Quote for the day…
If I offended you, cry me a river. I’ll bring snacks and a raft. I will literally float down your tears eating chips and working on my tan. -iFunny
Today’s independent commentary deals with these issues:
- The Western Word Poll
- Great Falls City Commission
- U.S. Senator Steve Daines
THE WESTERN WORD POLL:
The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse will go to the jury this week. For background, the Associated Press (AP) covers the charges facing Rittenhouse HERE.
This week’s poll question asks, “Will Kyle Rittenhouse be found guilty or not guilty?”
The results will be released later this week.
GREAT FALLS CITY COMMISSION:
The Electric reported last week that the Great Falls City Commission has scheduled a vote for their Nov. 16 meeting to appoint Eric Hinebauch to the commission to fill the vacancy created by Tracy Houck. Houck announced her resignation on Nov. 4 to be effective Nov. 5 and under the city charter, “when a vacancy occurs, the City Commission may, by majority vote of its remaining members, appoint a person, eligible to hold such office, to fill the vacancy of the city commissioner or mayor until the next regular city election. The person elected at the next regular city election shall serve the unexpired term of the office in which the vacancy occurred.”
It was also reported that state law requires that the vacancy be filled within 30 days. The city charter nor state law specify the process by which the city should fill a vacancy on the commission.
I did not vote for Hinebauch. He finished third in the latest election, in which only two people were elected commissioners. I don’t think being the “first loser” should give him the upper hand, but it seems as though it does. I suggest after the commissioners appoint him, that they come up with a plan that specifies the process that must be used when there is a commission vacancy. It only makes sense.
Read the full report from The Electric HERE.
U.S. SENATOR STEVE DAINES:
I received an email update from the Office of U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT). I was surprised at the content of the email.
The email came through his official (taxpayer-funded) U.S. Senate account (@daines.senate.gov). In other words, every Montanan paid for the email, like we pay his salary, his travel, and for his office space.
The email opened with “As a result of President Biden and the Democrats’ wasteful spending proposals…”
The second paragraph starts with, “In fact, because of Biden’s inflation crisis AND his anti-American energy agenda…”
The third paragraph had this line, “President Biden and the Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree bill they’re trying to pass in Congress will only make things worse.”
The fourth paragraph has this line, “I’ll continue to fight back against the Democrats’ reckless spending proposals…”
After reading his email, Daines was basically campaigning for Republicans and against Democrats and Joe Biden.
Email updates from taxpayer-funded accounts should be non-partisan. I can’t believe this email passed the scrutiny of the Senate Ethics Committee.
I plan to forward Daines’ email to the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee for review along with a “strongly-worded letter” objecting to his partisan attacks in what should be a non-partisan communication.
Emails like this divide us. I expect to hear what my elected officials are doing to help me and my state and not partisan attacks.
I’ll keep you posted.
The Western Word 
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In case you missed it, it appears that bounties are the newest tools to be broadly applied to anyone in the public sector advocating democratic values. Try as I might, I could never have imagined the stuff coming out of the MAGA crowd. I give them an “A” for imagination. Don’t any of these folks work? Or pursue anything in life other than hatred? Heckuva way to go through life. Belonging to social groups designed around hatred.
https://www.rawstory.com/moms-for-liberty-bounty/
I don’t think the commissioners should have a say in this. Hienbauch put himself out there and over four thousand people voted for him. I think “first loser” is an unfair description he’d be next “runner up”.
Bill – I guess “runner up” would be a kinder gentler way of describing it and maybe not hurt anyone’s feelings.
Since the election is over, I think the remaining commissioners have to be involved.
Thanks, JmB
I can understand not letting the spectators have a say in NASCAR but our little commission election winners picked by the voters is different. No matter what Ricky Bobby or Dale thinks.
Bill – so if the last election was two months ago or 18 months ago, would that make a difference? I think so.
It’s already almost a forgone conclusion what the commission will do, so the point is really not debatable. I just think they need to have a process in place for next time.
Thanks, JmB
Most voters would probably be upset if the Commission did anything other than look to the recently concluded election. That pool of candidates just interviewed with the voters of Great Falls.
Under other circumstances and different timing, some different process might be justified. The flexibility in the law is a good thing.
Plus, since those of us who voted for Hinebauch are now winners too, it’s more winners all around in Great Falls.
Terry – I’m ok with Hinebauch, but I also want to see some rules set. Thanks, JmB
If only Daines had managed even a whimper of fight against all the reckless Republican borrow and spend policies of the four Trump years. Eight trillion $ in new debt and every cent borrowed, not paid for. Yet I don’t believe newly fiscally responsible Daines voted against even a penny of all that drunken sailor spending and un-offset revenue slashing (except possibly once in regard to Yemen war money). And now it’s the $3.5 triilion in the form of five separate coronavirus stimulus/relief bills of 2020 as the Repubs desperately tried to buy the 2020 election for Trump that’s fueling the current inflation, and Daines voted yea on all of it.
Terry – it seems our elected officials in DC bitch and gripe when the other party spends money. It gets old.
Thanks, JmB