Welcome to July! Here are the topics for today’s column:
- Montana Campaign Complaints
- Biden & Trump
- U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team
MONTANA CAMPAIGN COMPLAINTS:
I get a chuckle out of the campaign complaints filed every election season. Montana is like the wild, wild west in campaigns, and just about anything goes because there are no teeth behind the rules in the state. Federal races are somewhat different.
Candidates can cheat and maybe pay a fine. It reminds me of a bratty child being sent to timeout in daycare. Nothing much else happens, so it breeds cheating in my humble opinion. People who have worked in the system over the years know how to bend the rules.
I saw the Daily Montanan reported on a couple complaints recently. Here are the opening two graphs about the complaints:
The Montana GOP said the Democratic candidate for governor is illegally spending money on his wife’s communications company — but Democrat Ryan Busse, challenging the Republican incumbent, alleges Gov. Greg Gianforte improperly funneled $1 million to his campaign manager’s companies.
Both candidates deny the allegations in the respective complaints filed this month with the Commissioner of Political Practices.
I have no idea if these complaints have any merit. We may find out in a month or two – or after the election.
Read the full report from the Daily Montanan HERE.
BIDEN & TRUMP:
The “liberal” New York Times Editorial Board says that “To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race.” (Source) I think at least three other major newspapers are calling for Biden to drop out (Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
A CBS Poll of registered voters conducted June 28/29 found that 72% of those polled said that Biden does not have the mental and cognitive health to serve as President. Trump was at 50%. (Source)
But the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Editorial Board says that “To serve his country, Donald Trump should leave the race.” The Board said that Trump told more than 30 lies during the debate to go with the more than 30,000 mistruths told during his four years as president. He dodged the CNN moderators’ questions, took no responsibility for his actions, and blamed others, mainly Biden, for everything that is wrong in the world. The Inquirer leans to the left. (Source)
If Joe Biden is like most politicians, he has an ego the size of the Pacific Ocean and won’t take kindly to anyone trying to get him to throw in the towel. If he is a good politician, he should have a few people who can “talk” to him, give him the truth, and won’t let the fact that he is president stop them.
The biggest accomplishment for Joe Biden is that he beat Donald Trump. If he steps down, there’s a chance he may help beat Trump again.
U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM:
The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team has an important match tonight (Monday) against Uruguay in the COPA América Group Stage.
According to ESPN, the USMNT likely needs to defeat Uruguay on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals. After Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Panama, the USMNT could even fail to advance with a victory on Monday if Panama beats Bolívia and makes up the goal difference on the Americans.
The match starts at 7:00 p.m. Montana time. It will be televised on Fox Sports 1. The match is being played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
More info can be found HERE.
The Western Word 
On a side note, it appears that the Missouri River Manor, now called the Ivy, is closing its doors. All the residents are being transferred to Park Place, and the employees are looking for new jobs. Why who knows? I suspect some corporate shenanigans, for that’s how it goes in the nursing home business. But I’m outraged that we can give four billion dollars a year to Israel, and another twenty-six billion for weapons, yet we cannot keep our nursing homes open! Sumthin real wrong here.
As our planning committee discusses new growth in town, they might want to think about where our elders are going to stay. They will either have to move back in with relatives, or camp out in one of our many car washes! Or maybe a casino! Maybe our dauntless city commissioners have a spare bedroom or two!
In any event, a city becomes a lot less attractive for new growth if they can’t even provide adequate nursing home care! Maybe the old timers could do ride alongs with our new cops in the safety budget! Hey, it’s a thought!
Warehousing (and providing medical service for) old people from all over northern and eastern Montana is the #1 private industry in Great Falls. Well maybe #2 behind casinos. New spaces to replace the troubled Missouri River Manor will be built. Probably attached to the hospital and non-profit, so as to add zero property taxes to the tax base, but requiring all sorts of City and County services nonetheless.