Author: Press Room

Texans Like Home Schooling

24 September 2021
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The number of Texas families pulling their children out of public schools and pursuing home-schooling in one week this month is five times greater than the same time period last year, the Texas Homeschool Coalition reports.

“We are literally inundated with calls and emails from thousands upon thousands of families asking how they can begin homeschooling this fall,” Tim Lambert, president of the Texas Home School Coalition, said.

“In the fall of 2020, the number of homeschooling families in Texas had nearly tripled from 4.5 percent in the spring to 12.3 percent by October, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,” the coalition reports. A conservative estimate put the number of students being home-schooled in Texas in 2020 at roughly 750,000, a state record.

Last year, the coalition saw a 400% increase in requests from parents to help them process withdrawal requests from public schools. Prior to the state shutdown, between 22,000 and 25,000 Texas students had already been withdrawn from the public school system.

TDS Starts Construction

24 September 2021
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TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS) has kicked off construction on the 500-mile fiber-to-the home network in Billings. The Madison, Wisconsin-based company was recently granted design and permit approval from the city on the network that will ultimately connect more than 40,000 homes and businesses across the community.

Billings is the first city in Montana to receive a fiber optic network.

Billings Mayor Bill Cole gave a thumbs up to TDS coming to town. “TDS is modernizing and expanding the infrastructure here and the company is bringing services that will greatly help our businesses and residences,” said Cole. “Another choice for internet, TV, and phone services is great news for our community. This fiber network will help us build an even stronger economy.” 

TDS is working with CEC Facilities Group out of Irving, Texas to construct the network. CEC has begun construction and started preparation work to place new fiber-optic cable in downtown Billings. Construction in residential neighborhoods will begin in late November.

In addition, TDS’ expansion into Billings will create new job opportunities, with new positions now posted on the company’s website.

When the fiber network is complete, TDS will deliver up to 2Gig internet speeds for businesses and residents. With speeds up to 2Gig, it’s possible to download a typical two-hour, 4K movie in under a minute. “Say hello Billings to a reliable internet network, TV, and phone services, along with amazing customer service,” said Jim Butman, president and CEO of TDS.

Montana will be the 32nd state to which TDS offers its services. 

Area residents can visit www.tdsfiber.com to register for service, monitor the progress of the build, and sign up for notifications about the new service.

TDS is one of the fastest growing technology companies in the United States. The company is building and deploying future-forward, fiber optic networks to deliver up to 2 Gigabit internet speeds to homes and up to 10 Gigabit internet speeds to businesses. The technology also powers TV entertainment, feature-rich phone plans, and VoIP solutions. TDS employs nearly 2,900 people nationwide and is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS Inc.), a Fortune 1000 company. Founded in 1969, TDS Inc. companies collectively employ 9,100 people and have approximately six million connections nationwide through business units: U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, TDS Metrocom, OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Broadband Service.

Survey Scrutinizes Public Views of Education

24 September 2021
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In a survey of public opinion about the state of education in the country conducted by EdChoice reports that only about two out of five Americans believe that K-12 education is headed in the right direction, which is actually an improvement over a 2016 survey of about 18 points. Over half say it is on the wrong track, a 10-pont decrease since the fall of 2020.

However, the opinion of parents differed from that of the general public. Their opinion that school’s are headed in the right direction (44%)   has remained steady while the opinion of the general public that it is on the wrong track declined by 10 points.

Current school parents are more pessimistic about the K-12 education than is the general public.

The type of schools children attended appeared to have an effect on parents’ perception of K-12 education. Charter school parents were more likely to be optimistic than school district and homeschooling parents.

Homeschoolers had the most negative view of the state of education. About 56 percent of Homeschoolers said that the public education was headed in the wrong direction.

The survey stated that the pandemic disrupted school enrollments and expectations. Some public schools lost large numbers of students and home schooling rates soared to new heights. 

Eighty-three percent of children were enrolled in public district schools in school year 2018–19. Less than half of that share of parents said public schools were their preferred school type. Eight percent of students were enrolled in private schools; 6 percent in public charter schools; and 3 percent were homeschooled. In comparison, 36 percent of parents ideally preferred private schooling for their children; 14 percent preferred charter schools; and 12 percent preferred homeschooling.

Homeschooling was most likely to be preferred by a lower-income parent. Middle-income parents favored private schooling notably more than other school types, and higher-income parents preferred district schools and private schools almost equally.

Parents were also asked what grade they would give their local schools. Parents were most praiseworthy of their local private schools, with 74 percent of applicable parents giving an “A” or “B.” Fifty-nine percent of applicable parents gave the same grades to charter schools, a significant jump from their 2020 results. Less than half of district or public schools received an “A” or “B,” substantially lower than last year.

The survey asked parents what was important to them in selecting a school. Parents with children in public district schools were most likely to mention location as a top priority for selecting a school, nearly twice the rate of private school parents. Socialization was the second most-cited reason parents select district schools, followed closely by noting that the school was assigned to their family.

Private school parents and charter school parents signaled that academic reputation was the most important aspect, followed by a safe environment and morals/character/values instruction. Homeschooling parents heavily valued a safe environment, with more than half of them placing it in their top three. Individualized attention was a clear second for homeschooling parents, while location and moral instruction were a tight third and fourth.

The vast majority of Americans underestimate how much money public schools spend.

The median person guessed $7,000 per student per year, while the median parent guessed $5,000. Taking into account the state where each respondent resides, 77 percent of Americans and 81 percent of school parents underestimated how much public schools actually spend, which on average approaches about $25,000 per student.

Learning loss concerns are prevalent after a school year full of disruptions and shifts back-and-forth between remote, hybrid and in-person learning. So we wanted to know how much parents were interested in supplemental or alternative education this year.

Two-fifths of parents said they were at least somewhat likely to seek tutoring for their children this year, though charter and private school parents were noticeably more likely to say they may seek tutoring.

SIA respondents were asked their opinion on school choice generally, without providing a definition. The majority of parents and the general population (60%) said they supported school choice. Seventeen percent of the general public and 13 percent of parents said they oppose it. A fifth of the general population and a quarter of parents said they had never heard of school choice.

Start-ups Companies Get Intensive Training

24 September 2021
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Five new Montana companies have been selected to participate in the 2021 Early Stage HyperAccelerator, one of which is a Billings-based Real Estate Data platform for commercial brokers and appraisers. The HyperAccelerator is a program of Early Stage Montana, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of new technology companies.

The HyperAccelerator program provides an intensive 5-day, 50-hour training program, Sept. 20-24,supported by dozens of highly successful entrepreneur trainers and mentors, aimed at helping these companies accelerate their growth and job creation potential.

The other four companies selected to be part of the program are:

-PestNotify, a Butte-based company developing an early pest monitoring selection technology allowing landlords to avoid costly bed bug outbreaks.

— Nano Magnetic Solutions, a Bozeman based technology offering a tissue-scale magnetic force application system that opens new avenues for in vitro neuroscience research

—SensorLogic, a Bozeman-based firm developing next generation snow-pack monitoring technology to better predict water availability and drought conditions

— Resilient Computing: A Bozeman-based firm creating radiation-tolerant computing solutions and building computers capable of operating in space.

On October 20, 2021 in Bozeman the five tech startups will gather at the Early Stage MT Statewide Showcase to celebrate Montana technology environment. More than 200 entrepreneurs, mentors, investors from around the country, and tech community leaders will join the event.

The startups were selected by vetting companies from throughout the state at Regional Showcase Competitions held earlier this summer in Bozeman, Missoula, and Billings. Dozens of entrepreneurs from around the state submitted applications for the regional competitions, and thirteen were chosen to present their businesses to a panel of judges. The startups who scored highest in areas such as the size of their market opportunity, the quality of the proposed solution, leadership potential, and the likelihood of creating high-quality jobs in Montana were selected to move onto the next stage to take part in the HyperAccelerator training program.

PacificSource Donates to Classic

24 September 2021
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PacificSource Health Plans has committed $15K to support the Billings Clinic Classic. This year’s Classic is dedicated to raising funds in a $3.5 million campaign to build a new and improved Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to take care of Billings Clinic’s tiniest patients and their families.

“The PacificSource Health Plans team is happy to partner with Billings Clinic and support the Billings Clinic Classic,” said Erik Wood, vice president and Montana regional director PacificSource Health Plans. “As a local company, we value that all dollars raised during the Classic stay local and support such a meaningful cause.”

A Glance at Current Economic Stats

23 September 2021
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* The producer price index increased 0.7% in August from a month ago, above the 0.6% Dow Jones estimate.

* Final demand prices rose 8.3% from a year ago, the biggest increase on record going back to 2010.

* The move showed that inflationary pressures are likely to persist.

The Federal Government infused our economic system with huge sums of cash – of “money” with no greater value than the paper it is printed upon. There is no escaping the impact of that in market activity and the perpetual process of exchanging value for value in the economy – prices increase – inflation will escalate.

Many economists attempt to redirect attention from government inflating the economy to the COVID pandemic as a significant cause, but whatever the impacts of COVID, trillions of dollars flooding the market suffices to explain all that is happening.

As its name implies, as a consequence of inflation, prices that producers got for final demand goods and services surged in August at their highest annual rate since at least 2010, according to the Labor Department.

The producer price index rose 0.7% for August, above the 0.6% Dow Jones estimate, though below the 1% increase in July.

On a year-over-year basis, the gauge rose 8.3%, which is the biggest annual increase since records have been kept going back to November 2010.

The inflation is evident in supply chain issues, a shortage of various consumer and producer goods, generated by the easy flow of cash. Federal Reserve officials say they expect inflationary pressures to ease through the year, but the fact is pressures have remained stubbornly persistent. The most recent numbers indicate that the trend will likely continue. Other economic observers say they expect the economy to “fizzle” in a gradual decline as the impacts spread throughout the system.

Excluding food, energy and trade services, final demand prices increased 0.3% for the month, below the 0.5% Dow Jones estimate. Still, that left core PPI up 6.3% from a year ago, also the largest record increase for data going back to August 2014.

Final demand services rose 0.7% for the month, thanks to a 1.5% gain in trade services, or the margins received by wholesalers and retailers. Transportation and warehousing costs surged 2.8%.

About one-third of the overall gain came from health, beauty and optical goods, which jumped 7.8%. Prices related to outpatient hospital care held back the gains, falling 1.5%.

Prices for final demand goods rose 1% for the month, pushed primarily by a 2.9% gain in foods which in turn came from an 8.5% surge in meat prices. Slaughtered poultry prices surged 11%. Prices fell for iron, steel and diesel fuel.

Montana Highlights 09-15-21

23 September 2021
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Makoshika State Park is experiencing increased visitation, according to the Montana State Park Midyear Visitation Report. According to the visitation report, Makoshika had a total of 72,650 visitors by the end of the second quarter of the year, an increase of about 24% over the same period in 2020. This is the first year the park has had a functioning water line for visitors to use.

The Women’s Business Center at Prospera Network and the Women’s Entrepreneurship & Leadership Lab received $240,000 and $125,000 respectively from Wells Fargo Bank. MoFi, a nonprofit lender, received a grant of $2.1 million earlier in the year. Wells Fargo has gifted almost $5 million in grant money to nonprofits in Montana over the past three years. The money given to the Women’s Business Center is will be used for the creation of a mentoring program. The Women’s Entrepreneurship & Leadership Lab funds will help address issues women face when starting a business. MoFi’s grant money has been put toward lending for businesses affected by the pandemic.

Ceres Bakery, owned by Hannah Bjornson and her husband Rick Grimm expanded in June by creating an indoor seating area. Ceres opened 15 years ago at 318 Main St, Kalispell. They plan to expand the menu to match the square feet expansion.

Last Call Modern Mexican, at 19 S. Willson Avenue, Bozeman, opened in July with an Baja- Style menu. Luis Valdovinos, the chef and owner has moved from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The grand opening is planned for September. The recipes reflect food he grew up eating and dishes he makes for himself at home.

The Kalispell City Council recently approved two development projects. The first was a recommendation to build a boutique hotel at the Third Street West and Main Street. The second was a conditional-use permit to build above the historic grain silos located at 505 W. Center St. These are two steps toward the current council’s goal of revitalizing downtown Kalispell.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority held an in-person conference in Lewistown recently  where discussions were held about what needs to be done to rebuild and maintain a passenger rail route through the southern tier of Montana.

The Bureau of Land Management has announced it will begin a process that will allow cancelled lease sales to be posted late this year. The framework outlined by the Bureau of Land Management includes a 30-day scoping period that will take into account comments received, ending on Oct. 1. After that, BLM will do an environmental review of the parcels for potential leasing and provide another opportunity for public comment. Following the environmental review, available parcels will be identified, along with applicable stipulations, for yet more public comment. The release states that the BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office anticipates publishing a Notice of Competitive Lease Sale later this year. The slow-walk outlined by the BLM is intended to comply with a Louisiana District Court order that said the Biden administration could not simply cancel quarterly lease sales

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A Japanese delegation is touring oilfield sites in Dickinson and visiting Medora today as part of a discussion of future investment opportunities in the state’s carbon capture and utilization goals. The delegation is interested in the continued growth and potential for carbon capture, storage and utilization in North Dakota, as well as enhanced oil recovery, use of carbon in agriculture, and the state’s hydrogen hub. Included in the discussions were several Japanese companies focused on energy.

The U.S. Forest Service is poised to begin a massive forestry project that aims to improve habitat and reduce fuels for communities in the Swan Valley. The Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface Project would cover more than 174,000 acres of the Flathead National Forest around Condon and Swan Lake. The project could last up to 15 years. The Project area is home to grizzly bears, bull trout and Canada lynx, all of which are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Madisen and Kyle Duty, owners of Huck’s Place at 217 Central Ave in Whitefish. Huck’s is billed as a ginger brew and juice bar. The Duty’s make their own beverages using plant-based ingredients such as ginger, turmeric and kale. Ginger brew is a combination of ginger, lemon, vanilla, cane sugar and water.

 Hidden Hollow Hideaway Cattle & Guest Ranch is the 2021 recipient of the Montana Leopold Conservation Award.  Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management. Sand County Foundation and American Farmland Trust present the award in Montana with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Rangeland Resources Committee. Hidden Hollow Hideaway Cattle & Guest Ranch, located near Townsend, is owned by the Flynn family. The late Kelly Flynn, who served in the Montana Legislature from 2010 to 2018, passed away earlier this year. The ranch is operated by his wife Jill Flynn and the families of their daughters, Shannon and Siobhan. The family receives $10,000 and a crystal award. Last year’s award recipient was C Lazy J Livestock, owned by Craig and Conni French of Malta in Phillips County. Bill and Dana Milton of Roundup in Musselshell County were the first recipients in 2019.

The Montana Department of Transportation announced a proposal to gravel overlay about 11.5 miles of Secondary Highway 381, southwest of Roundup in Musselshell County. Proposed work includes applying a new gravel overlay and updating signage. The project is tentatively scheduled for construction in 2022.

The Carroll Companies announced the addition of Will Peete to their Land Acquisitions Team. Peete is a JD/MBA with over 15 years of local, national, & international experience in real property, natural resources, community building, land management, and energy sectors. He grew up in North Carolina, but spent most of his career in the Rocky Mountains.  He studied at Montana State University, North Carolina State University, and Wake Forest University. Peete has over 10 years of experience with real estate due diligence, property acquisition, and management. Founded and headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, more than 30 years ago, The Carroll Companies has since grown strategically and diversified into a real estate conglomerate specializing in land development, construction, ownership, hospitality, management and publication with a total estimated valuation of over $3 billion.

California officials have agreed to pay $800,000 in prevailing-party attorneys’ fees to a popular Christian megachurch in Los Angeles after state and federal courts in California issued permanent injunctions barring government officials there from ever again imposing discriminatory restrictions on houses of worship.

This is the first year Gallatin Ice is setting up for a year-round ice rink. The first seasonal ice rink in Bozeman was founded over 40 years ago and due to the Bozeman ice community and youth programs expanding Gallatin Ice needed to campaign for a year-long ice rink, which had previously only be operational for six months a year. Gallatin Ice started a campaign where the non-profit was able to achieve half of their necessary funds to build a year-round rink. The Bozeman ice rink offers recreational hockey, live hockey, ice skating, figure skating, curling and clinics, and more.

Montana Gets Glowing Report from Labor Department

23 September 2021
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“Montana is enjoying one of the strongest economic recoveries in the nation,” announced Laurie Esau, Commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor & Industry with the release of a state of the state’s economy report.

The report shows that Montana has had the third highest recovery in payroll jobs since the start of the pandemic . Total employment is more than 99.5 percent recovered from the pandemic, and since January the number of Montanans receiving unemployment benefits has plummeted 87 percent.

The state has also had strong wage growth, growing at 7.9 percent in 2020, and the fastest personal income gains of any state in the nation.

As Labor Day rolled around in Montana, vaccinations had became available and business restrictions lifted, Montanans returned to normal business activity, and were celebrating the ability to attend restaurants, concerts, and social activities. The release of this pent-up demand, augmented by  economic stimulus, and higher income, have contributed to surging consumer demand, leaving businesses scrambling to bring on enough workers to meet customer needs. Tight labor markets, already evident prior to COVID-19, once again became the largest challenge to the state’s economic growth.

Highlights include:

•The rate of new businesses skyrocketed to the fastest rate in ten years, with over 3,500 new businesses created in 2020

.•Montana’s startups are more successful than the national average, and the pandemic had little impact on the rate of business closure for firms created within the last ten years.

•Montana has the 4th highest rate of business ownership in the nation, with 6.3% of Montana households reporting income from a business or farm.

•Montana posted the 3rd best payroll employment recovery among states since the start of the pandemic recession, and the 8th best recovery in total employment.

•The pandemic recession averaged job gains over 2,700 per month since the trough, a much faster recovery than the average of 500 jobs gained per month during the recovery from the 2008 recession.

•Both payroll and total employment levels are within 1% of the pre-recession peak.

•Montana’s real GDP growth from 2019 to 2020 ranked 20th among states, and likely made a full recovery in the 2nd quarter of 2021.

•Montana ranked 1st among states for personal income growth in 2020, growing 8.4% to $57.6 billion.

•Business owner income increased by 10%, or $506 million, bolstered by the Paycheck Protection Program and the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

•Wages paid to Montana workers surged, posting a 7.2% increase ($1.7 billion) for the year ending 2021Q1. Increased wage earnings are an important component needed to drive future business demand and are vital to increasing the standard of living for most Montanans.

•Montana ranks 8th among states for the fastest average annual wage growth over the last 10 years.

•Average annual wages in payroll jobs increased by 7.9% in 2020 (up to $48,400), over double the wage growth rates posted in prior years.

Real wage growth, or the amount of wage growth that exceeds inflation, was 6.6% in 2020

•The unemployment rate dropped quickly after the pandemic recession, reaching 3.6% in July 2021.  Prior recessions took much longer for unemployment to return to normal levels.

Labor productivity soared as workers moved into remote work, increasing by 3.9% for the year ending 2021Q1.

Despite the strong economic recovery, challenges remain, particularly labor shortages and the impacts of rising prices on businesses and workers:

Inflation has spiked, with prices increasing over 5% during the summer of 2021, leaving consumers paying more for housing and gasoline, among other goods. Over the two years ending June 2021, hourly wages have increased by 8.7% while the price level has increased by 6.1%, resulting in a 2.6% increase in the real hourly wage.

Housing prices have also risen, with Montanan’s typical home price up 10.3% to $327,000 for the year ending June 2021, leaving many communities concerned about affordable housing.

Thousands of workers left the labor force during the last year due to fears of contracting COVID-19 and a lack of childcare. These workers must be reengaged in our economy to help fill unmet worker demand. Many of these workers have already come back into the economy as of July, with the labor force only 0.5% lower than its pre-recession peak.

If Montana’s labor force participation rate was the same now as before the pandemic, 11,331 more workers would be available to fill openings.

The average work week in Montana fell during the pandemic, moving from 33.4 hours per week in 2019 to 32.8 hours per week in 2020. Moving more part-time employees to full-time could address many workforce shortages.

Over 20% of the workforce is 60 years or older and preparing for retirement. Among those not retired, family care is the main reason for not participating in the labor force.

 The report suggested, there are several solutions to the worker shortage, including increasing worker productivity through training and automation, tapping into underutilized labor sources (such as those living in rural areas or reservations, disabled, or facing barriers to work), and ensuring that workers have the incentive to move out of unemployment to work. With the resiliency and determination Montanans have shown throughout the last year, there can be no doubt that these future challenges will also be resolved, moving Montana’s economy into a more profitable future.

Majority States Say ‘No’ to President’s Vaccination Mandates

23 September 2021
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Last week, President Joe Biden announced executive orders that mandate vaccinations for the COVID virus for what is estimated to be 100 million workers in both the public and private sector. 

The backlash has been swift and strong, with people from both sides of the isle claiming the President has no authority to impose such requirements, and with promises of lawsuits, and vows to quit jobs rather than acquiesce.

Absent from the mandates are similar requirements for members of Congress, federal judges, or their staffers.

The executive mandates would require vaccination for federal employees, the military, and government contractors, and they make clear that political force will be brought to bear against private sector companies with more than 100 employees to either require vaccination of their employees or be tested weekly for the virus.

All hospitals and other medical facilities accepting government payments for Medicare and Medicaid would have to force employees to comply or lose their status to get such payments.

And, all this at a time when, in Montana, most businesses are struggling to find the labor they need and to keep it. According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, approximately 72 percent of unvaccinated American workers said they would rather quit their jobs than be forced by the government (through their employer) to get the shot.

The President’s edict stands, in direct conflict with laws and policies in many states of which Governors are vowing to push back. Should the Governors attempt to do so, however, a spokesman for the President said “President Joe Biden is willing to ‘run over’ any Republican governors who attempt to fight back against federal vaccine mandates.”

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte issued a Twitter statement saying, “President Biden’s vaccination mandate is unlawful and un-American…We are committed to protecting Montanans’ freedoms and liberties against this gross federal overreach.”

It is being predicted that President Biden will face “an avalanche of lawsuits.”

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said he will file suit as soon as the law is effective.  A surge of some 27 Republican governors, have indicated they will do likewise.

Nationally, media reports said, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, wrote in a Twitter post, “My legal team is standing by ready to file our lawsuit the minute Joe Biden files his unconstitutional rule. This gross example of federal intrusion will not stand.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, , wrote that his administration will “pursue every legal option available” in order to halt what he called a “blatantly unlawful overreach.”

The conclusion that the President lacks such authority is one with which even the President himself agreed just a few weeks ago, when his administration issued a statement saying, …issuing vaccine mandates is “not the role of the federal government.”

Convention of States Action released new polling shortly after the announcement that showed 58.6% of those surveyed “do not believe President Biden has the constitutional authority to force private businesses to require vaccine mandates for employees.”

In the same poll, 29.7% of voters said Biden does have the authority, and 11.7% are unsure. In addition, 55.5% of voters say the mandate “sets a precedent that could be abused by future presidents on other issues.”

According to U.S. Census data roughly 51%, 185,000, of Montanans work for businesses with less than 100 employees and won’t be affected by the order.

Montana Free Press reported that in its analysis of 2019 U.S. Census Bureau labor data, “there were 411 employers in Montana with more than 100 workers who would fall under the OSHA rule. Collectively, those employers had 99,564 Montanans on their payrolls.”

It is being assumed by many that the edict will push many more people into getting vaccinated. About 51 percent of Montanans have been vaccinated, at latest reports.

Predictions are that the virus is near peaking in Montana or will do so by mid-October.

To curb the spread of the virus is the reason for the mandate.  Although he said weeks ago he would not issue such a mandate, Biden has apparently changed his mind, amid constantly rising numbers of infections across the country.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services has determined that the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent infection by the Delta variant or other variants is to be vaccinated, and Biden said he is relying on “the best available data and science-based public health measures” to do so.

Apparently “government employees” does not include the 630,000 people who work for the Postal Service, a quasi-public entity. Biden specifically mentioned that the mandate does not apply to the Postal Service.

In July, The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) said, “It is not the role of the federal government to mandate vaccinations for the employees we represent.”

The federal agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be used to enforce compliance with the mandate on the private companies.

Conversations about what has to happen to implement the President’s edict indicate that it isn’t anything that is going to happen quickly. Weeks and often months are mentioned as issues regarding regulatory processes and rule making requirements. While OSHA can skip part of the process required by that agency, if it is deemed an emergency, just writing the regulation can take weeks.

According to some reports OSHA’s “emergency temporary standards” policy allows for some immediate action from the agency, under “certain limited conditions.  According to OSHA’s website, “OSHA is authorized to set emergency temporary standards that take effect immediately and are in effect until superseded by a permanent standard.”

To issue such a temporary order, OSHA “must determine that workers are in grave danger” from toxic substances or other “physically harmful” agents. If OSHA complies with the request from the president, workers in mid-sized to large firms—with more than 100 employees—will be affected.

According to the Convention of States Action poll, the governors who are pushing back have Americans’ support. The survey found 56.1% of voters “support the efforts of state governors to oppose Biden’s nationwide vaccine mandate on private businesses.” That includes 46.3% who “strongly support,” and 9.8% who “support.”

Opinions on the mandate fall largely along party lines. Nearly 80% of Republicans support the governors standing up to Biden while about 30% of Democrats feel the same way.

This poll comes on the heels of another poll released last week that showed a sharp drop in approval for Biden after the deadly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

The Economist/ YouGov poll reported last week that Biden’s approval fell to an all-time low of his presidency, with 39% of Americans approving of his job performance and 49% disapproving.

“The drop in Biden’s approval rating is most severe among Democrats,” the poll reports. “Around nine in ten of them had approved of Biden’s performance for nearly all of his first year in office. This week, Biden’s approval rating among Democrats dropped nine points to 77% from 86% last week.”

Does Biden Prefer OPEC Oil over American Oil?

23 September 2021
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By Alan Olson, Executive Director, Montana Petroleum Association

Last week as fuel prices continued to climb the White House released the following announcement: “President Biden has made clear that he wants Americans to have access to affordable and reliable energy, including at the pump. Although we are not a party to OPEC, the United States will always speak to international partners regarding issues of significance that affect our national economic and security affairs, in public and private. We are engaging with relevant OPEC+ members on the importance of competitive markets in setting prices. Competitive energy markets will ensure reliable and stable energy supplies, and OPEC+ must do more to support the recovery.”

As the Biden administration works toward driving the U. S. oil and gas industry out of existence it seems strange that President Biden would encourage foreign countries to make up the difference between the decline in American oil production and the needs affecting our national economic and security affairs.

Biden has a terrible track record when it comes to American energy security. By cancelling the Key Stone XL Pipeline, he removed 800,000 barrels of oil a day from American refineries propelling Russia into the second largest supplier of crude oil to American refineries. As exports of American natural gas to Europe were expanding, Biden removed the sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline giving the Russians the green light to push us out of European gas markets. At a time when Americans were, for all practical purposes, energy sufficient the Biden administration shuts down leasing of Federal oil and gas minerals even though less than 3% of Federal lands is under lease for oil and gas. As additional progressive liberal policies wind their way through this administration and congress it would appear the domestic petroleum industry will be sacrificed for political reasons while encouraging investment in foreign oil and gas production.

While Biden continues to hammer domestic oil and gas production how can he not understand the costs related to a declining domestic supply? How can he ask foreign producers to supply American needs while at the same time throwing American workers under the bus in the name of climate change? When have we ever seen an American President encouraging foreign companies, many of which are owned by foreign governments to compete with American companies by setting prices? Biden is right about one thing, “competitive energy markets will ensure reliable and stable energy supplies,” but let the competitive markets be domestic markets not by ham stringing American producers and then inviting foreign competition to manipulate the energy markets.