It’s strange how common sense isn’t that common anymore. – Unknown

Tuesday’s Quick Hits is the column where I post a short narrative from recent major stories and provide brief commentary.

Today’s quick hits deal with these important subjects:

• Great Falls Public Schools
• Dixville Notch
• Gallup Polling

GREAT FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

The Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS) are back in session today (Tuesday) after a handwritten note was found on an elementary school early Monday morning. The note stated that an explosive device had been planted in several Great Falls schools.

The Great Falls Police Department along with the Superintendent of GFPS held a press conference at 2:30 p.m. The press conference was covered by much of the local media.

The best information to come from the press conference was that the schools had been searched and cleared by 2:30 p.m. The other piece of information was that the students would probably not have to make up the missed day.

One again the local media’s performance was underwhelming at a press conference. They seem to be afraid to ask tough questions. They should respectively push the envelope a little and although a police officer says they won’t be sharing more details of the investigation, the reporters there should push them a little. Make them say they won’t answer a question.

The public has a right to know much more. It’s the local media who must push to get that information. Do your jobs!

DIXVILLE NOTCH:

The Hill reported that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pulled out a win early Tuesday in the small New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch, the first community to cast ballots in the New Hampshire presidential primary.

There were five votes cast and Bloomberg received three. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders received one, as did former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

We’ll find out tonight (hopefully) who wins the first primary!

GALLUP POLLING:

Gallup released a new poll this morning about voter preferences. Here is one interesting part:

Just one group tested — socialists — receives majority opposition. Less than half of Americans, 45%, say they would vote for a socialist for president, while 53% say they would not.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders calls himself a Democratic Socialist. I’m not sure that everyone understands what a Democratic Socialist is, but I think the word “Socialist” could cause Sanders some problems if he is the Democratic Party nominee.

Wikipedia defines Democratic Socialism this way:

Democratic socialism is a political philosophy that advocates for political democracy alongside a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on workers’ self-management and democratic control of economic institutions within a market socialist economy or some form of a decentralised planned socialist economy.

The Gallup Poll also reported:

More than nine in 10 Americans say they would vote for a presidential candidate nominated by their party who happened to be black, Catholic, Hispanic, Jewish or a woman. Such willingness drops to eight in 10 for candidates who are evangelical Christians or are gays or lesbians. Between six and seven in 10 would vote for someone who is under 40 years of age, over 70, a Muslim or an atheist.

There will be just a handful of states (battleground states) that will be in play come November. Some experts contend that Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida will be the key states in determining the next president. I still think Ohio will play a big part.

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