The Western Word is coming to you from deep inside an underground bunker in Montana – where we’re helping to deprogram the Trump cult one column at a time…
Welcome to another exciting edition of Caught My Eye (CME)!
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:
- Impeachment Trial
- Mask Up Montana
- Montana’s Recreational Marijuana
- Dumbass of the Week
- One More Thing
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL:
Surprise, surprise, surprise – Montana Governor Greg Gianforte was featured in the Impeachment Trial of former President Donald Trump on Thursday.
The Hill reports:
Lead House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on Thursday used the 2017 incident in which now-Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) assaulted a journalist to make the point that former President Trump has long encouraged violent actions among his supporters.
The 2017 assault was an embarrassment to Montana. On Thursday it once again painted the state in a negative light. I hear from people all across the fruited plains asking if Montanans are so dumb that they elected this thug. The answer is yes – yes they are that dumb.
MASK UP MONTANA:
The Montana Free Press is reporting that Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said Wednesday he will lift Montana’s statewide mask mandate this coming Friday, fulfilling a pledge he made last month to end the mandate as the state enacts a COVID-19 liability shield law and makes progress vaccinating Montanans against the virus.
I disagree with removing the statewide mask mandate. Gianforte has his head up his butt on this issue. It’s not a smart move with more variants of the virus being discovered. Montana has only fully immunized around 44,000 Montanans. Why would it hurt to wait a few months?
Gianforte does not understand that freedom is not free.
I hope that local city/county health officials override the governor and keep the mask mandate in place until more people are immunized and we get a better handle on the virus. It’s common sense.
Please wear a mask – it’s a way of sticking it to the governor…
MONTANA’S RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA:
It appears the Republicans in the Montana Legislature are trying to go against the voters’ will and derail Recreational Marijuana.
Lee Newspapers reported this week that proposed funding to allow the state to administer the recreational cannabis program approved by Montana voters last November took a nearly 50% hit Wednesday, after a legislative subcommittee recommended deep cuts to the budget.
There are several Republicans in the legislature who could use marijuana to calm the ‘F” down some and quit being such assholes.
We’ll be watching this closely.
DUMBASS OF THE WEEK:
It was no contest this week. The Western Word’s “Dumbass of the Week” is Montana Governor Greg Gianforte.
Gianforte was featured in the Trump impeachment trial for being a thug. He is planning on doing away with the mask mandate in Montana which could kill hundreds and sicken thousands.
ONE MORE THING:
Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up. ― Brené Brown
The Western Word 
We were well aware that Governor Gianforte was going to lift the mask mandate however I was taken aback by his actions to end countries deciding to do all mail in ballots for elections. His thinking is that is a legisative responsible. He well may be right legally but we definitely know were this is going. The far right Republicans who control the legislature were the same groups sueing to not do mail in elections but lost in court this past fall. I will make a wager with anyone that this wacko group running the legislature will end mail in elections because their dear leader(Trump) told them it is all fraudulent be damm facts are. Including the fact their party swept ever major office in Montana and gained seats in both houses. Not by a few votes but margins of 60-100,000 votes. But as we seen today in the US Senate facts don’t matter as Trump again not held responsible for his actions.
Just what the hell are all these Republicans afraid of here in Montana or are they all just idiots.
Dennis – great points. The Republicans seem to want to prevent people from voting. Crazy. The next four years will be interesting for Montana. Thanks, JmB
I guess if you elect a creationist , you do not need to worry about science until a really deadly transmissible virus comes along. Personal responsibility will save us all. Except for the governor who has proved he will not accept personal responsibility until facing a judge. How many deaths will the governor be personally responsible for? Or, I hate to say it deaths caused by viral mutation enhanced by maskless replication. I never really thought our governor could be that stupid. I call you out governor Gianforte you are stupid!
John – great points. Thanks, JmB
Thankfully Chief Justice McGrath is not so shortsighted and the Courts will continue to follow the protocols put into place in December requiring masks.
Rick – good deal. Montana Nurses Association came out against Gianforte’s plan on masks.
Since you are following SB 65 I will ask you because I’m not a lawyer and I don’t know one. The “business shield” primarily resides in Section 6, the part that still holds busineses accountable for safety. I read it and it appears to me that Part 4 of Section 6 completely nullifies all of Section 6 thereby throwing out all accountability of businesses, no shield, meaning this “shield” is bs. Am I reading this wrong? Please correct me if so! Here is a link to the pdf.
https://t.co/g1nofQW9NM?amp=1
Paul – it sounds that way, but I think overall the bill shields businesses who show a good faith effort to protect customers and employees, but does not completely exonerate them.
Often bills are written and quickly passed and then we see what they actually mean. We may see some changes to this bill after the nuts and bolts are figured out. Thanks for your comments, JmB