I want to thank Linda Johnson for mentioning my name in her April 4 letter, accusing me of being a “Democratic follower” concerning my stance on Republican’s opposing Medicaid expansion. 

First, let me say that my opinion is not that of a “Democratic follower.” It is simply because I think for myself, not for either party!   

This brings me to my point of this letter. You see, I have been there. I recall when Ms. Johnson called me and asked if I would be a speaker at the first Tea Party rally in Kalispell, and I told her that I had had quite enough of their guru Dick Armey’s politics. As part of a national organization, United We Stand, I and our organization were conned, first by Newt Gingrich (remember his Contract with America?), and then by Marc Racicot and Denny Rehberg here in Montana. 

When Ross Perot disappeared, we formed a strong Montana organization called Montanans for Better Government, headed up by a stalwart Republican named Rob Natelson. This organization fizzled after several years because we were sandbagged by the “good ol’ boy” Republicans. 

I point out that our major accomplishment was passage of Constitutional Initiative CI-75, the Right to Vote on Taxes (some of the “freedoms and liberties” Ms. Johnson alluded to), only to be challenged by Republican Gov. Racicot and his band of bureaucrats and overturned by the Supreme Court.     

The reason I am an independent thinker and voter is that our political system has turned into a polarized mess. Very little is done because the party in power only wants to beat up on the other party, at the expense of the citizens who elect them. 

In this case Republicans hold the power. Furthermore, the Republican rhetoric about “less government, less spending” is a big con job! They simply want more of their kind of government and less of the Democrat’s kind. If you doubt this fact, you have only to look at what happened from 2000 to 2008, when Republicans had control of everything. 

Closer to home, once the Legislature has passed close to 600 new laws this year, take a look at the laws that mandate more government or more spending and who sponsored them and who voted for them. If after you see that I am right, and you are still not happy, just look in the mirror. 

Beating up on the president may make you feel good, but it ain’t going to fix anything! 

 Higgins is a resident of Kalispell.