My Kind of Democrat, My Kind of State

From the Western Democrat

Montana's governor is pushing Republican Senator, Conrad Burns to oppose renewing the Patriot Act, saying the measure intended to help in the war on terror goes against what the vast majority of Montanans believe.

"Montana values are not neighbors spying on neighbors," Schweitzer, a Democrat, said Wednesday.

Burns, however, said he supports the act and indicated he expects to vote for renewing it.

Schweitzer said contempt for the act is widespread in Montana. The 2005 Legislature overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing parts of the act as an invasion of privacy, and a number of cities and counties across the state have passed similar resolutions -- some of which call for prohibiting local officers from helping enforce provisions of the act.