I happened to see (I think I was the first to Tweet about it) that the office of Senator Max Baucus had issued a press release dated yesterday (Wednesday, August 3, 2011) about “good-paying jobs” and a new mission for the Montana Air National Guard called “Target Production Group.”

By the way, Senator Jon Tester had his name thrown on to the press release because, after all, he is in a tight re-election bid and he needs to one-up Congressman Denny Rehberg when he can.  Rehberg will probably be Tester’s opponent in November 2012.  Tester was also allowed to put a copy of the press release on his website today. It’s all politics all the time.

When a politician uses most of the space on a press release listing what they had done in the past, which has basically nothing to do with the meat of the press release, you know they are in over their head.  One of my friends said, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile” when he read the press release from Baucus.

The press release from Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer (issued today) went into more detail about the mission.  You can read it HERE.  Sadly, it appears he’s given up on keeping the F-15s in Montana, too.

Max Baucus has kind of worn out the phrase, “good-paying jobs” over the past years with few “good-paying jobs” to show for his 30+ years in Washington.  If you don’t believe that he uses this phrase, check his press releases and watch some of his fake television interviews and you will see the most famous words in the Baucus camp jump right out at you.  Someone joked that he probably used that phrase in his marriage ceremony this summer because he had his press office write his vows.

Don’t get me wrong, any job addition to the Montana landscape is pretty much welcome, but apparently the new mission that brings these “good-paying jobs” does not include keeping or enhancing the present jet fighter mission.

Apparently the Target Production Group mission was pretty much already decided to be brought to Montana months ago (see this letter PDF) too.  It would be nice to see the Montana Air Guard get a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Squadron, too.  But it would be even better if the F-15s stayed in Montana along with these new missions.

For those interested, and the main reason for writing this column this afternoon, the National Guard Bureau is conducting the second (of two) scoping meetings tonight in California to solicit public input concerning the proposal to change the Fresno Air Guard from F-16s to F-15s (Montana’s F-15s).   It would have been nice if a Montana elected official attended at least one of these meetings and “made some news” (maybe throw a trash can across the room and act angry) about why this is a terrible plan.

This would be better than doing fundraisers during the August recess.

If someone does happen to attend, send me the photos of you throwing the trash can across the room in anger…

The Montana Air National Guard has had jets since about 1947.  It’s a freaking Fighter Wing.  It should stay that way and the Congressional delegation and supporters should settle for nothing less. Nothing less.