Blue Bench Podcast

The Montana Democratic Party hosted a virtual town hall last week to discuss the statewide impacts of proposed federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Democratic lawmakers and community stakeholders addressed the consequences the cuts will have on food security and access to healthcare, rural hospitals, indigenous communities, and reproductive care across the state of Montana.

On this episode of the Blue Bench Podcast, we chat with the Montana Democratic Party’s Interim Executive Director Justin Ailport. We talk about his Montana roots, what drives him, and why organizing right now matters more than ever.

The so-called Big Beautiful Bill will threaten access to health coverage for tens of thousands of Montanans in years to come. Now, Gianforte’s Department of Health and Human Services is trying to speed up the process, imposing work requirements and higher costs than the rest of the country. State Senator Cora Neumann from Bozeman sits down with us today to discuss. Join the resistance and leave public comment by Aug. 18th! LINK HERE: https://dphhs.mt.gov/1115DemonstrationWaiver/index

Jorgia and Andy rally around the cowardice of Sen. Daines, Sen. Sheehy, Rep. Zinke, and Rep. Downing - after shutting down the House to protect a pedophile, they're now appearing to skip out on town halls again. Montana Democrats are hosting their own town hall, Thursday July 31 @ 6pm - RSVP at montanademocrats.org/townhall. The two also discuss Trump's insane trade war, his "deal" with the EU, and how back to school shopping is forcing parents to pinch pennies.

The so-called Big Beautiful Bill will threaten access to health coverage for tens of thousands of Montanans in years to come. Now, Gianforte’s Department of Health and Human Services is trying to speed up the process, imposing work requirements and higher costs than the rest of the country. State Senator Cora Neumann from Bozeman sits down with us today to discuss. Join the resistance and leave public comment by Aug. 18th!

LINK HERE: https://dphhs.mt.gov/1115DemonstrationWaiver/index

On this week's episode, Jorgia and Andy dive into the topic that has the whole country tuned in: the Epstein Files. We also explain how DPHHS is trying to kick Montanans off of Medicaid a year and a half earlier than necessary, and why cuts to public media are so detrimental to a rural state like ours.

Contact DPHHS - [email protected] - Subject: HELP Demonstration Waiver

Suggested body:

DPHHS’s decision to rush a 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver is cruel, hasty, and threatens to kick 31,000 Montanans (including 4,000 kids) off of Medicaid expansion.

After the passage of the federal budget bill, you immediately jumped to implement cost-sharing and work requirements (AKA kick Montanans off their coverage), a year and a half before you’re required to do so. Federal guidance will not even be available until June 2026.

Rushing this decision will cost time, money - and potentially lives. Let’s wait for federal guidance, make a plan to keep working Montanans insured, and limit the damage done by federal Republicans.

Jorgia and Andy give a whirlwind recap of the last week in Montana politics. The two discuss the arrest of Christopher Martinez by ICE in Helena and the impact Trump's cuts to tribal colleges will have on Indigenous communities. To no one's surprise, the MTGOP is up to no good and their new chair is no role model. Also, the Held v. Montana kids are suing Donald Trump and AG Knudsen is getting in the middle of it (we think he's salty he keeps losing) - tune in now! After the passage of the Big, Ugly Bill, Montana faces a potential budget shortfall for SNAP. SNAP is a lifeline for over 80k Montanans, and 30k stand to lose their coverage in wake of these cuts. Call Governor Gianforte and demand he prioritize SNAP funding in the state budget. 406-444-3111

This week on The Blue Bench Podcast, we’re joined by special guest Representative James Reavis of Billings to break down some of the biggest vetoes from Governor Gianforte’s desk and what they mean for Montana families. We also dig into the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” and share tips on staying engaged and fired up through the summer months.

Jorgia is joined by No Time for Neutral's new co-host: Andy Nelson! The two attempt to break down Trump's Big, Ugly, No Good, Very Bad Bill. It's a HUGE piece of legislation, with cuts to healthcare, education, and clean energy. The deficit goes up, billionaires make more money, and the rest of us get left out in the cold.

A loving reminder from MDP: Take care of yourselves. Holding our delegation accountable is crucial right now, but this is a long fight. Burnout is real and we need you with us for the long haul! We recommend turning off your news notifications for a while, getting outside, and drinking a good cup of coffee.

List of rural hospitals in Montana that may close due to the budget bill:

• Northeast Montana Healthcare (Poplar, MT)
• Northeast Montana Healthcare (Wolf Point, MT)
• Big Sky Medical Center (Big Sky, MT)
• Prairie Community Hospital (Terry, MT)
• Garfield County Health Center (Jordan, MT)
• Logan Health Cut Bank (Cut Bank, MT)
• Big Horn Hospital (Hardin, MT)
• Providence St. Joseph Medical Center (Polson, MT)

On this episode, we sit down with public lands champion Land Tawney. We talk about why protecting our public lands matters, how to take meaningful action, and the power of pressuring lawmakers to put people over profit. Don’t miss this one!