A podcast about what’s driving Montana’s 2020 elections, and where the outcomes could lead us. If you’ve turned on the TV in Montana recently, you’ve probably been bombarded with advertisements propping up or tearing down candidates for political office. Each contender claims they’re the best choice to uphold “Montana values.” But what does that mean? Who is that promise for? And how do those unspoken values shape Montana’s politics? In the new podcast Shared State, Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio will bring listeners along for a deeper look at the most important issues on the ballot. The nine-episode series debuts Sept. 8, 2020 and will culminate just before Election Day. Listen on air Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. on Montana Public Radio or Thursdays at 6 p.m. on Yellowstone Public Radio.
Speak with 'Shared State' creators about reporting on conflicts and their resolution in the current political climate
Join the Shared State podcast team for a Q&A. Bring your questions about the podcast, the current political climate in Montana or whatever else you’d like to know. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
3/17/2022 • 29 seconds
Political feuds don’t take vacations
In the summer of 2021, Livingston residents Kascie and Dan were preparing for a wilderness float trip in Idaho. Before heading to the river and leaving cell service behind, they stocked up on supplies at Dan Bailey’s, an outdoor gear shop. What happened there was caught on video and viewed millions of times. It ignited a political firestorm across the country. That conflict just kept spiraling, providing one example of how today’s political disagreements can have far-flung consequences.
3/7/2022 • 26 minutes, 37 seconds
Water is for fighting
By October 2021, all of Montana was in severe drought — the worst the state had seen in decades. But Montana has seen bad dry spells before, forcing ranchers, farmers, conservationists and recreators to confront a collective dilemma: When water is in short supply, how can there be enough for everyone?
3/7/2022 • 29 minutes, 15 seconds
Who decides the future of the Badger-Two Medicine?
For many Montanans, the Badger-Two Medicine is synonymous with one of the most significant grassroots conservation successes in recent decades. That story is about Blackfeet tribal traditionalists, political leaders, and conservation groups coming together to defeat oil and gas leases in one undeveloped expanse of wilderness in Montana. Now, the coalition faces thorny questions — what does long-term protection and management of the Badger look like, and who gets to decide?
3/7/2022 • 29 minutes, 5 seconds
Surviving pandemic strife
It’s not surprising for Montanans to have plenty of political disagreements. What’s more uncommon? Neighbors whispering about each other at grocery stores and disrupting entire public meetings with passionate tirades. Welcome to the era of COVID-19, when debates about public health, personal liberties and science have reached a fever pitch. Those disagreements are tugging at tightly-knit towns and counties, making some residents wonder how their communities will survive in more ways than one.
3/7/2022 • 27 minutes, 40 seconds
Popularity’s slippery slope
Whitefish has a reputation as a charming ski destination in Montana’s northwest corner that welcomes wayward strays, whether that’s for a season or a lifetime. That attitude has helped grow small businesses and local watering holes, and keep friendly faces on the slopes and behind the bar. But in recent years, more and more people have been drawn to the good thing Whitefish has going on. Locals fear that surging popularity — and skyrocketing cost of living — could push out the very characters that make this place so special.
3/7/2022 • 29 minutes, 13 seconds
Bozeman is in a housing death spiral. Can local politics fix anything?
For decades, housing affordability has been a hot-button issue in Bozeman politics, a clear community pain point where the city’s elected leaders haven’t managed to deliver significant relief. As insider and outsider candidates campaigned for city offices in 2021, housing policy became the election’s key issue. The solution, some residents argued, was to elect working-class advocates to positions of power. Key to getting the job done, others countered, is experienced, incumbent leadership.
3/7/2022 • 28 minutes
Colstrip’s next chapter
Residents of Colstrip — a town that has grown and prospered because of coal — fear that any bad news for the industry will be even worse for them. Up against shifting markets and corporate interests, how can Colstrip's advocates ensure future stability for its residents?
3/7/2022 • 28 minutes, 58 seconds
The politics of death and dying
In 2009, Montana was caught up in a heated national debate over whether terminally ill patients could expedite their deaths by taking lethal, physician-prescribed medication. More than a decade later, the state is still mired in disagreement about medical aid in dying, in part because courts and elected lawmakers have sidestepped the political hot-potato. Meanwhile, individual Montanans are confronting profound and personal questions about death in their own ways — including whether “good” deaths are even possible.
3/7/2022 • 30 minutes, 11 seconds
Shared State Episode 10: Where Do We Go From Here?
The 2020 election is over in Montana. Who won, what do the results say about Montana, and where are we headed?
11/6/2020 • 30 minutes, 1 second
Shared State Episode 09: For This And Future Generations
What can we learn from the ways political corruption shaped Montana's past? And how can we keep up with all the special interests trying to influence voters today?
10/27/2020 • 27 minutes, 24 seconds
Shared State Episode 08: To Secure The Blessings Of Liberty
Montana’s mask mandate was put into effect for the health of everybody in the state, collectively. But those mask protests are all about the rights of solitary citizens. Beneath the surface of this conflict, there are competing ideas about the role of the individual in society as a whole. That tension plays out in Montana politics in all kinds of ways. When we vote for candidates this fall, we’re also casting our ballots for particular ideas about how government should impact peoples’ lives.
10/20/2020 • 28 minutes, 34 seconds
Shared State Episode 07: Equality Of Opportunity
For the first time, almost every county in Montana is using all-mail in ballots this election season. Voters can still drop off their ballots in person if they want. But experts say mailing ballots is the best way to make the election accessible during the pandemic. This new system is bringing with it all kinds of uncertainties about logistics, reliability and the timeframe of the results. Still, election officials are trying to figure out how to make it work for everybody.
10/13/2020 • 29 minutes, 23 seconds
Shared State Episode 06: Desiring To Improve The Quality Of Life
Individually, our decisions about where to live and what to do for work shape our lives profoundly. The way Montanans answer those questions collectively, quite literally defines the future of our state. Montana has plenty of selling points. Whether you're a fifth generation resident or a new arrival who's lived here six months. But the limits of our rural economy, like lower wages and fewer jobs in specialized fields, are also downsides. This state of ours is a great place to live. But it can be a hard place to make a living. And of course, if you're a politician looking for votes, that's a natural thing to campaign on.
10/6/2020 • 29 minutes, 8 seconds
Shared State Episode 05: The Grandeur Of Our Mountains And The Vastness Of Our Rolling Plains
National parks, jagged peaks, sprawling forests; Montana is home to more than 30 million acres of public land. Our shared lands are beloved by many Montanans, and a huge draw for tourists from around the world. But just because those lands exist doesn’t mean people can actually get to them. When public land and private property collide, real conflicts over access arise. And that’s a sticking point in this year’s race for governor.
9/29/2020 • 26 minutes, 46 seconds
Shared State Episode 04: The Quiet Beauty Of Our State
Talking about Montana's environment, our public lands and waterways, is one of the fastest ways for politicians to gain credibility here. After all, about a third of the land in this state belongs to you and me. Big, sprawling swaths of natural beauty are a defining feature of Montana. So much so, the preamble to the Constitution goes on at length about the state's landscape. The quiet beauty of our state. The grandeur of our mountains. The vastness of our rolling plains.
9/22/2020 • 29 minutes, 35 seconds
Shared State Episode 03: Grateful To God
Delegates included a nod to religion when they wrote Montana’s constitutional preamble. Decades later, ideas about God, faith and morality continue to influence how lawmakers approach policy issues. Specifically: access to abortion and civil rights for LGBTQ people.
9/15/2020 • 29 minutes, 17 seconds
Shared State Episode 02: 'We The People Of Montana'
When we say "We the people of Montana," who do we really mean? Who’s included, who’s left out, and what’s that mean this November? Listen now on Shared State, a podcast about what's driving Montana's 2020 elections and where the outcomes could lead us.
9/10/2020 • 22 minutes, 7 seconds
Shared State Episode 01: Preamble
In case you haven't been turning on the TV or opening the paper, we're in the thick of campaign season and there are big, competitive races up and down the ticket, some of which could flip the governor's office red or turn our whole congressional delegation blue. Money is pouring into these races from around the country, and the stakes are high.
9/8/2020 • 25 minutes, 1 second
Coming Soon: 'Shared State'
If you’ve turned on the TV in Montana recently, you’ve probably been bombarded with advertisements propping up — or tearing down — candidates for political office. Each contender claims they’re the best choice to uphold “Montana values.”
