Retired - Activist - historian - MT history filmmaker - columnist - environmental watchdog - retired several years ago after 47 years at the top level of Montana government, politics, economic development and education.https://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mtola3dn5223Natalie’s Magnificent Obsession https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/opinion/natalie-harp-jon-ossoff-trump.html?smid=bs-share22 Aug 2026 15:20 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtola3dn5223https://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mrkldxllms2tMontana is selling more state trust land than it’s buying https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/21/montana-is-selling-more-state-trust-land-than-its-buying/26 Jul 2026 14:21 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrkldxllms2thttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mrkkcik2p22jVampire Planet: The Billionaire Invasion of Montana - CounterPunch.org https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/07/24/vampire-planet-the-billionaire-invasion-of-montana/ https://CounterPunch.org26 Jul 2026 14:03 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrkkcik2p22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mqwevf3ugc2xMolnar should participate in NorthWestern merger decision, group argues https://dailymontanan.com/2026/07/15/molnar-should-participate-in-northwestern-merger-decision-group-argues/18 Jul 2026 13:33 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqwevf3ugc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mqwepauc5227Judge narrows focus of lawsuit against state GOP bylaws https://dailymontanan.com/2026/07/17/judge-narrows-focus-of-lawsuit-against-state-gop-bylaws/18 Jul 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqwepauc5227https://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mqwd57tjvc23Young plaintiffs ask 9th Circuit Court to rehear climate lawsuit https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/17/young-plaintiffs-ask-9th-circuit-court-to-rehear-climate-lawsuit/18 Jul 2026 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqwd57tjvc23https://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mqovwg2u4s2zBill Foley's memories of Mick Ringsak making a difference ... thanks, Bill ... Mick Ringsak fought for all of us https://buttecast.com/2026/07/14/mick-ringsak-fought-for-all-of-us/15 Jul 2026 14:16 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqovwg2u4s2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mqk6nilpds22District court judge blocks new state GOP bylaws  https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/08/district-court-judge-blocks-new-state-gop-bylaws/13 Jul 2026 17:09 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqk6nilpds22https://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mqk4erdptc2mWhat a statue in Greece taught me about America https://dailymontanan.com/2026/07/11/what-a-statue-in-greece-taught-me-about-america/13 Jul 2026 16:28 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqk4erdptc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mpkagndvmc2wA case against Seth Bodnar https://buttecast.com/2026/06/23/a-case-against-seth-bodnar/ READ THIS ... Interesting reflection from a good, honorable friend of mine ... I trust him implicitly ... he and his daughter's plight deserved more than being totally ignored by Bodnar ...01 Jul 2026 00:16 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpkagndvmc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mpgpa447ys2vThe Bodnar Problem https://open.substack.com/pub/russellrowland/p/the-bodnar-problem?r=4dfs23&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web29 Jun 2026 14:30 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpgpa447ys2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mfchlo4cnc2yMontana should say, ‘No thanks,’ to Gov. Gianforte’s crusade https://dailymontanan.com/2026/02/16/montana-should-say-no-thanks-to-gov-gianfortes-crusade/20 Feb 2026 15:51 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfchlo4cnc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mfcgqpvkds2uDaines’ silence was louder than Carl’s hate https://dailymontanan.com/2026/02/17/daines-silence-was-louder-than-carls-hate/ Doug James: This isn’t a policy debate. It’s bile... Here’s the moral issue. It’s simple. When someone traffics in racism and antisemitism, you say so. Out loud. Immediately. Silence is not neutrality. Silence is shelter.20 Feb 2026 15:35 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfcgqpvkds2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mfcgel3qnk2oDark money targets Llew Jones in GOP’s civil war https://dailymontanan.com/2026/02/20/dark-money-targets-llew-jones-in-gops-civil-war/ INTERESTING ...20 Feb 2026 15:29 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfcgel3qnk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3mfcg3uvgms2qEmpty chair ‘debate’ at state GOP event highlights property tax rift https://dailymontanan.com/2026/02/19/empty-chair-debate-at-state-gop-event-highlights-property-tax-rift/20 Feb 2026 15:24 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfcg3uvgms2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metfktxy4c2jNational Dems target Zinke’s western Congressional seat in midterms https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/national-dems-target-zinkes-western-congressional-seat-in-midterms/14 Feb 2026 16:04 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metfktxy4c2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metffjkpa226Butte loses its reclamation bulldog ‘Fritzie’ Daily https://dailymontanan.com/2026/01/30/butte-loses-its-reclamation-bulldog-fritzie-daily/ Opinion by George Ochenski ...14 Feb 2026 16:01 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metffjkpa226https://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metf26g3u22hVampire wires will refit Montana’s coal collar and ensure our future as an energy colony https://dailymontanan.com/2026/02/13/vampire-wires-will-refit-montanas-coal-collar-and-ensure-our-future-as-an-energy-colony/ Opinion by George Ochenski ...14 Feb 2026 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metf26g3u22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3meteqlo3kc2dTrump nominee from Montana defends work, views on ‘white culture’ at Senate hearing https://dailymontanan.com/2026/02/13/trump-nominee-from-montana-defends-work-views-on-white-culture-at-senate-hearing/14 Feb 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3meteqlo3kc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metdzlbtv22uhttps://montanafreepress.org/2026/02/12/federal-bill-boosting-voter-registration-requirements-passes-u-s-house/ The voter registration requirements in the SAVE America Act would likely disenfranchise millions of lawful voters, according to the Brennan Center for Justice an elections watchdog group, which concluded that voter fraud in the US is “vanishingly rare.”14 Feb 2026 15:37 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metdzlbtv22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metdotx7mk2nhttps://montanafreepress.org/2026/02/12/daines-gains-federal-support-to-strip-wilderness-potential-from-montana-sites/ Wilderness status is the highest level of protection for public lands. The late Montana Senator Lee Metcalf (D) passed a 1977 bill ordering the Forest Service to consider nine areas totaling more than 973,000 acres as potential wilderness in the state.14 Feb 2026 15:31 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metdotx7mk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metcwqgjjs2dMassive data centers could more than double Montana’s electricity needs. Here’s what we know about how three are expected to impact local water supplies. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/02/12/as-ai-investors-eye-montana-for-new-data-centers-communities-brace-for-water-impacts/14 Feb 2026 15:17 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metcwqgjjs2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metcfznajs2ihttps://montanafreepress.org/2026/02/11/gianforte-knudsen-announce-state-investigation-of-city-of-helena-over-noncooperation-with-federal-immigration-agents/ Gianforte suggested that Helena appears to have violated a 2021 Montana law banning cities from giving refuge to illegal immigrants.14 Feb 2026 15:08 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metcfznajs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/evanbutte.bsky.social/post/3metccoec222j https://montanafreepress.org/2026/02/11/end-of-enhanced-obamacare-subsidies-puts-tribal-health-lifeline-at-risk/ Tribal insurance programs give Native Americans access to affordable health care when the Indian Health Service falls short. Those plans are threatened by the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.14 Feb 2026 15:06 +0000at://did:plc:p5s2orb2edyanlt54jwwboyr/app.bsky.feed.post/3metccoec222j