Many of us have been talking about the inevitable changes that Montana is and will be experiencing in the coming years.

We saw it in other areas that were highly active such as Palo Alto and the Research Triangle in North Carolina.

As entrepreneurs become more successful and perhaps cash out, they turn their attention to the community and state and either enter politics or exert their influence on elected officials. Their goals are varied but they inevitably have a profound affect on the path that the area takes.


It's the old term: You're either on the bus or under it. Leaders who don't pay attention to the growing influence and the goals that these newly active individuals have will find themselves out of touch with the community and either out of office or surrounded by individuals who have different goals.


Montana will have a very successful economic and cultural future.

We can move forward dramatically now or simply wait for the impact of these new concepts to finally be implemented in our state.

If you're a an elected official, please take some time to listen to the tech community in Montana. This community is growing and has some great ideas of how to preserve what we love about Montana while moving it forward and making sure that it's those who love this state, and not out-of-state corporations, who are making the decisions about its future.

--Russ

Montana does not have the history arch-conservatives would like to imagine. The first woman to be elected to Congress, Jeanette Rankin, was from Big Sky country. She helped get the vote for Montana women in 1914 and was elected in 1916 and 1940. She was also consistently the most stalwart anti-war representative over a period of decades.

--Frank