Dear Editor: Montanans Have Seen This Story Before

Dear Editor,

More than a century ago, our state confronted a difficult question: Who should government ultimately answer to, its citizens or concentrated wealth?

The influence of the Copper Kings shaped Montana politics so profoundly that generations of Montanans fought to restore a basic principle: government should remain accountable to the people. That struggle eventually led Montana to become a national leader in limiting corporate influence in elections.

Today, we find ourselves asking a version of that same question again.

America does not have a shortage of political opinions. What we i...