Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t. ― Margaret Thatcher

Today’s quick hits deal with these important subjects:

*Montana Delegation Responds
*The Trump Address
*Public Opinion on Guns

MONTANA DELEGATION RESPONDS:

Lee Newspapers obtained responses from Governor Steve Bullock (D), U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D), U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R), and U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte (R) about the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

I posted the link to the story on Twitter and put the hashtag #Yawn on it, because that is what it is: boring. The Lee Newspapers story could have been written five years ago with the same comments and just different cities inserted in the story.

The Democrats (Bullock and Tester) in the story have managed to navigate the dangerous waters of the second amendment and win elections in gun-toting drunk-driver rich Montana. The Republicans in the story (Daines and Gianforte) are all-in for the second amendment and nobody will take your guns when they are on watch.

Of course, Bullock, Daines, and Gianforte are all running for reelection or for another office, so getting anything out of them substantial would be like pulling teeth.

Tester said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should call the Senate back from August recess to address bipartisan background check legislation. Fat chance. McConnell wants his people up for reelection in 2020 out and about raising money and campaigning. Keeping the Senate in Republican hands is his top job, so stay on the farm, Jon.

As for Daines, he gave the typical line, “I stand strongly in protecting and defending the Second Amendment and Montanans’ constitutional right to bear arms.” Daines would not want to piss off the NRA or other pro-gun groups this close to Election Day.

So with another two mass shootings in the books, we can be sure that our Montana delegation will lead from the back and do little.

Besides, there’s an election to win and they would not want to jeopardize their reelection by standing up for something controversial.

THE TRUMP ADDRESS:

President Donald Trump took to the airways Monday morning to address the nation about the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

Let me just say that reading is not one of Trump’s strongest skills. Trump started with the standard shock, horror, and sorrow line. He added a line about the First Lady and him joining all Americans in praying and grieving for the victims, their families, and the survivors.

One part of his speech struck me as interesting. Trump said, “We must recognize that the Internet has provided a dangerous avenue to radicalize disturbed minds and perform demented acts.” He then added, “The perils of the Internet and social media cannot be ignored, and they will not be ignored.”

I think Trump’s hateful tweets have encouraged some of these people to come out from their parent’s basement and spew hatred and others to act on the hatred they have toward people who are not white.

Trump’s address to the nation was just a normal “fill in the box” exercise as it will be when he travels to these cities. I find it hard to believe he is sincere.

Another reason I find it hard to believe that Trump and his administration is sincere is when I heard his closing paragraph, “May God bless the memory of those who perished in Toledo.”

The shooting occurred in Dayton, not Toledo.

Sadly, it was a Ron Burgundy moment. I imagine Corporal Klinger from M*A*S*H is pissed about the Toledo reference.

You can read the remarks from President Trump by clicking HERE.

PUBLIC OPINION ON GUNS:

Gallup Polling recently posted links about key data on gun violence and gun policy. In my review of the data, there are areas where Republicans and Democrats can agree on gun issues.

Check out the data from Gallup by clicking HERE.

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