I keep hearing how does one explain Tester and Schweitzer?

[rickers]

I agree the state is slowly starting to lean a bit to the left of center I believe because of the recent influx of city refugees. However I have seen a lot of left leaners from other states who come here with very liberal attitudes and after a few years if they don't run back home, they begin to adopt more conservative views.
Remember the old saying;
If you're under 40 and not a democrat, you have no heart.
If you're over 40 and aren't a republican, you have no brains !

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by jimj

Trust me, there's wingnuts everywhere, it's not limited by geography. Also, if it's so conservative as I keep hearing how does one explain Tester and Schweitzer?

I'll do you even one better. How do you explain
Joseph K. Toole
Robert Burns Smith
Joseph K. Toole (served as Governor a second separate time)
Edwin L. Norris
Sam V. Stewart
John Edward Erickson
Frank Henry Cooney
Elmer Holt
Roy E. Ayers
John W. Bonner
Forrest H. Anderson
Thomas Lee Judge
Ted Schwinden
Brian Schweitzer

All of which were Democratic Governors...

In our states history, we've had 14 Democratic Governors over 9 Republican Governors.
And see?... We don't have to fall into todays Daisey-Do-Gooder Politics just because we've got a Democratic Governor... Montana does just fine regardless of party Governorship.

You can't take a Democratic Governorship and use it as an argument for liberalism, we've already proven that an argument like that isn't valid by how many Democratic Governorships we've had over the years.
Clearly we are conservative, and always have been. A democrat "has" to listen to us, just like a Republican does.. We're the boss, and we prove it every single time we vote.

We here in Montana aren't quite as "left" leaning as others might try to have you imagine.
You don't have to have an affiliation to any party to be considered a liberal wingnut, and unlike most other states around the west, our Democrats/Republicans still have a good name.

[JoeJoeMan]

jimj wrote:

You have hit it on the head, instead of despising all the people coming here and wailing about all of the developement and sprawl use that energy to get the county councils and city councils to implement policies you agree with. Or, keep complaining on places like this which doesn't really acomplish much except making those of us who live here look ignorant, and the mess will continue.
your choice.....

With all due respect jim, I don't think we look ignorant at all, I think we actually look smart for speaking our mind.
And good luck getting a county/city council to implement a policy, you couldn't get'em to eat a free ham sandwich, beside what would you have them pass a "you can't move here" ordinance.
And lastly we don't "despising" the people moving here, we just think that unbeknowst (is that a real word) to them they are creating alot of problems and financial hardship for us. And I'm sure most of them are very nice folks, which brings me to a point. It's not a personal attack on them and we, well at least I, don't despise them even though I see them as the source of many many problems. I never show any disrespect for new-comers I come in contact with, as much as I resent what problems they do cause.

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeMan

.... And I'm sure most of them are very nice folks, which brings me to a point. It's not a personal attack on them and we, well at least I, don't despise them even though I see them as the source of many many problems. I never show any disrespect for new-comers I come in contact with, as much as I resent what problems they do cause.

You're right, of course, JoeJoeMan.

You can't run away from your problems. If you try, they just keep following you.

[lakerat]

Maybe if California would have had a 'NO OUT OF STATERS ALLOWED' law 60 years ago it wouldn't be the mess it is now.

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by lakerat

Maybe if California would have had a 'NO OUT OF STATERS ALLOWED' law 60 years ago it wouldn't be the mess it is now.

You're probably right.

As a matter of fact (and history), the Governor of the Dust Bowl period in California had sent the highway patrol to the borders to turn folks away....
We can see how well that worked out.

Nope.

Working together for the common good of all, within reason of course, can win the day in just about any situation.

All of this "Don't Come Here" stuff isn't going to produce any good long term results, at all.