Olszewski would bring fresh ideas to compact debate

Regardless of one’s position on the CSKT Compact, and no matter the fate of the Daines-Tester CSKT Compact in Congress, there are several remaining compact-related issues that the next Governor of Montana will face. These issues involve protection of the water rights of all Montanans against additional federal encroachment set in motion by the CSKT Compact and unresolved by the Daines bill (S. 3019).

In problem-solving, Albert Einstein stated that “We cannot solve our problems using the same thinking we used when we created the.” In my opinion, this insight rules out AG Tim Fox and Congressman Greg Gianforte. The CSKT Compact was developed under AG Fox’s watch, and neither recognize that there were or are any problems with the CSKT Compact. Both are avid supporters of the Daines-Tester bill, which only adds more problems onto the original CSKT Compact.

The only gubernatorial candidate that recognizes the work still to be done on the CSKT Compact at the state level, regardless of the Daines bill, is Dr. Al Olszewski. He is not part of that old thinking that produced these problems, and instead would bring fresh, creative, courageous, and unifying leadership to protect the water resources and citizens of Montana.

—Catherine Vandemoer, Ronan