Nearly 1,000 political scientists from across the U.S., including Montana, have signed a statement expressing concerns about the Trump administration’s impact on American democracy. The letter highlights six specific concerns, including the administration’s actions to cancel spending approved by Congress.
Montana State University Professor of Political Science Sara Rushing emphasized that while cutting expenses may be a good business strategy, democracy is not a business. She pointed out the importance of checks and balances in democratic processes and urged fellow political scientists not to be neutral when it comes to defending democratic procedures and stakes.
In response, the White House stated that it is ensuring federal agencies are accountable to the American people as required by the Constitution. However, more than 29 percent of Montana’s land base is public land managed by federal agencies, and recent federal cuts have directly impacted former agency employees.
Rushing expressed concern that the government’s focus on efficiency could harm systems that protect public lands, such as Yellowstone. A 2024 University of Montana survey found that 95 percent of Montanans visited national public lands in the past year, emphasizing the importance of protecting these natural resources.
The article was supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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