Welcome to June and congratulations on making it to another Friday!   To celebrate this milestone, I have written a very special “Caught My Eye” today.

OK, it’s not that “special” but I have been surfing through the web this week looking for stories and issues to write about (or poke fun at) for this weekly column.

This week I take a look at John Edwards, Social Security and Veterans, unemployment, who has a job, my political inbox, odd news and much more.  So grab a cup of your favorite drink and take a few minutes to read your favorite Friday column! 

John Edwards:

He was “indicted on criminal charges that he broke campaign finance laws to cover up his extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter…” (MORE)

For some reason, that news made me smile.

Social Security and Veterans:

This STORY was buried in the local newspaper, but it is important.  Of course something must be done for Medicare and Social Security in the long-term.  It’s too bad some folks use these benefits as a political football and many of the groups that put on these events also have other plans (like electing people from their political party).  It was also nice that Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester sent statements to scare people into voting for them.

Unemployment:

This morning, the U.S. Department of Labor said the unemployment rate climbed to 9.1 percent in May, which was up from 9 percent in April.  It was 8.9 percent in March.  (MORE)

Whatever the Obama Administration and the Democrats are doing is not working.  To those unemployed people (like me) – keep your chin up – better days are ahead (I think).

Someone Has a Job:

The Associated Press reported yesterday that U.S. Senate candidate Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) has hired his friend and long-time staffer, Erik Iverson, to run his 2012 Senate campaign.  Rehberg is challenging first-term Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

Many GOP insiders told me that they felt Iverson would be running for the U.S. House when Rehberg decided to move on or run for another seat, but that the Rehberg “cartel” that runs the GOP in Montana must have felt that GOP candidate Steve Daines could actually win the open U.S. House seat. 

Some right-leaning friends of mine said it was a given that Rehberg would have Iverson run his campaign.  Others said Iverson was the “second best choice” for the job…

The Political Inbox:

About every week I take a look at some of the political e-mails I receive here at the Headquarters of The Western Word.  Of course, I have to poke fun at a few of them.  You can send me rumors, e-mails, or best wishes to my e-mail address listed at the top right of this website (under my photo).

-The Rick Hill for Governor Campaign sent an e-mail with the subject “Montana Potential” in which he talks about “Are you better off than you were ten years ago? This is a question that I routinely ask business owner and employees as I visit different communities around the state. And the answer is almost always no.”

I also received a “one-page” letter in the mail from the Hill campaign the other day, too.  Smart campaigning –one pagers – kept my attention. 

-The Montana GOP sent their E-Brief this week telling me, “Our convention is overflowing! Republicans all over Montana are flocking to Butte for the 2011 convention, where Denny Rehberg, Steve Daines, and the Gubernatorial candidates will give us a glimpse of the exciting things to come in 2012.”

I was hoping they were offering me a keynote speakers’ spot and a free room with meals…as I can speak about unemployment, politics, back-stabbing, the military, etc.

-President Barack Obama sent me an e-mail with the subject “Tap” in which he wrote, “Someone is about to tap you on the shoulder. It’s someone who’s already made a donation to the 2012 campaign — and who’s willing to give again if you’ll step up and take ownership of it, too. They’ve made a promise to match your first donation to this campaign, so if you decide to give $5 now, you’ll double your impact. Will you?”

Sorry Mr. President, but no I can’t. 

-The Montana Democratic Party sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Congressman Rehberg Endorses Plan to End Medicare as We Know it” where they say “Congressman Rehberg Endorses Plan to End Medicare as We Know it”

Next week we’ll hear that Rehberg wants to take away our birthday…

-The Jon Tester campaign sent an e-mail with the subject “Straight talk on Medicare” where he writes, “Here’s the thing you need to know about Medicare.  There are folks in Washington who don’t like it.  Since Medicare began, they have been trying to foul it up, gut it or eliminate it altogether.  In the past, these voices were on the fringes of the debate — now they are at the center.”

Of course, Tester also writes “Please click here to stand with me and stand for Medicare by making a contribution of $5 or more.”

Scaring older folks with e-mails like this is an example of how politics has gone down the toilet. Raising money off it is pretty low, too.

Followers:

You should really be following The Western Word (@TheWesternWord).  We have more followers than MT Attorney General Steve Bullock (@AGSteveBullock), Rick Hill for Governor (@RickHill2012). Steve Daines for House (@DainesforHouse), Denny Rehberg for Senate (@Rehberg2012) and many of the TV, radio, and print reporters across the state!

Tell your friends to follow The Western Word!

Springboard or High Dive?

“Police in Florida said an officer interrupted a couple having late-night sex on a diving board located more than 30 feet above a public pool.”  “…workers used bleach to clean the diving board before the pool opened Thursday morning.”  (MORE)

Rats on a plane:

“Rats found on a Qantas plane shortly before takeoff forced the plane to be grounded for more than a day.”  (MORE)

One more thing to worry about.

Watch Out:

Schools out for summer!  Enjoy this song.  By the way, don’t forget to stretch…