What you may not know about Brian Schweitzer

[grasswire]

1. He speaks Arabic

2. His college degrees are in soil science

3. He spent his years after college working as an irrigation consultant in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. He spent several years working in Libya and Saudi Arabia.

4. His paternal grandparents were German, from present day Russia. His maternal grandparents were Irish.

5. His border collie Jag often goes to work with him, even at the state capitol.

6. Under Bill Clinton's administration, he worked for the USDA Farm Service Agency committee and was appointed to the National Drought Task Force.

7. Montana had 1 MW of wind power online in January 2005 by the end of 2012 the state is expected to exceed 600 MW of wind power.[

8. Schweitzer consistently held one of the highest approval ratings among governors in the nation, with polls regularly showing a rating of above 60 percent.

9. In 2011, Schweitzer announced his intention to provide single-payer health care in Montana, based on the Saskatchewan plan

10. On May 3, 2006, Schweitzer granted posthumous pardons to 78 persons convicted of sedition during World War I for making comments that were critical of the war.


He's an interesting fellow! Something completely different from the Harvard-Yale-Wall Street club!

[ProSense]

1. Maybe

"He's an interesting fellow!"

...we should add support for the death penalty, fracking, Keystone and the NRA to the Democratic platform, make it more progress. Thoughts? LOL!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024335397

[grasswire]

4. thoughts?

Strange company you are keeping these days.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. The Democratic Platform on the Death Penalty says this:

Death penalty must not be arbitrary
We will continue to fight inequalities in our criminal justice system. We believe that the death penalty must not be arbitrary. DNA testing should be used in all appropriate circumstances, defendants should have effective assistance of counsel, and the administration of justice should be fair and impartial.
Source: 2012 Democratic Party Platform , Sep 4, 2012

This is not an opposition to the penalty at all, it is a call for codification and proper enforcement of that penalty. It supports the continued use of the death penalty. I disagree with that policy, which is why I am not happy to see you imply that the Platform opposes the death penalty now. It does in fact endorse the use of the death penalty.

I wish it were otherwise.

[ProSense]

7. OK,

"This is not an opposition to the penalty at all, it is a call for codification and proper enforcement of that penalty."

....if you say so. then let's go for adding the rest: support for fracking, Keystone and the NRA...a winning progressive platform

[djean111]

14. Since it seems Hillary is a proponent of Keystone and increased oil and gas production - which will

mean fracking - not to mention the TPP - can I assume she will not have your support, or will the Dem platform be amended for her?

[rhett o rick]

23. ".if you say so." That's your comeback argument? nm

[Bluenorthwest]

25. Pro, I am advocating here for honesty and speaking as a death penalty opponent

This is not about him or his other issues, he's a Third Way type who can turn out a speech, mixed bag, we have better. But playing fast and lose with important issues is not acceptable and it is becoming more common on DU. The Democratic Party Platform right now supports the death penalty. It should not, but it does. Obama has never spoken against it, Hillary has not. The Platform takes the very courageous stand that the death penalty should not be arbitrary. As if there are advocates for an arbitrary death penalty in need of opposition.
I don't care if a man or woman is a sack of shit, I am not going to stand by while someone claims this Party has taken a stand it has not taken in order to slam that sack of shit. This Party supports the death penalty. I don't. I'm also against NRA and the Keystone pipeline and the Pacific Trade Thunderfuck.
I am however for truth in discussion. Democratic Platform supports the continued use of the death penalty. We should all be ashamed about that.

[ProSense]

32. "he's a Third Way type who can turn out a speech"

"This is not about him or his other issues, he's a Third Way type who can turn out a speech, mixed bag, we have better. But playing fast and lose with important issues is not acceptable and it is becoming more common on DU. The Democratic Party Platform right now supports the death penalty. It should not, but it does. Obama has never spoken against it, Hillary has not."

Fine, but it's not my problem that you want to have a serious discussion about snark.

I mean, I made a snarky point, and you're lecturing about having a serious discussion.

[sabrina 1]

44. So you ARE opposed to supporting anyone who supports Fracking or the Keystone pipeline?

That's good to know.

[ProSense]

48. Are you

"So you ARE opposed to supporting anyone who supports Fracking or the Keystone pipeline?"

...open to supporting someone who supports " Fracking or the Keystone pipeline"?

That's also "good to know."

I wonder where the Schweitzer supporters are going to come down.

Murkowski pushes Obama on Keystone XL, crude-export ban

By Laura Barron-Lopez

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) wants President Obama to get on board with her push for lifting the U.S. ban on crude exports and approving the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

In a letter sent to Obama on Tuesday, Murkowski called on the president to take executive action.

"While I believe you retain the executive authority necessary to lift the ban on crude exports, if you need legislative support from the Congress in order to do so, you will always have a willing partner from Alaska," Murkowski wrote in the letter on Tuesday.

Last week, she released a white paper on the benefits associated with expanding the country's energy trade, with a specific look at crude exports.

- more -

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/195424-murkowski-pushes-obama-on-keystone-xl-crude-export-ban

The anti-Obama candidate:

Montana's Democratic governor slams ‘jackasses’ in DC for Keystone delay

By Ben Geman

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) is expressing frustration with the debate in Washington over the Keystone XL pipeline, which he strongly supports.

“Ninety per cent of these jackasses that are complaining about the Keystone pipeline in Washington, D.C., one year ago wouldn't have even known where the Keystone was. While we were doing the heavy lifting here in Montana and in South Dakota and in Kansas and Oklahoma ... in Washington, D.C. ... all these great defenders had never heard of Keystone before,” Schweitzer said in an interview published Thursday.

- more -

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/212439-montana-gov-slams-anti-keystone-jackasses-in-dc

[sabrina 1]

49. What 'Schweitzer supporters'? I hardly know anything about the man, yet. I'm just interested in the

desperate attempts to discredit him before anyone actually DOES know anything about him.

The more someone is attacked, the more people are interested to find out why.

[ProSense]

52. Oh

"What 'Schweitzer supporters'? I hardly know anything about the man, yet..."

...I wasn't aware that you didn't know there are "Schweitzer supporters." Here everything you need to know, and then some:

What you may not know about Brian Schweitzer
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024342268

Charles Pierce on Brian Schweitzer: Montana's Wild Hack
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024340484

This Democrat thinks he can win in 2016 as the anti-Obama
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024333473

Brian Schweitzer Can't Really Think Of Anything Nice To Say About Obama's Record
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024335397

Hope that helps.

[MADem]

61. Oh, but he's a new and pretty face, you see! It's easy to love 'em when ya don't know 'em!

I guess anyone who voiced opposition to Keystone is a "jackass" now? Because "Dreamy Bri" said so...?

That's good to know, I suppose....?

[elleng]

2. Yes he is interesting,

has many positive attributes. Really too bad he's showing a bunch of not so positive ones these days; we could use more of him as you described.

[grasswire]

3. yeah, the tea party activist organizations are attacking him HARD

I guess that helps Hillary in her efforts, too.

[grasswire]

6. see this thread for more

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024341693

[Aerows]

53. I kind of like him already

and he's pissing off the Hillary-is-annointed group, too, so even better.

[Enthusiast]

71. Me too.......nt

[Whisp]

8. well there you go, he used to work for the clintons.

Things are getting a bit clearer as to why he gone loco with this Bash Obama crap you hear from baggers. It's Teh List.

A favor called in from The Clinton Mafia - diss Obama so Hillary looks good compared to him and maybe she can snap up some republican votes if you remind them all he is black and useless. Also good for some progressive support too! Crap on Obama, you get votes from some of them too.

hahahahaha. as if.

[grasswire]

10. too much time watching Fox and Friends?

Honestly, that's some sick and twisted theorizing there.

[Whisp]

18. The Clintons keep their 'friends' close and

send them off on errands, and reward them.

If you don't do their bidding, why there is a wee bit o hell to pay, some day.

I see no sickness or fantasy in this at all. It's how things roll for most politicians, but the Clintons seemed to have gathered together an army of orcs.

[grasswire]

24. mythology

You are granting the Clintons super powers.

[sendero]

29. HRC is Never and I mean Never..

... going to pick up ANY republican votes, they hate her with a passion that rivals their hatred of Obama.

Me, I just think she is another fake-ass Democrat and that we should be able to do better.

[polichick]

9. He'd mix it up during the primaries - we definitely need...

some mixing up.

Hopefully Sanders will get in too.

[grasswire]

11. yep

That's what I see as his role.

MIX IT UP!

Something completely different.

American politics have been stuck far too long.

[grasswire]

13. and the fact that he signed his vetoes with a branding iron...

......indicates a Truman-like or LBJ-like willingness to fight.

[Aerows]

51. Definitely need more policy discussion

and the direction that we are going. The more, the merrier.

[Enthusiast]

72. Absolutely right on!

The more, the better.

[Douglas Carpenter]

12. Gov. Schweitzer has regional appeal - his brand of western big wide open spaces populism that

combines being pro-gun and anti-environmentalist with anti-corporate- anti-Washington populist appeal - along with support for things like single payer - but wants to appeal ACA first - are all very marketable in states like Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Idaho, Alaska and other big wide open spaces states that are mostly ethnically and culturally homogeneous - There is definitely a place for him in the Democratic Party - a prominent place as a champion of a certain brand of regional populism - But it is simply not salable as a national leader of the Democratic Party's broad national coalition.

[grasswire]

16. well, gee

Who says that the Eastern Elite must always be the "national leader"? The Eastern Elite is flawed and corrupted. Time for new ways, perhaps.

[geek tragedy]

19. Eastern elite?

2008/2012--Obama (Hawaii/Illinois)
2000/2004: George W Bush (Texas)
1992/1996: Bill Clinton (Arkansas)
1988: George HW Bush (Texas)
1980/1984: Ronald Reagan (California)
1976: Jimmy Carter (Georgia)

Also, the 'eastern elite' of whom you speak include Latinos, blacks, Jews, and other types of 'urban' voters not found in Montana.

[grasswire]

26. common denominator

except Reagan and Carter: Ivy League. Harvard. Yale.

Are you arguing there is no diversity among Montana voters? No Jews? No latinos? No blacks? No Native Peoples? I'm not sure what your point is.

[Cane4Dems]

31. you can't extrapolate his success in Montana to the nation

I mean no offense to Montana but it's population is no way indicative/representative of the democratic party in general

[grasswire]

34. machts nichts

Looks like it's time for the Democratic Party "in general" to eschew those old fart traditions. A fresh, charismatic, wicked smart candidate who has broad support among veterans, farmers, independents, peace-seekers -- that's a viable candidate.

Or maybe a third party candidate.

[geek tragedy]

33. the numbers:

Ethnicity/race-Montana-USA


Black or African American alone, percent, 2012 (a) 0.6% 13.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent, 2012 (a) 6.5% 1.2%
Asian alone, percent, 2012 (a) 0.7% 5.1%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent, 2012 (a) 0.1% 0.2%
Two or More Races, percent, 2012 2.5% 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2012 (b) 3.1% 16.9%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2012 87.2% 63.0%

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/30000.html

1/20th the percentage of blacks, 1/7th the percentage of Asians, and less than 1/5th the percentage of Latinos compared to the rest of the country.

[grasswire]

35. and?

I don't share your concern about this.

The only thing that matters is whether the man can build broad support.

[geek tragedy]

41. Given his repudiation/open disrespect of Barack Obama, the answer is no he is not

trying to build support among African-Americans.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/15/why-brian-schweitzer-has-already-lost-2016.html

[grasswire]

43. yeah, the more people try to characterize him as anti-Obama..

...the more that cooked-up story will resonate. Is that it?

He was critical of Obama. So is Cornel West.

[geek tragedy]

54. He's the one characterizing himself as the anti-Obama.

That was the takeaway he gave the interviewer from MSNBC, the one where he claimed he couldn't think of a single positive accomplishment Obama's had since 1/20/09.

[grasswire]

55. your characterization is not totally accurate. nt

[geek tragedy]

58. what was his answer when asked to name 1, one, uno, single positive

accomplishment of the Obama administration?

[AlbertCat]

77. The only thing that matters is whether the man can build broad support.

Maybe he'll think of some other stunt with his branding iron and that'll do it!

[sabrina 1]

47. Bush was a fake 'texan'. He is definitely from the Northeast in every sense of the word. Idiots

bought into the whole 'texan' thing, the boots, the hat, the ranch. They never noticed he was afraid of cows and horses and have they even asked, 'what happened to the ranch and the boots and the hat' since he left the WH?

[geardaddy]

73. The Bushes are CT elite.

Texas is their costume.

[Mojorabbit]

79. My understanding is the Bush family is from the northeast? nt

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. the numbers are just not there - The Governor's appeal is essentially to disaffected white voters

that is an important constituency- One that the Democratic Party needs to appeal more to. - But pro-gun, anti-environmentalist white male voters are just not a large enough voting block in themselves - when we have a Democratic coalition that is largely based on culturally liberal white environmentalist voters - urban voters, women and minorities from states with highest populations and the most electoral votes.

[grasswire]

27. apparently you have read very little about the man

Perhaps you would like to read about his enemies; that would tell you what and who he is.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024341693

Yes, that's right. Radical anti-environmentalists, funded by the tea party. His enemies.

[Douglas Carpenter]

63. actually I have been following for years - in 2008 I strongly pushed the idea on DU2 that he should

be considered for the VP nomination.

READ THIS OP WRITTEN IN 2008 BY MYSELF SINCE YOU ARE SO DAMNED CERTAIN THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6166935


What he does not have is the ability to rally the broader range of the Democratic Party base on a national level and to appeal to today's Democratic coalition on a national level - a regional level - of course that is obvious - national level - the numbers are just not there

-- What is so damn bad about thinking things through?

[LAGC]

20. He's not anti-environmentalist.

While its true he supports energy self-sufficiency in general, he's really made an effort to invest in renewables in that state, and really stymied efforts by Republicans to peel back environmental regulations and what not.

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. being pro-keystone pipeline and pro-coal energy is going to be interpreted by the leading

environmentalist organizations as being anti-environmentalist -even if there is another side to the story - that is how it is going to be seen

[abelenkpe]

56. He's anti environmentalist?

[jeff47]

66. What would you call pro-Keystone, pro-Fracking and pro-Coal? (nt)

[abelenkpe]

70. Can't see that going over well with democrats.

Certainly doesn't sound good to me.

[Ikonoklast]

78. He could carry every one of those western state's votes, 100%...and lose in a landslide.

[sorefeet]

15. I'min Montana and Brian

has done more for Vets than any other Governor in the 30 years that I have lived here. He took a bus load of seniors to Canada to buy prescription drugs and tried to get it legal for us to buy prescription drugs from Canada and Mexico. Of course the Republicans would have none of that.

[grasswire]

17. yeah, I read about that.

The Republicans sure hate him.

[ZombieHorde]

28. He was a good Governor for Montana.

I am farther left than he is, but I did enjoy watching the Republicans try run against him and fail over and over again. They just didn't know how to attack him.

[Octafish]

30. Thank you for the information!

The good governor is indeed a welcome and most needed change from the Harvard-Yale-Wall Street club (and from the Texas Good Ol' Boy network).

[grasswire]

37. that too

Anyone the tea party hates gets a second look from me.

[zappaman]

36. He sounds like...

[grasswire]

39. LOL!

Yes, he sorta does!

[Earth_First]

38. Arabic, you say...

Rut roh!

[grasswire]

40. his opponent for U.S. Senate had a habit of using the word "raghead"

I hope that's not what you are thinking about him.

[Earth_First]

42. Myself? No, certainly not...

There are, however some less-gifted 'Muricans who otherwise would, though...

[grasswire]

45. they would be stupid and ignorant..

....and it's time to stop giving them any power over us all.

[Earth_First]

46. I agree.

Ill admit, the jury os still out on Schweitzer for me however I do like a lot of what I've seen...

[Aerows]

50. He has boxes in his garage

and his mother was a hamster.

[Blue_In_AK]

57. I like Brian Schweitzer.

He would probably do well in Alaska -- not that anyone gives a care about our three measly electoral votes.

[MADem]

59. He's a cheerleader for the NRA and the Keystone Pipeline!

He was great with the talk, slow with the walk on LGBT issues!!

He said running for POTUS would ruin his life!"

An "interesting fellow" -- to white male voters, anyway--indeed.

No thanks. He'd be fine as a western state senator, but he doesn't share the values or represent the places where most Americans, to include the women and the non-white people, live.

[grasswire]

64. please link to where he cheerleads for the NRA.

Thanks in advance.

I'm sorry. Do you think there are no women or non-whites in the Western states? ??

[jeff47]

67. Can't use google to find his "A" NRA rating?

Or the SYG law he pushed through?

[grantcart]

60. He is also against the ACA and my ability to have medical care and would have preferred

another 10 year battle for single payer that might never succeed in a single step

and

was against the mandatory increase in Medicaid which is bringing millions of working poor into free single payer health care as we speak.

In fact with the expansion in the ACA Medicaid and Medicare will have expanded to cover more than 35% of all Americans and half of those with insurance will have single payer. This doesn't include the millions that will receive subsidies and have affordable health care.

On environmental issues he has yet to take a single issue that would be unpopular in Montana (and the same with the NRA). All understandable but hardly a profile in courage.

I suspect that we will be seeing Brian on MSNBC in the future.

[grasswire]

65. He is FOR single payer!

Single payer!

[jeff47]

68. He's for repeal and replace.

The reality of his position would be the Republicans help him repeal, and then nothing gets through Congress to replace.

If he couldn't get single-payer through his own state, what makes you think he could get it through Congress?

[grantcart]

75. he is for a single pair sometime in the future when

would have a different Supreme Court and an absolute majority in the House and an absolute super majority in the Senate.

he is against the expansion of Medicaid, which is the largest single expansion of single payer in the last four decades. President Obama was kind enough to go to Montana to help the governor who then turned around and magnified his policy differences with him.

you may think he is someone special but to me he is another prick who doesn't want my family to have health care now. I don't think he is really running for president but rather auditioning for a cable news show.

[truebluegreen]

62. 11. He likes Clean Coal, and Keystone.

[jeff47]

69. 12. And SYG laws, and has an A rating from the NRA. (nt)

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

74. It doesn't matter

Someone in the corporate media doesn't like his high faluten 1% populist talk and decided the best way to sand bag him was find every negative thing he said about Obama and string it together in a bullshit article with zero context. He's done, Jim. Next up, O'Malley, Warren....or someone else not invited to the party.

[grasswire]

76. old tactics

Gore's earth toned clothes
Dean's scream

yada yada.

And people here have taken that bait.

Sad.