by Senator John Fuller, Kalispell

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In 1842, 91-year-old Levi Preston, who had fought at Concord as a Massachusetts Minuteman in the American Revolutionary War was asked why he took up arms against the British on April 19^th, 1775. Preston ignored the familiar list of grievances historians often cite and dismissed the idea that he had been inspired by the philosophical writings of John Locke, claiming he had “never heard of ‘em.” What motivated Preston and others like him who fought for independence was far simpler and tangible. He explained: “We always had governed ourselves, and we always meant to govern ourselves. [The British] didn’t mean we should.”

The desire to govern oneself is as old as civilization. However, it took the Founders of America to give that desire form, substance and elocution. Those who fought for Independence and the “rights of Englishmen” were not the revolutionaries as they have often been described. Rather, the true Revolutionaries were the writers of the U.S. Constitution. Federalism, a representative republican (notice the lower-case r) form of government, checks and balances, division of powers and the sovereignty of the people were all revolutionary creations. The Constitution provided the framework for a government that would allow self-governance while restraining the impulses of “self-interest”. And adherence to the Constitution has worked remarkably well over the last 238 years.

The Founders were very aware that the impulse of “self-interest” , or the desire for “democracy” would lead to the destruction of the republic. Remember, the Constitutional Convention was not for the purpose of establishing democracy; it was for protecting individual liberty and freedom. And the Constitution had safeguards (if observed) to prevent that calamity. In recent times, the “passions of the majority” have led to where we are today; rising taxes, wealth transfers and the abuse of “we the People’s” liberty and freedom. And often those public policies result in not shouted slogans but soothing reassurances and “compassionate” or “humane” policies without any serious accounting of how they affect the people forced to live under them. The central issue is not so much malice as a complete indifference to consequences. The human cost of this is rarely discussed.

This writer knows that you are now asking yourself, what has this to do with Montana in 2026? Self, here is the answer. In the 2025 Legislative Session, the overriding issue was property taxes that were out of control. Why were they out of control? The answer is complicated, but the bottom line is that property taxes are used to fund county governments and schools. And the “ratchet-like” expenses (only going in one direction) result in the ever-increasing need for more money. The People of Montana in 2024 elected an overwhelming majority of Republicans to the State Legislature. The People expected that majority to provide relief to the property taxpayers of Montana. Instead, what they got was a tax-shift that resulted in the State Legislature picking winners and losers. Democrats and certain renegade so-called Republicans (nine in the Senate and approximately 20 in the House) ultimately passed spending and property tax bills that INCREASED government spending, instead of providing relief to the taxpayers of Montana. One of those results was the increase in property taxes on commercial property, the consequence of which will be a rise in rent for working class people.

The lesson is to research those candidates for whom you vote; both in the primary and the general election. Do not listen to the siren call of those who claim that only increased government spending reflects the will of the People of Montana.