Hello friends! Today is Tuesday, August 22, 2023, and here are the topics that I am providing commentary about today:
- Meow, Meow, Meow
- Possible Ballot Initiatives
- Friday Night Lights
- One More Thing
MEOW, MEOW, MEOW:
It seems that Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Montana State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen are trying to one-up each other when it comes to spreading conspiracies and hoaxes.
Knudsen has spoken about “voter misconduct” and Montana’s Planned Parenthood “abetting human trafficking.” (Source).
Now, Arntsen has one-upped Knudsen in a recent radio interview that was reported by Montana Free Press (MTFP):
During the interview with Voices of Montana host Tom Schultz, Arntzen, who is exploring a run for Montana’s eastern district congressional seat, said explicitly that the controversy has become an issue in the public school system she oversees:
Schultz: “Do we have evidence of litter boxes in Montana schools?”
Arntzen: “Yes sir.”
Schultz: “Okay. Looking into it?”
Arntzen: “Of course we are.”
Beam me up, Scottie.
POSSIBLE BALLOT INITIATIVES:
The Daily Montanan is reporting about two possible ballot initiatives that got my attention.
The first one would make Montana primaries all open, and the top four vote-getters would advance to the general election, despite party affiliation or endorsement.
The second ballot measure would ask voters whether the winning candidate in any race should need a majority of votes to win the office. If so, then the Legislature would be tasked with creating a system that would determine how a candidate who got a plurality, but not a majority, of votes would win.
At first glance, I like the first one, but I don’t think the political parties will like it. As for a candidate getting a majority of the vote, that would be nice to have as long as they allow a run-off between the top two vote-getters a month after the primary to settle it.
Read the full story from the Daily Montanan HERE and let me know your thoughts?
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS:
Just a reminder that high school football season kicks off this weekend with games Friday night and Saturday. The college football season begins with a few games on Saturday and kicks into high gear the following week.
The Bobcats and Grizzlies play their first game on September 2.
The Frontier Conference teams begin play on August 26.
ONE MORE THING:
Remember when we had to smack the TV because the channel wasn’t coming in clearly? I feel that way about too many people. – Unknown
The Western Word 
I sure wouldn’t go for ballot initiative #2 as it is, leaving open the question of how the winner is determined if no one gets a majority. “Then the winner of the election will be determined as provided by statute.” That statute would 100% be written, “The legislature decides”.
As for Elsie Arntzen and her school litter boxes, just how irresponsible can a SOPI possibly be if she knows there’s litter boxes in state schools but “The reports were not investigated because no formal complaints were filed.” Formal complaint needed to look into something like that? Get real. That is dereliction of duty right there. Maybe she knows she’s full of BS in the first place and is merely pandering to right wing nutjobs. Or possibly Elsie and the radio host were trolling to see who they could rile up. Hard to tell with these MAGA nuts.
Holy cow! Maybe Elsie’s on to something here. She’s just ahead of the curve on this one. Seems that efficient offices have been using litter boxes for quite some time now. Wonder if they’ve instituted this time saving technique at OPI yet? Before we belittle Elsie and her kitty litter caucus, we need to educate ourselves. Isn’t that Elsie’s job? Elsie, always the innovator and educator!
Kitty Litter Caucus – love it!