Quote for the day…

Don’t argue with people on social media. Every classroom had a kid who ate paste. That’s probably who you are arguing with. – Unknown

Today’s independent commentary deals with these issues:

• The Western Word Poll
• Montana Legislature
• Gerrymander
• Tester/Daines Vaccine
• One More Thing

THE WESTERN WORD POLL:

The 2021 Montana Legislative session ended April 29.

This week’s poll asks, “What overall grade would you give the 2021 Montana Legislature?”

Results will be posted later this week.

MONTANA LEGISLATURE:

Like I mentioned on Friday and earlier in this column, the 2021 session of the Montana Legislature is completed.

There are plenty of stories wrapping up the coverage of the session. I’ve found a few articles to help you see the big picture. Click on the name to read them:

• Associated Press
• Lee Newspapers
• Montana Free Press
• MTN News
• Face the State
• Daily Montanan

Thanks to all those who covered the Montana Legislature.

GERRYMANDER:

In case you missed it, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle Editorial Board posted an editorial on Sunday called, “Don’t gerrymander our second House seat.”

They talk about Montana finally getting a second seat in the U.S. House and the editorial board gives this advice:

Now it’s up to the state’s Districting and Apportionment Commission to draw up the boundaries of each representative’s district. And they should be left to do their work without any shenanigans from partisan interests.

They close their editorial with this:

Word the state will have a second U.S. representative is greeted with great fanfare and jubilation. Now politicians of all stripes are admonished to keep their grubby paws off the process of dividing the state into two districts.

We’ll be watching.

So will The Western Word.

Read the complete editorial by clicking HERE.

TESTER/DAINES VACCINE:

The Missoulian posted the video of U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines releasing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that encourages Montanans to make an appointment to receive their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

I wonder how the nutjobs on the right feel about their golden boy Daines getting the vaccine and urging others to do the same since so many of them are against it. I wonder if the vaccine Daines received had a tracking chip in it?

The Western Word comment section is always open.

Thanks to Tester and Daines for working together on this.

ONE MORE THING:

I saw this on Facebook and thought it was worth sharing:

If Donald Trump had said to wear a mask and get vaccinated from the beginning – all you MAGAs would have done both, and lots of people would still be alive.
It isn’t that you don’t trust the vaccine, it’s that the reason you don’t trust the vaccine is because you worship a dope.

## GET VACCINATED ##