The Wednesday Read

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Quote for the Day…

Strong people stand up for themselves, but stronger people stand up for others. – Unknown

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

  • Senate Bill 319
  • Maggie Haberman
  • Southern Baptist Convention

SENATE BILL 319:

To be honest, I’ve lost count on how many lawsuits have been filed about bills passed and signed into law by the Republican-controlled Montana legislature and governor.

The Montana Free Press (MTFP) is reporting that during the final days of the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers on a free conference committee broadened the scope of a bill (SB 319) initially geared toward revising campaign finance laws. MTFP reported that SB 319 passed both chambers on April 28 and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte May 12. The end of the session was April 29.

I doubt many people knew what was in the final bill and that is a problem.

This should be an interesting case. I think those challenging it in court will win.

Read the outstanding report about this lawsuit from the MTFP HERE.

MAGGIE HABERMAN:

Maggie Haberman is a Washington correspondent for NY Times. She tweeted the following on Tuesday that caught my attention:

Trump has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will get reinstated by August (no that isn’t how it works but simply sharing the information).

It’s not being reinstated to Twitter or Facebook. Trump is reportedly telling people he will be reinstated as President in August.

The time set aside for Congress to go on their August recess (vacation) might be a little more interesting this year.

Read Haberman’s tweet HERE.

Read a report from Forbes HERE.

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION:

I once attended and belonged to a Southern Baptist Church, so I found it interesting when I read in the Washington Post about Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church recently ordaining three women as staff pastors.

The Saddleback Church has an attendance of around 28,000 on the weekends for its church services. They seem to be doing something right. The church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Having women ordained as Pastors goes against the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) 2000 doctrinal statement that states:

While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

I don’t believe what the SBC believes about women. Women are just as qualified as men to be Pastors and other leaders in any church.

With the SBC’s problem with women coupled with their strong ties to Donald Trump, there may be a train wreck ahead for the Southern Baptists – maybe a day of reckoning.

Read the Washington Post story HERE.

## GET VACCINATED ##

6 thoughts on “The Wednesday Read”

  1. KPAX news out of Missoula and Kalispell is reporting 11 GOP passed bills signed by Gianforte are being challenged in State and Federal Courts with 6 law suits as be unconstitutional. Most of us were saying during the legislative session these bills were balantly unconstitutional but it made no difference to GOP leadership. Gianforte and the GOP were up in arms about $300 weekly Federal unemployment payment. But I guess they think the State Attorney General and staff that need to defend these jackass laws will cost the state nothing. Attorney General Knudsen may think twice about bad mouthing and threatening the Montana Supreme Court. I feel safe betting the farm that the court will likely over turn all these laws. The Montana Construction give the Montana Supreme Court a great deal of power
    We will see how far Knudsen will go when losing. He will be wasting time and resources to try appeal. But then again with some of the statements he has made lately who knows.

  2. No spiritual difference between man and woman. Don’t ask the question. The question betrays (exposes) an invalidity of all three monotheistic religions (as well as others). Don’t ask a question to support something that doesn’t exist. Ignore history, there is no spiritual difference it does not exist.

  3. Interesting to see that our legislators and Gov. Gianforte saw fit to try to force judges to recuse themselves from cases involving any lawyer who contributed $91 or more to the judge’s election campaign, but as far as I can tell never gave a thought to recusing themselves from involvement with any bill that would benefit a donor who contributed $91 or more to their own election campaign. $91 buys a lot of influence.

    To his credit Gianforte did veto one other law with an odious purely political amendment that sought to punish people for small contributions, SB 278. It was also tarted up in the free session. That bill would have forced any nonprofit that challenged or supported a State action to turn over its $50 or more donor list to the State AG, to create in effect an “enemies list” for use by who knows whom in state government. But not the purely political nonprofits that covertly assist politicians with their “purely educational, uncoordinated” ads, just 501(c)(3) nonprofits like the NRA or Sierra Club that regular citizens join and support.

    • Terry- Thanks. It amazes me that the Republican clowns in the Montana legislature, with big majorities, feel the need hide stuff. Crazy. -JmB

      • Can we stop please calling them Republicans? That’s an insult to all real republicans that came before. What can we call them that fits? Trumpistas? Magats? Or maybe something with a Montana flair. Since most of them are outta state racists looking to turn Montana into their own private white homeland like their lil leader Derek Skees, I propose we call them Skeezers! Much better.

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