WATCH: Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer Blocks Tea Party Legislation With ‘VETO’ Branding Iron
by Paul Breer, Think Progress, April 14, 2011
Yesterday, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) said much of the legislation his state’s Republican lawmakers are pushing is “in direct contradiction to the expressed will of the people of Montana.” So, as promised, Schweitzer took his red-hot “VETO” branding iron to a stack of GOP bills that range from legislation to weaken Montana’s “clean and green” energy standards — a highly beneficial tax incentive that encourages clean energy projects — to a bill that would eliminate same day voter registration. Watch it:
Notably, among the 21 bills vetoed, Schweitzer rejected GOP legislation that sought to open up cyanide gold mining operations — a process that places citizens in grave risk of cyanide poisoning from contaminated drinking water [I have personally photographed such a mine located near water sources right next to my Brazilian husband's village -- and it's owned by an American mining company; they employ very few people, and the company bought the mining rights for a song.]. Similar proposals have already been rejected by voters in two separate initiatives. Schweitzer also rejected GOP legislation to cap damage awards for motor vehicle accidents, a bill that would forbid schools from allowing abortion-related course materials in sex education, and legislation to repeal Montana’s medical marijuana law.
As negotiations over Montana’s budget are starting to heat up, it’s likely that Schweitzer will need to do the same with his branding iron again.
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