I remember growing up in Great Falls, there was a trophy in my parents’ room, which looked like the type of trophy won in sports. It sat in the corner of their room, and it had Greek letters and some reference to my mother’s college sorority at Montana State University.
Etched in the gold sorority trophy my mom received, were some attributes I don’t remember now, but the one that I have always remembered, was the attribute of her being “Thrifty”.
Thrifty? Hmm. I didn’t even know what that meant. But I would learn.
My mom’s formative years were during the Great Depression. Her parents, my grandparents, lived through some of the toughest times in American history.
Those of you who were raised by Depression-era parents know what I’m talking about. They always had a penny-pinching attitude, even decades after the worst had passed. It affected the food they would buy, how long they kept cars, the way they invested money. People who survived the Great Depression of the 1930’s lived the rest of their lives preparing for hardship. They were thrifty.
Well, hard times are coming back.
As global markets seize, international borders are closed, and a pandemic crisis settles across humanity, here in Montana we have hundreds of political candidates running for office in 2020.
This year Montanans will vote for United States President, Senator, Representative, Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Auditor, Montana Supreme Court Justice, Public Service Commission, 125 of the 150 legislative seats, and various county and local offices. This is as ‘big’ as Montana elections get.
It’s a fascinating time to be quiet. Our government has ordered us to be alone, to distance ourselves from each other. Many small businesses will not make it. Many people will get sick.
This year Montanans will elect new government leaders, or in some cases, re-elect the same ones. We are not helpless, in the face of hardship, the way some countries’ citizens are helpless. We have choices. We get to choose the people who lead our state and nation in these difficult times.
Some of history’s greatest leaders have emerged during times of crises. Innovative, courageous, authentic leaders will emerge to solve this generation’s problems. I think our grandparents would recognize the world we are headed towards.
We can be grateful for our constitutional republic. The constitution matters. Institutions matter. Leaders matter. In good times and bad, our state will continue to run elections and elect leaders who can confront the worrying issues of today. With so much at stake, Montanans will elect almost all of our leaders this year.
It is the perfect time for a crisis.
Sincerely,
Corey Stapleton
Montana Secretary of State
