The Wednesday Read

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It’s amazing how badly we’re screwing up the apocalypse on the “easy” setting. We’re clearly not ready for zombies or aliens. –Pinterest

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

  • Montana Legislature
  • Denise Juneau
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • When is the Presidential Election Over?
  • Fort Hood, Texas
  • One More Thing

MONTANA LEGISLATURE:

The circus is getting an early start this season…

Lee Newspapers is reporting that Montana Republicans in the House on Tuesday approved amendments to their rules that would make it possible for committee chairs to kill bills through inaction, though committees themselves could overturn that with a majority vote.

The Republicans have enormous power since they will control the State House, State Senate, and the Governor is a Republican. Often the political parties who have so much power find ways to screw it up. It’s like they form circular firing squads and take each other out.

As I have written before, the 2021 Montana Legislature should wait until later in the year to meet when, hopefully, the pandemic is under control. The Republicans will still have as much power in July as they do in January. It seems they just can’t wait to screw with our lives.

There’s more to the Lee Newspapers story that shows this session may have the most clowns ever! Read it HERE.

DENISE JUNEAU:

The Associated Press is reporting that Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau said Tuesday she will resign when her contract ends in June. Her announcement Tuesday follows the local NAACP’s call for her termination and Seattle School Board President Chandra Hampson saying she didn’t expect Juneau had sufficient votes to support a contract renewal.

According to the AP, Juneau is the first Native American superintendent in Seattle’s history. Montanans may remember that Juneau was Montana’s superintendent of public instruction from 2008-2016.

I can think of a few jobs for Juneau back here in Montana…

U.S. SUPREME COURT:

Oh, the heartbreak Trump supporters must be feeling…

The Associated Press (AP) reported that the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Republicans’ last-gasp bid to reverse Pennsylvania’s certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the electoral battleground. The court without comment refused to call into question the certification process in Pennsylvania.

The good news is the three justices nominated by Trump: Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett put the constitution above their ties to Trump.

Read the whole AP article HERE.

WHEN IS THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OVER?

December/January is a busy couple of months for the Electoral College. It’s not that they are waiting to hear what Bowl game they will play in, it’s the time when they select the President of the United States.

My friends at the Bipartisan Policy Center have the key dates HERE. They explain in detail what happens on each date.

Spoiler Alert – Here are the final steps:

The final responsibility for electing the President then falls to the U.S. Congress. On January 6, 2021, at 1:00p.m. ET, the Senate and House of Representatives will meet in joint session to count the electors’ votes and declare the winners. Finally, on January 20, 2021, the President and Vice President named by Congress will be inaugurated—at last marking the end to a long and grueling election season.

FORT HOOD, TEXAS:

Shame on the U.S. Army…

The Associated Press is reporting that the Army on Tuesday said it has fired or suspended 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and ordered policy changes to address chronic failures of leadership that contributed to a widespread pattern of violence, including murder, sexual assault, and harassment.

This is a good start. Maybe listen to your soldiers next time and you won’t have them killing each other and committing suicide.

Read the AP story HERE. Read the 152-page “Report of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee” HERE.

ONE MORE THING:

Here in the underground bunker that is the worldwide headquarters of The Western Word, we pride ourselves in being stocked up on guns, ammo, Vienna Sausages, some Ramen, and of course, toilet paper.

So I laugh when I read the Missoulian story about the demand for guns, bullets, and ammunition in Montana has caused a record surge in FBI firearm background checks in the state and has retailers and manufacturers overwhelmed and shocked.

Silly people. Didn’t you see 2020 coming?

## BE A PATRIOT – WEAR A MASK ##

4 thoughts on “The Wednesday Read”

  1. I liked the Vienna sausage comment. That was a gourmet staple in the jungles and highlands of Viet Nam.

  2. The surge in gun sales in Montana is especially surprising for a state in which every red-blooded male already owns at least 12 guns. People must be feeling flush with all that free Trump cash they’re being paid to “sit on the couch”, as the employer in the Missoulian story says.

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