Quote for the Day…
Sometimes I question my sanity, but the unicorn in the kitchen told me I’m fine. – Unknown
Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:
- Crisis Time for Democrats
- Municipal General Election
- U.S. Senator Steve Daines
- The Western Word Poll
CRISIS TIME FOR DEMOCRATS:
Here are some of my thoughts about the Democrats in Washington, D.C.
The Democrats in Washington, D.C. are suffering through a crisis. The crisis was brought on by them being in charge. They run the White House. They run the U.S. House. They run the U.S. Senate.
They have accomplished little. They seem to be best at forming a circular firing squad and hurting themselves.
It’s not to say that Republicans haven’t screwed up when they were in charge, but at this time the Democrats own it.
I do not like to make predictions, but I think the Democrats will lose the majority in the House and Senate come the midterm elections of November 2022. They have nobody to blame but themselves.
That leaves them with a little over a year to do something remarkable, or we will have Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
It could happen sooner in the U.S. Senate if they and their supporters do not start treating U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) a little better. I saw a video where some lefty followed Sinema into the bathroom to talk to her. That is wrong no matter which party does it.
The Democrats should remember that if just Manchin or Sinema switches to the Republican Party, the little work that the Democrats hope to accomplish in the Senate would dry up and McConnell would be in charge.
Just imagine if another vacancy opens on the U.S. Supreme Court!
Meanwhile, we have the “Trump” shark (cue up the Jaws theme song) circling in the water wanting to bite anything that he can. All indications are that he wants to give the presidency another try. Trump is 75. Biden is 78. Both are too freaking old to be the leader of our nation.
One final thought is that compromise is not a four-letter word.
MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION:
The Great Falls Municipal General Election is coming up on November 2, 2021. Ballots will be mailed on October 18. The mayor and two city commission seats are up for grabs as are neighborhood council seats.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the right-wing blog E-City Beat has been asking questions of the candidates for mayor and commissioner. KRTV is starting to do interviews, and I am sure other media will do the same.
I saw today that former Republican Legislator, Joe McKenney, has declined to answer the E-City Beat questions. McKenney is running for city commissioner. Previously, candidate for Mayor Bob Kelly and candidate for city commissioner, Susan Wolff, declined to answer the questions from E-City Beat.
These may be the three who will get my vote…
See a sample ballot by clicking HERE.
U.S. SENATOR STEVE DAINES:
On his official Facebook page this week, U.S. Senator Steve Daines posted a photo of a memo from Attorney General Merrick Garland that, in part, stated:
In recent months, there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools. While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views.
Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values. Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety.
Daines added this comment:
Labeling parents as threats because they hold elected school board members accountable for what’s going on in the classroom is a clear attempt to silence political opposition.
It is apparent that Daines did not read the memorandum from the AG. Since his buddy, Donald Trump, lost the election, Daines has done nothing but attack the Biden Administration and those who work for Biden. It is growing old and making Daines look silly.
THE WESTERN WORD POLL:
The 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs are set. This week’s poll question asks, “Which team will be the 2021 World Series Champion?”
Results will be posted Thursday.
The Western Word 
The Western Word blog in my opinion has been very fair in spreading criticism around to both democrats and republicans on local,state and national level. Jackie calls it straight even holding his beloved KC Chiefs feet to fire when needed. We know he worked for a republican Senator but certainly went after the and well deserved condemnation of the Montana GOP legislators in Helena this past session. If things are smelly and deserve light this blog gives them sun. I read this blog every day of week and enjoy the uplifting articles he puts in. Yes I don’t agree with everything in this blog or the several others I read. Jackie always treats the commentators with sincere thanks. This is off topic but what the hell is Gianforte doing in Texas?
Thanks, Dennis! I plan to write about Gianforte’s trip on Friday. -JmB
Now I see why Gianshart needed security to go to Sidney! Too funny.
https://dailymontanan.com/2021/10/06/sidney-law-firm-sues-over-vaccination-prohibition/
Jackie – I’ll disagree with one aspect of your view of the current state of affairs: “…it could happen sooner in the U.S. Senate if they and their supporters do not start treating U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) a little better.:
Sorry, the leaders and voices of both progressives and ACTUAL moderates, have done everything for Manchin & Sinema short of naming their first-born for them. Frankly, if either or both switched party LABEL next to their names, the country wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. They are both classic illustrations of why politicians are so despised.
What the leading Democrats really need to do is start treating them, along with pretty much all the Repugnicants, as they do the stuff they scrape off their shoes before entering the Capitol.
Fred – Thanks. I appreciate your view. -JmB
Jackie vs Old Line
I thought you were offering a prediction of who will control the House & Senate after the 2022 elections. You’re being criticized for not trying to stop that. I really don’t agree with about a half of your opinions but think Old Line needs his/her own blog. Jackie, you don’t need an editor.
Mary – that was pretty much it. The party in power seems to screw it up and then lose power. Rinse and repeat. Thanks for reading and for your comments. -JmB
In regard to the municipal candidates’ and the right-wing blog … it’s interesting how differently they treated Republican McKenney in comparison to Kelly and Wolff. Kelly and Wolff “won’t answer important questions” while McKenney simply “declines answering questions”. Kelly and Wolff get an editorial comment that “we hope their refusal to answer voter’s specific concerns is not a pattern going forward” blah blah blah, but for McKenney crickets as far as editorial comment. This despite the fact that Wolff used almost exactly the same language and reasoning as McKenney. A fair and balanced blog like that with its self-styled “important questions” from “the voters” wouldn’t treat candidates differently just because McKenney is a known Republican, while the blog has styled Kelly a Democrat in the past, would they?
And speaking of the answers on that blog, the ones from candidate Turoski are interesting. During her in-person candidate forum appeareances she’s sometimes been a little unclear on the law and ignorant of details, but all of a sudden in her written answers she’s an expert on Montana code as it pertains to locally elected officials and their powers to initiate levies. This is coincidentally also the candidate who neglected to get her filing paperwork in on time but was curiously not formally challenged by the local right wing activist who did challenge another. Not saying it is so but these coincidences make me wonder if candidate Turoski might be a “front” candidate to some degree.
On a side note it seems the candidate that the right-wing activist did challenge, Schoby, has since withdrawn from the race but will still remain on the ballot anyhow to soak up some votes.
The Electric had the details on all these right-wing machinations and intrigue. Even the county attorney was at a loss to understand why the activist challenged Schoby but not Turoski. Quite curious indeed.
https://tinyurl.com/vt8smb2m
Terry – Thanks. Good observations. -JmB
You seem to be suffering some significant cognitive dissonance this morning.
You criticize the Democrats for not getting anything done. Yet you ignore the ugly obstruction by the Republicans. No criticism for Mitch McConnell who openly states that he knows the “debt ceiling” needs to be raised but refuses to cooperate in the least to get it done.
Then you turn around and criticize Sen Daines (rightly) for his same ignorant obstruction and criticism of the Biden administration.
You can’t have it both ways. In this present circumstance the problem is with Republican obstruction not Democratic ineptitude.
Old Line Democrat: Thanks for your comments. The Democrats control Congress and the WH. Most folks don’t see the obstruction, but look for results. There are not many results to show. The Democrats need to go for it or risk losing their power. Thanks again, JmB
That’s the point. You aren’t most people. You have a voice and an audience to point out the obstruction to. Certainly, the honest thing to say is that the Democrats are not being allowed to do even the most basic functions of government because of Republican obstruction.
You don’t seem to have any problem with placing at least some blame on Daines and the local pols. in Cascade County. Isn’t Daines also in lock step with McConnell’s obstruction? Doesn’t refusing to cooperate on the debt ceiling issue affect all Montanan’s Republican, Democrat and Wingnut alike?
Intellectual dishonesty does not serve citizens well.
Thanks.
Old Line – I am certainly no fan of McConnell. Just last month I pointed out the Republican obstruction. The Democrats need to do better at winning the publicity battle. I also pointed out the debt ceiling debacle. Thanks again for your comments. -JmB
O.L.D., I don’t know how old you are, but I’m seventy. I greatly appreciate Jackie’s blog. Do I always agree with him? No. But he is refreshing voice of reason. AND, he allows me to post. I have been kicked off every blog in Montana except Jackie’s. The lefty blogs wanted nothing to do with me or anything that deviated from there narrow agenda. And look where that has got us. This is the first place I check every morning for unbiased opinion and information. Careful about bashing this site without a helluva good reason. If it’s something you can overlook for the greater good, please do it. Ya just don’t have to fix everything immediately. This will take time.