The American Colonists and Montana Citizens –Déja Vu in 2015

By Elaine Willman, Author of Going to Pieces…

“If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.” Sam Adams, 1776

The Proposed CSKT (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes) Water Compact is the Revolutionary War for citizens of Montana. Its consequences are as severe. Where American colonists had lost the ear and trust in their British leaders, so too have Montanans lost the ear and trust in their State elected officials. And the Compact is only the beginning. There will be more: Kerr Dam, the Columbia River Treaty, threats of the CSKT initializing “repatriation”of their entire reservation, forcing nontribal members off of their properties and off of the reservation.

Does this sound over the top? It is not. A small tribe of some 5,000 members led by aggressive, hostile leadership emboldened by every available federal agency and resource is in full assault mode to remove state authority within the reservation boundary, and likely within 11 western counties. Without firing a shot heard around the world, the CSKT has found that slathering money, false guilt and smear campaigns are more effective weapons to coerce Montana elected officials into obedience to a tribal governmentfor which they have no duty.

The Governor, Attorney General, and apparently the majority of Montana’s Legislature are ignoring two major U.S. Supreme Court rulings, along with the Montana State Constitution, and have intentionally turned their backs on Montana citizens. In OHA v. Hawaii (2009) the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that land may not be removed from a state’s authority, jurisdiction or tax base without approval of the state legislature. In Tarrant v. Herrmann (2013) the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that States have “the absolute right and authority over all navigable waters and the soils beneath them for lands ceded to a State upon statehood.”

Has the State of Montana picked up these two judicial tools to defend Article IX of its Constitution, or the rights of Montana citizens? Nope. Has the State of Montana spent multi-million dollars over more than a decade to accommodate every single whim of the small CSKT? Yep. The feeble explanation is “to avoid litigation”when litigation of an unconstitutional compact will be considerably less costly to taxpayers compared to billions paid to the CSKT in perpetuity. Does such accommodation of CSKT whims as ambiguously buried within 1,500 pages of garbage promise many more multi-billions of Montana tax dollars to the CSKT in perpetuity? Yep.

Within the 1,500 pages of the proposed Compact, is there a single benefit to the State of Montana, 11 counties or 350,000 residents? Absolutely nothing. The Compact is not a “ negotiation.”Absent any benefit to the State or its citizens, the proposed CSKT Compact is a full and complete Surrender Document. Has the State guaranteed the loss of state waterjurisdiction, municipal and private water rights, the loss of State and Federal constitutional and civil rights of 350,000 Montana citizens? Sadly, yes. And what does the State gain? Nada. Nothing.

Much like the Revolutionary War started on a bridge in one of the 13 colonies, this 2014 Revolutionary War starting on the CSKT Reservation in Montana will spread quickly to other states. The federal government under the current administration long ago ceased to be a friend to States or citizens. Too many state legislators are blinded by shiny things like federal funds and political correctness, to adhere to their one Sworn Oath to protect their state resources and citizens.

The willing Paul Reveres within 11affected Montana counties, must get on their horse, loudly ga llop and shout throughout the valleys and the Rockies –that the Feds are coming, the Tribes are coming, the end of the balance of power between the federal government and states is near. Publicly expose the Turncoats in Montana, beginning with Governor Bullock, Attorney General Tim Fox, and a team of treacherous legislators; you know exactly who they are.

State elected officials should have been the first line of defense. In Montana, this line has fallen, and it is now up to Montana citizens to require and quickly breathe new courage and life into Montana elected officials, or prepare to defend your properties one parcel at a time, as best you can. Montanans have more resources now (cars, busses, phones, internet) than our countrymen had in the Revolutionary War in the 1700s,so get this done!

Save your state, your country, your property, your water and your American liberties. Given the choice of mad or sad, choose mad. Sad paralyzes. Mad energizes. Constructive use of anger can save the day within the Montana Legislature and among Montana citizens. The rest of the country is praying and watching. Get up off the couch and on your horse! Ride for your life in Montana.