The Wednesday Read: Alabama, Noel Tree, Gillibrand, Trump, & Daines

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Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting. – Napoleon Hill

Today’s commentary deals with:

  • Alabama Special Senate Election
  • Noel Tree Update
  • Gillibrand, Trump, & Daines

Sweet Home Alabama:

Democrat Doug Jones is the projected winner over Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by current Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (Jeff Sessions).

This morning, CNN shows Jones winning by about 21,000 votes. Jones leads 49.9% to Moore’s 48.4%.

I predicted Moore would win. I guess Moore being accused of being a pedophile and serial sexual harasser was a little more than voters in Alabama could stomach. Good for them.

Since Jones won, it removes a lot of problems for the Republican leaders in the Senate. One problem that won’t go away is the endorsements that Moore received from religious leaders and other prominent officials. These people will have to live with the fact they endorsed Moore.

President Donald Trump endorsed Moore after he endorsed Moore’s Republican opponent (Luther Strange) in the primary. That means Trump is a two-time loser.

Is this victory by Democrats the start of a wave of wins? Maybe so.

Roy Moore should now just fade away. I doubt he will because Jones will have to run for reelection in 2020.

Noel Tree Update:

On Monday I wrote about my displeasure with the Noel Tree north of Great Falls on Interstate 15 being chopped down and the bureaucracy surrounding planting a new tree.

There’s some good news. The Great Falls Tribune is reporting this morning that the problem has been solved (or soon will be):

Larry Blanchard is the sales manager at XB Trailer Sales between Interstate 15 and the frontage road near the Manchester Exit. He’s teaming up with Steven Tilleraas of Tilleraas Landscape & Nursery, who is donating the replacement tree. They’re splitting the labor and expect to plant the tree soon, perhaps even this week.

Applause to Blanchard and Tilleraas for making this Christmas a little more special for many. Also, applause to the Great Falls Tribune for publicizing this issue.

Kirsten Gillibrand:

President Donald Trump sent a tweet about U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) yesterday that was cheap and disrespectful:

Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office “begging” for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!

Since Trump has come along, our politics have gone even further into the gutter. I thought we were at an all-time low when people went after President Obama. During the Obama years, many people showed that they were not all that ready for a black President.

One good thing I learned during the Trump tweet backlash:

Gillibrand was at a bipartisan Bible study in the office of Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., when she stepped out to take a call alerting her to Trump’s tweet.

I do know that bipartisan Bible studies have been taking place in the Senate for several years. It’s good to see that it continues today. Senators should get all the help that they can.

Maybe Daines can tell his pal Trump to be just a little kinder…

##MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS##

2 thoughts on “The Wednesday Read: Alabama, Noel Tree, Gillibrand, Trump, & Daines”

  1. Mitch McConnell decided to take no action (abandon his Constitutional obligation) for 300 days on a qualified SCOTUS nominee, saying let the people decide the Presidential election.

    Scott Brown was sworn in 16 days after the 2010 special election. But no major votes occurred in that period. “We’re going to wait until the new senator arrives until we do anything more on health care," Harry Reid said the day after Brown was elected.— Matt Viser (@mviser) December 13, 2017

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    What will McConnell do about the Tax Plan votes with regard to seating Jones in a timely manner?
    What will that lipless wonder do in the name of craven partisan power?

    • Doug – Sounds like he will wait until after the first of the year to seat Jones. The results won’t be certified until Dec. 22 or maybe Dec 26. They have to be certified by Jan. 3. Since the Alabama SoS is a Republican, he will work with McConnell. As they say in Washington, it sucks to be in the minority.
      Here is the link to the Alabama Senate Special Election calendar.

      Click to access AdminCalendar-2017SpecialElection-US_Senate.pdf

      Thanks – JmB

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