Common sense is not a gift it’s a punishment because you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it. – Unknown

Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:

• General Election Ballots
• Amy Coney Barrett
• NBA Bubble Champions
• One More Thing

GENERAL ELECTION BALLOTS:

The Trump campaign, the Montana Republican Party, and other Republicans did not want me to receive my ballots via the U.S. Mail (like I have for years), but on Saturday the ballots for my family were safely delivered to my address in Great Falls.

So take your lawsuits and shove them, Donald Trump, and all the other Republicans who wanted to make it harder for me to vote.

Thank you U.S. Supreme Court for upholding my rights.

One thing that the Republicans wanting to suppress my vote did was make it easier to decide who will get my vote.

AMY CONEY BARRETT:

Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett are set to begin today (Monday).

I’m sure the cable news channel that fits your political views will be covering the event!

I was able to find a link to her opening statement. You can read it HERE.

The Associated Press is reporting that Barrett is the most openly anti-abortion Supreme Court nominee in decades and her vote could provide a majority to restrict if not overturn abortion rights.

As I have said before, Democrats don’t have the votes to stop her from being confirmed. I suspect they will try to delay the confirmation. I suggest they behave as the bigger prize for them is winning the presidency in November and possibly gaining a majority in the U.S. Senate. They don’t want to be seen as attacking Barrett.

As for Barrett, she will need to do what many others have done in her position, not answer questions because, you know, there could be a case about the issue come before her in the future…

The spotlight will also be on two senators. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will chair the hearing. He is in a tight race for reelection and will need to show some leadership and guide the confirmation to a successful ending.

The other U.S. Senator is Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris. She will be watched closely and her questions will be scrutinized. She will need to act vice-presidential while she grills the nominee.

The process is scheduled to last four days in the Judiciary Committee. It starts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time each day.

NBA BUBBLE CHAMPIONS:

In normal years, the NBA champion would be crowned in June. With COVID-19, here we are crowning one in October when the new season should be starting.

The Los Angeles Lakers are NBA Champions for 2020.

The teams played inside an “NBA Bubble” also referred to as the Disney Bubble or Orlando Bubble was the isolation zone at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, that was created by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to protect its players from the COVID-19 pandemic during the final eight games of the 2019–20 regular season and throughout the 2020 NBA playoffs. Twenty-two of the thirty NBA teams were invited to participate, with games being held behind closed doors at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the teams staying at Disney World hotels. (Wiki)

Some people talked about the sacrifices made by the players in the bubble. These are multi-millionaires being coddled at a resort in Florida, so spare me the pity talk. Talk to members of the military about sacrifice and get back to me.

Finally, LeBron James was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP). In his speech, he said:

“Our organization wants their respect. Laker Nation wants their respect. And I want my damn respect, too.”

Sorry, LeBron. Not yet.

James is still two championships behind Michael Jordan, so he can’t be mentioned in the same sentence with MJ just yet. My top five NBA players are Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Larry Bird.

James is slowly making his way into my top 10.

ONE MORE THING:

It is hard to imagine, but my Kansas City Chiefs lost their first game in 336 days on Sunday to the Las Vegas Raiders. The score was 40-32.

The Chiefs still lead the AFC West with a 4-1 record.

Next up is the Buffalo Bills. The game was supposed to be played on Thursday, but with COVID-19 changing everything, the game is now scheduled for Monday, October 19, at 3:00 p.m. Montana time.

This will give the Chiefs some extra time to be ticked off about losing to the Raiders.

## VOTE ##