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By Kathleen Shannon - Producer, Contact - News

Big Sky Connection - About 1,000 political scientists across the U.S. are voicing their concerns in a joint statement about threats to American government and democracy from actions by the Trump administration. One signee from Montana says pushes for government "efficiency" could lead to the privatization of federal public lands in the state. Comments by Sara Rushing, professor, Department of Political Science, Montana State University.

Click on the image above for the audio.  One of several major concerns expressed in a statement signed by nearly 1,000 American political scientists is the Trump administration's transferal of some federal responsibilities to people who are "operating in secrecy, have sworn no oath to uphold the Constitution, and are not subject to federal privacy laws." (Adobe Stock)

Kathleen Shannon

March 10, 2025 - Nearly 1,000 political scientists from across the U.S., including Montana, have signed a statement expressing how they feel the Trump administration's actions are threatening American democracy.

The letter, signed by experts at colleges and universities in both red and blue states, highlights six specific concerns. They include the administration's actions to cancel spending approved by Congress.

Montana State University Professor of Political Science Sara Rushing noted that while cutting expenses may be a good business strategy, democracy is not a business.

That's why, she said, there are checks and balances.

"We have these procedures and practices built in to slow things down, build consensus, abide by processes, and make sure that things are fair and transparent," said Rushing. "Efficiency has never been the preeminent value of democracy."

She encouraged her fellow political scientists not to strike a tone of neutrality because, as she put it, democratic procedures and stakes "shouldn't be up for debate."

In defense of its actions, the White House says it's ensuring all federal agencies are accountable to the American people, as required by the Constitution.

More than 29% of Montana's land base is public land managed by federal agencies.

Montanans who previously worked for those agencies were some of the first to be directly affected by federal cuts, after an initial round of firings in mid-February.

Rushing said she worries the government's commitment to efficiency will "break" the systems that protect public lands.

"So, you can break Yellowstone and make it function terribly," said Rushing, "and then you can make an argument for privatizing it and running it like a business. And that would be a massive loss - not just to Montanans, but to Americans as a whole."

According to a 2024 University of Montana survey, 95% of Montanans said they visited national public lands in the past year, and about half of those said they paid more than ten visits.

Support for this reporting was provided by Carnegie Corporation of New York.