Remember, when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It is only painful for others. The same applies when you are stupid. ― Ricky Gervais

Welcome to another exciting edition of Caught My Eye (CME).

Watch out, today is Friday, the 13th of November! It’s also still 2020. 

CME is the once a week column that is posted every Friday morning. This is when I take a look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week.

Here are the topics that “Caught My Eye” this week:

• COVID-19 & Montana
• Bullock & Interior
• Gianforte & Corrections
• Million MAGA March
• One More Thing

COVID-19 & MONTANA:

Montana Governor Steve Bullock held a news conference on Thursday about the COVID-19 pandemic. A friend missed the press conference and asked me what happened. I said, “Bullock blamed the feds.”

The Associated Press (AP) reported it this way:

As Montana’s COVID-19 case toll continues to mount, Gov. Steve Bullock said Thursday he is wary of imposing stricter statewide restrictions to limit the spread of the virus without additional federal aid to unemployed individuals and small businesses.

I am not sure what points Bullock tried to make, but the only thing he said was he did not want to close down the state because the businesses would not get relief for being shut down.

In my humble opinion, to save Montana from more death and sickness Bullock needs to shut down the state for about a month. He has nothing to lose.

When Republican Greg Gianforte takes over in January, I look to see him take an approach similar to Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota.

This is what CNN reported:

In October, she [Noem] wrote in an op-ed that the government should not mandate a mask requirement. “As I’ve said before, if folks want to wear a mask, they should be free to do so,” she wrote. “Similarly, those who don’t want to wear a mask shouldn’t be shamed into wearing one.”

CNN added that South Dakota is second to North Dakota in the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

In other words, it may be a survival of the fittest. Montana may end up looking like an episode of The Walking Dead, but we’ll still have our freedom!

BULLOCK & INTERIOR:

Several sources are reporting that Montana Governor Steve Bullock is being considered by the incoming Biden Administration to be the Secretary of Interior.

Maybe a selling point is the campaign commercial where Bullock yells, “And you know what is great? Every one of us owns these public lands.”

Former Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke was tapped by President Trump to lead the Department of Interior in 2017-2019. That did not go well. NPR reported:

Zinke’s departure comes after a tumultuous two years at the department, marked by mounting allegations of misconduct in office. He also faced the prospect of congressional probes after newly elected Democrats take majority control of the House.

Zinke did ride a horse to work the first day, so there’s that.

Just recently Zinke was in the news again. Zinke may still be in some trouble once the Biden Administration takes over in late January.

GIANFORTE & CORRECTIONS:

Thursday afternoon the Great Falls Tribune reported that Governor-elect Greg Gianforte announced a transition advisory team for the Department of Corrections, charging it with helping him find a new director, saying the agency has been mismanaged.

I checked over the names on the advisory team and this could get interesting. There are a couple of people listed that the most dangerous place to be is between them and a camera. In other words, they like attention.

I did not see any names of people who had spent time incarcerated in the Montana Prison system. They would have a different perspective.

The Tribune also reported that members serve in a voluntary capacity and are not compensated for their time. I’m sure the man who spent over $7 million of his own money to win the governor’s race will at least supply coffee and donuts.

MILLION MAGA MARCH:

This Saturday there’s a “Million MAGA March” scheduled in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Post reports:

Demonstrations in support of President Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the presidential election will descend on downtown Washington this weekend. The events have been promoted by far-right media personalities, white nationalists and conspiracy theorists — several of whom announced plans to attend.

In other words, typical Trump voters will be attending.

After it’s over, I’m sure Trump will have his press secretary come out and say something like, “This was the largest MAGA rally, period.”

ONE MORE THING:

Don’t forget to stretch…

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