Hello! Here are the topics for today’s column:

• Libraries are Cool
• TikTok This
• U.S. Senate Montana 2024
• Scared as Heck

LIBRARIES ARE COOL:

The Electric is reporting that at a January 16 public meeting, Great Falls City Commissioner Rick Tryon attempted to convince his fellow commissioners to take seven mills from the public library and use it for public safety. The Electric says he lacked support from the other commissioners. (Source)

That is a good thing and thanks to the commissioners who did not back his idea.

In 2023 I voted for the Great Falls Library levy and against the public safety levy and bond request. Some ignorant sore losers in the city want a do-over for the library levy or want someone, like Tryon, to find a way to take money from the library mostly because a library is really not cool with MAGA people. Neither is public school funding.

The people who support the public library will need to be on guard as long as the MAGA folks wield power in Great Falls.

TIKTOK THIS:

The headline from the Montana Free Press (MTFP) made me wonder if there was a mistake:

Montana DOJ puts law firm on $500,000 retainer to defend TikTok ban in court

Then, I read the headline again and said, “Great googly moogly!”

First, I can’t believe that the state of Montana is trying to ban my favorite app. Second, I can’t believe they are using our taxpayer money to defend the ban. The MTFP says that it amounts to about $525 per hour. Give that $525 an hour to something worthwhile – like fighting drunk driving in the state, helping the homeless, fight the drugs that are coming into our state.

The fact is the state of Montana is going to lose. The fact is the Montana Department of Justice and the Montana Legislature are looking like doofuses in their attempt to ban this app. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen hasn’t found a lawsuit he won’t join or file.

Good grief. Beam me up, Scotty.

Check me out on TikTok @bigsky1959. Read the MTFP report HERE.

U.S. SENATE MONTANA 2024:

The Hill reported late Wednesday afternoon that the liberal nonprofit End Citizens United filed a complaint against Tim Sheehy, the frontrunner in Montana’s U.S. Senate GOP primary, alleging he’s missing some details on his personal financial disclosure.

In a complaint filed on Wednesday and shared first with The Hill, End Citizens United alleges the Senate hopeful failed to disclose nine separate investments’ underlying assets that “do not appear to qualify as [Excepted Investment Funds].”

The Hill says it has been reported that Sheehy is incredibly wealthy, with a net worth between $74 million and $260 million based on his financial disclosure, which would make him among the top 10 wealthiest members of Congress if he wins the primary and general, according to a Business Insider analysis.

Maybe Sheehy should get a pass since he has more money than he can count. If the complaint rings true, he should have used some of that wealth to hire a competent finance director. He should also have to change his name to “Shady Sheehy.”

SCARED AS HECK:

The Associated Press (AP) and other sources are reporting that Vice President Kamala Harris said she’s “scared as heck” that Donald Trump could win another term as president as she pledged an aggressive campaign to make sure that doesn’t happen.

I am scared as heck, too. I do wish there were a stronger slate of candidates running for President and I wish the two oldest people were not leading the pack.

The greatest accomplishment from Biden-Harris was beating Trump-Pence and saving our country. I hope they can do it again. Anyone with 91 criminal counts filed against him or her should not ever be allowed in the White House – not even as a tourist.

Read the complete story from the AP HERE.

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