Denny Rehberg

All hat, no cashmere goats. That’s the only possible explanation for the out-of touch remarks6437358163_5082a5de9a_m made by Representative Rehberg when he suggested that there is no danger in agricultural work.

Rehberg, a six-term congressman who’s running to unseat Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), said he’s a fifth-generation Montana rancher whose great grandfather, born in 1873, started breaking horses at age 11. Rehberg said he has “taken all the glamour” out of his ranching operation. “I don’t rope and I don’t tie and I don’t brand with a hot iron,” he went on, adding that he uses modern equipment that he said is virtually incapable of hurting children.

“You can’t get hurt,” Rehberg fumed. “It’s impossible. You could have a five-year-old out there running it.”

Rehberg’s right, of course, when it comes to his version of ranching, which no doubt involves a lot of hired help planning driveways on the land his great-grandfather broke horses on.

Of course, the reality for those who aren’t farming subdivisions is a bit more complicated and dangerous. In fact, according to the Department of Labor, working in agriculture is the 4th most deadly profession in the United States. All of us who work and live in Montana know people who’ve been seriously hurt or even killed on our farms and ranches—and appreciate the dangers and sacrifices those jobs entail.

It’s a critical—and dangerous job, as Representative Rehberg should know:

The Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that the fatality rate for agricultural workers who are 15 to 17 years of age is 4.4 times greater than the risk for the average worker in that age range. The most common cause of agricultural deaths among young workers is farm machinery, with tractors involved in over half of the fatalities.
“Many tragic and unnecessary accidents involving children employed in agriculture never make the national news, but result in significant harm to the lives of those children and their families,” Leppink said.

For Rehberg to suggest that farmers and ranchers “can’t get hurt” demonstrates just how little connection he has to the land he once pretended to farm and to the people who really work that land.

Rehberg’s defense of agriculture might make a good sound bite in an election year, but it’s certainly telling that he doesn’t understand the real dangers faced by people he pretends to be one of.

While I’m inclined to agree with those who decry the media’s focus on fundraising instead of discussion of issues, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Representative Rehberg is making national news for his inept fundraising this cycle:

LOSERS

For whatever reason, Reps. Rick Berg (R-N.D.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) all had lackluster quarters for sitting incumbents, pulling in less than $660,000 each. Rehberg was badly outraised, while Flake and Berg narrowly outraised Democratic underdogs.

While it’s a step in the right direction that the Congressman isn’t making news for wanting contaminants in children’s toys or the nation’s blood supply, it’s certainly interesting that he can’t raise much money for this race.

Perhaps a decade of being small government pork king and libertarian supporter of the PATRIOT Act and REAL ID have confused potential donors who’ve decided to give to a more consistent candidate like Mitt Romney.

Senator Tester, on NPR’s All Things Considered, today:

“Well, I think corporations are a whole lot different than people. I don’t know corporations that can be put in prison. I do know people that can be put in prison. I mean, it’s a totally different entity. I don’t think the forefathers envisioned when this country was setup that we would have corporations that had the same rights or more rights than people…

“It’s ridiculous and it’s not what our forefathers sought and it really goes against our democracy. It goes against what this country is built upon.”

Representative Rehberg, after cashing his $10,000 check from the group that wants to turn multinational corporations into people:

bribe

Paints a pretty striking contrast, doesn’t it?

Surely Montana newspapers have to report that Rehberg took money from Citizens United, right?

Not only is Representative Rehberg championing the right of corporations to pollute Montana politics, he’s benefiting financially from those who were responsible for the Supreme Court decision to allow limitless, secret corporate contributions to campaigns:

Denny Rehberg - Caricature

In a news release, Tester’s campaign will point out that Rehberg accepted a $10,000 donation from the conservative group Citizens United, the plaintiff in the controversial Supreme Court decision, on Sept. 21.  Tester believes that decision “undermines democracy” and supports overturning it through a constitutional amendment.

For 100 years, Montana has protected its political process from the pernicious influence of corporations. We saw firsthand the dangers corporate control of politics as people like William Clark bought their way into the US Senate, using corporate wealth to fuel his rise to power.

A century later, Montana has a candidate for the Senate who is not only advocating an ahistorical “right” for corporations to access the Bill of Rights and undermine Montana law, but taking money from the very corporate interests responsible for this absurd Supreme Court decision.

Representative Rehberg was wrong. Montanans have been right on this issue for 100 years.

Rehberg certainly hasn’t been shy about promoting constitutional amendments for frivolous, political causes. Surely he should support one, like Jon Tester and Max Baucus do, that would actually protect the integrity of our political process.

Senator Tester and Senator Baucus are standing up for Montana’s law and the relatively obvious idea that free speech rights attach to people, not multinational corporations, reports KXLH’s Marnee Banks.

Denny Rehberg - Caricature

Representative Rehberg, on the other hand, likes the idea of massive corporate polluting the electoral process:

Congressman Denny Rehberg won’t support the amendment. He says a healthy democracy is made up of many voices.

“I don’t think we should deny people their Constitutional right to free speech just because they’re part of a corporation instead of a different form of organization like a non-profit, a campaign or a union,” Rehberg says.

It’s probably not too difficult to understand why Rehberg feels this way, give the reciprocal love he enjoys with corporations of all kinds.

In another note, Rehberg claimed that he believed that “all campaign contributions should be posted online within 24 hours.”

Well, then, Mr. Rehberg, why don’t you do it? It seems that a man who believes in transparency and immediate disclosure of campaign contributions should the lead and start doing it.

Highlighting some of the most interesting and provocative posts in the past week at blogMontana blogs.

D Gregory Smith pointed out, that despite constantly talking about his availability to Montanans, Representative Rehberg has been awfully unwilling to meet with them lately.

Montana Cowgirl found it interesting that Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Hill would depict himself as someone who struggled as a single father, given the reasons he became one.

I’m not sure that I agree with much of anything Ed Berry says, but I wonder if he’s right that far right conservatives will not support Representative Rehberg because of his support of the Defense Authorization Act and HR 1505.

Rob Natelson managed to blame liberals for the Citizens United decision. It’s really a conservative jurisprudence must-read.

Barb Rush showed once again why she should not ever be elected to the School Board.

Over here, I kept yammering on about Representative Rehberg’s continued dishonesty about Pell Grants, new poster Winston wondered why campaign web sites weren’t in better shape, and Gabriel Furshong argued for the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act.

Budget-Busting Dennis Compares Himself to Reagan

12 January 2012

In announcing his bid for the U.S. Senate Erik Iverson Dennis Rehberg offered this fascinating condemnation of Jon Tester and comparison between himself and a Republican hero: He said the federal debt has almost doubled since Tester became a senator in 2007, that Tester voted for the 2009 economic-stimulus bill that "was a government solution [...]

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When Jon Tester Makes the New York Times…

10 January 2012

it’s because it’s newsworthy that a member of the Senate lives a life like an ordinary American—and because he loves his Montana beef: An evening around their table is informal (dinner is served family style and everyone clears his or her own plate) and amusing, with the conversation veering from President Obama’s jobs bill to [...]

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Rehberg Keeps Lying About and Cutting Pell Grants for MT Students

9 January 2012

Last week, as Representative Rehberg went on his Talking Points Tour of Montana editorial boards, he dropped by the Missoulian and offered this gem: Among the priorities Rehberg said he’d protect from cuts, Pell grants for college students was the first mentioned. He said he worked to maintain the $5,550 annual top grant, but also [...]

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Representative Rehberg (R-Black Lung Disease) Profiled in the New York Times

23 December 2011

Eric Lipton, writing in the New York Times, describes a unique cause for a budget-conscious member of the House, selling himself out to the mining industry so indiscriminately that he’s willing to risk the health and safety of workers and cost the federal government billions of dollars in disability payments. Unsurprisingly, that members of the [...]

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Rehberg Votes Against Montana Families, For Increased Taxes

20 December 2011

Today, Representative Rehberg put his commitment to the TEA Party ahead of the interests of workers and their families, voting against a common sense compromise to continue payroll tax deductions for Montana workers. This was no radical proposal he rejected. The Senate voted 89-10 to support the measure. House Speaker Boehner (hardly a progressive thinker) [...]

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Representative Rehberg Goes To Bat for Big Tobacco Again

19 December 2011

Just when you think Representative Rehberg can’t make a worse decision as a member of Congress, he leaps to the challenge. Of late, it seems that his poor judgment extends to protecting the tobacco industry. The latest? Writing language which would prohibit federal expenditures on anti-tobacco campaigns: Congress also put the kibosh the use of [...]

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