Great news – We are just about done with February!
Here are some topics that caught my attention for today’s column:
- More Embarrassment
- Great Falls Public Library
- Montana GOP
MORE EMBARRASSMENT:
Just when you think the MAGA nutjobs can’t go any lower, we find that State Representative Greg Kmetz, R- Miles City has introduced HB 645 that would prohibit donations of certain blood and blood products.
The Daily Montanan is reporting that the bill will ban donors who have received the COVID-19 vaccination from donating blood. The bill will make it a misdemeanor with a $500 fine to donate or accept blood from vaccinated donors.
Montana is being embarrassed again by the MAGA legislators. This story will probably go national in a few days.
The Daily Montanan reported that proponents included Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, vice-chairwoman of the House Human Services Committee, which heard the bill on Friday. She repeated claims made in the film “Died Suddenly” that were debunked prior to its release. She said the vaccine caused issues with blood flow, citing her brother, a mortician.
This is a really dumb bill and is supported only by the dumbest of the dumbest. At least if the bill gets a vote we’ll get to see who they are.
At least State Rep. Kmetz’s craziness has reminded me that I need to schedule my COVID booster, so thanks for that.
See HB 645 HERE. Read the Daily Montanan story HERE.
GREAT FALLS PUBLIC LIBRARY:
The Great Falls Public Library needs more money to operate, and the Great Falls City Commission has scheduled a special library mill levy election on June 6.
I will be voting for the mill levy.
The anti-LGBTQ folks are out in full force because they don’t agree with all the books in the library, and they certainly don’t want anything happening at the library that they might be against.
These people quickly forget that the Great Falls Public Library serves the whole community, not just those on the far right or far left or those who may look different from you and me.
These people pay taxes, too.
The bottom line is that it is a parent or guardian’s responsibility to allow or not allow their children to read a book or attend an event at the library.
Here is how the library director addressed it:
“We have books about every topic because there are people in our community that are interested in those topics. The library firmly believes that it’s up to the parents to decide what their children should read. It is absolutely appropriate for every parent to make the choices that are right for their family, and I would never presume to have the library tell a family what they should or should not have their child read.”
One person said, “The library has become political, for example funding a Gay Pride Parade, inviting transvestites to come in and read to children.”
The library director said, “We have never had a drag queen story hour.”
Then the haters found a video with a drag queen saying, “And we are so excited today to be able to read to you on behalf of the Great Falls Public Library.”
It was reported that the library director told The Electric on Feb. 24 that she had misspoken and the library had a video story hour from the Mister Sisters during COVID.
This whole issue really does not matter to most people, just the haters. I watched the video, and it was harmless.
The MAGA haters in Montana and in several other states need to stop worrying so much about what is in everyone’s pants.
The homophobia displayed in Great Falls and across Montana is alarming.
Read the reports about the city commissioner hearing HERE and HERE.
MONTANA GOP:
On Monday I received an email from the Montana Republican Party that alerted me to the following:
“Voting is a right and privilege of every LEGAL Montana citizen. But today, Democrats in the Montana House voted AGAINST a bill that would prohibit illegal immigrants from voting in our elections! While Republicans were able to advance the bill, this is the first of many attempts Democrats will make to try and intervene in our elections.”
The horror! The horror!
What is this bill?
Does it have a title or bill number?
Who is the sponsor?
The Montana GOP failed to list the bill number, title, or even a sponsor so that people like me could look it up and decide for themselves if the Montana House Democrats wanted to allow “illegal immigrants” to vote in our elections.
I doubt they did, but that’s politics.
The Western Word 
I spend a lot of time reading history and watching historical videos on the net. Today as I was surfing I just came across a short video on the Nazis treatment of homosexuals. And then I happened upon this. Damn scary the similarities.
https://crooksandliars.com/2023/02/daily-wire-hosts-wants-ban-transgenderism
This just in:
Great Falls rep Scot Kerns votes AGAINST PUBLIC ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS.
HB 486, a bill that would increase the penalty for illegally blocking public roads like happens all too often in this state, and clarify what constitutes a blockage, passed out of the House transportation committee on a bipartisan basis. But Scot Kerns voted no.
Scot Kerns: Not on the side of the Montana’s hunters, anglers, hikers, and other users of public roads and lands.
https://apps.montanafreepress.org/capitol-tracker-2023/bills/hb-486/
I live in his district. He’s MAGA all the way.
The illegal alien voting bill was HB 712 by Zack Wirth from Wolf Creek. Stupid and redundant – and so was the bill. But the Republican majority approved it anyway.
Thanks. Good to know. -JmB
Luckily for what’s left of common sense and sanity in Montana, HB 645 is currently showing as “Tabled in Committee” by a 19-1 vote on Monday, mere days after the Friday hearing.
The Montana Legislature’s minor league legislation info LAWS website doesn’t report how anyone voted in committee, but my personal guess would be that the one vote against tabling would have been “Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, vice-chairwoman of the House Human Services Committee”. (Which if true would also mean the only sane Rep from the Great Falls area, Ed Buttrey, probably voted Nay if he was present, so good for him.)
And also Luckily for all of us, Lola supposedly terms out after this session.
Interesting item from the Montanan story:
“‘Montana’s blood supply could be cut by up to 80%, leading to adverse patient outcomes including unnecessary and unconscionable death,’ said senior vice president of blood collection nonprofit Vitalant, Cliff Numark.”
So without 80% of blood donations, people would die.
Republicans: No Lives Matter
If nuts think they have a “right” to emergency blood only from unvaccinated people, then pay extra for it. Don’t try to kill everyone else.
Good information. Thanks. They must have updated the bill to show tabled after I posted my column.
As for Lola I imagine she’ll find a Senator, who is not MAGA enough, to run against after this term. -JmB
The ability to jump back and forth from Rep to Senator like that is a truly serious flaw in Montana’s term limits law. I remember reading one legislator from eastern Montana who remarked that he was glad Brian Schweitzer was about to term out, his least favorite of four governors he had dealt with as a legislator. So how long had that particular career pol been in Helena?
If we’re going to force term limits on the statewide offices there should be real term limits for legislators, too. They’re the ones who inflict most of the damage.
I agree. That should have been addressed. -JmB
When I was in grade school at Largent our teacher walked us students to the Public library . On the way there we ran into Happy Herb and Froggy Doo standing in the street. I remember how excited all of us were . Herb and the Frog would be like the Rihannas’ of their day. I don’t remember the library visit after the big excitement. Over the years I did make good use of the Book Mobile but I don’t remember going to the library again. I remember Froggy Doo was kidnapped, murdered and dismembered. I believe they found the parts and Herb sewed him together again. I will probably vote for the levy.
Good Morning Jackie,
I agree the Repubs are doing their level best to keep us on the “crazy train”.
I do think there is a simple solution to the blood transfusion problem.
Either the folks who don’t want blood donated by people who are interested in their long term help then they should stockpile their own blood and keep it safe for future use or opt out of getting a transfusion if the donated blood is from a person who has been vaccinated.
That way everyone else can be assured of an adequate blood supply and we won’t have to worry about them at all.
No need to drag us into their paranoia any further.
Do get your booster, please.