Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s column:
- MAGA Meltdown
- CNN is 45
- Junior’s Sacrifice
- One More Thing
MAGA MELTDOWN:
We see it happen often when one political party has complete control, like the Republicans do in Montana – they have problems handling the power.
They are imploding. The Republicans began fighting during the first week of the legislative session and have not stopped. Now, the MAGA Republicans want to get rid of all the elected officials they think are RINOs (Republican In Name Only).
They even formed a state chapter of the RINO Removal Project (RRP), which they contend:
The RINO Removal Project (RRP) is devoted to rooting out Republicans In Name Only (RINOs) who betray Montana’s America First voters. In Montana, RINOS like these State Representatives, Ken Walsh, Linda Reksten, Melissa Nikolakakos, George Nikolakakos, Valerie Moore, Llew Jones, Steve Fitzpatrick, Julie Darling, and Marta Bertoglio, are part of the “unheavenly eleven” have been called out for supporting policies that dilute conservative priorities, such as compromising on key MAGA and MAHA values. RINOS prioritize power and moderate agendas over the bold reforms championed by President Trump and Montana’s patriotic base. RRP is mobilizing Montana patriots through our state chapter, voter education via our America 1st Academy, and support for true America First candidates to defeat RINOs in primaries.
I am thankful for the list (from above) that lets me know which Republicans are more moderate and work across party lines to get things done. There’s a good chance I will vote for them.
One thing these RINO haters might not be aware of is that the people in the district these so-called RINOs represent may like moderates better than far-right or far-left lunatics. Additionally, if they run again, they will have the benefit of incumbency to help them win. Only time will tell.
I’m sure some gullible Republicans with a large bankroll will send money to stamp out the RINOs.
CNN IS 45:
On June 1, 1980, CNN was launched. According to an article in CordCutters.com, the station was founded by media mogul Ted Turner, and CNN introduced the world to the concept of 24-hour news coverage, forever changing how audiences consume information. From its humble beginnings in Atlanta, Georgia, CNN has grown into a global media powerhouse, shaping public discourse and setting the standard for real-time news reporting. (Source)
These days, I watch CNN a lot, but I still check out Fox News, MSNBC, and the BBC throughout the day. The “Quad View” with four news channels on YouTube TV is great for that.
I do miss the station called CNN Headline News (HLN) that delivered news every 30 minutes. It was initially called CNN2. Now they air crime stories on it. Fox News has a satellite radio station that broadcasts news every 15 minutes. It’s OK when I’m traveling to tune in and catch up.
I believe that people should get their news from different sources. It makes you a well-rounded person, and you can see how the stations spin the news.
JUNIOR’S SACRIFICE:
Although this happened a few years ago, I think it is important that people see it to understand the Trump family.
According to Snopes:
Donald Trump Jr. said driving through Arlington National Cemetery reminded him of “all the sacrifices we’d have to make — giving up a huge chunk of our business and all international deals.”
Snopes reports:
This quote is correctly attributed to Donald Trump Jr. He wrote those words in his 2019 book, “Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us.”
I don’t think anyone in the Trump family knows anything about sacrifices like the heroes who are laid to rest in Arlington.
Check out the full quote in Snopes HERE.
ONE MORE THING:
Sometimes I wonder if all this is happening because I didn’t forward that message to 10 people. (Source)
## THE END ##
The Western Word 
I got a letter from the City, they want a copy of my drivers license and my Social Security number so they can do a “soft” credit check regarding my utilities. I guess living at the same address for more than forty years and not missing a payment is good enough. Maybe they figure I can’t afford the future increase.
That’s wild. I haven’t heard of that. Make sure it’s legit. -JmB
It’s legit alright, they figure I recently bought the property or they couldn’t find the original contract during an audit. Even mentioned what it would cost me to turn my water off and then turn it on again. As a former City employee I got my own curb key.
I followed this last legislature pretty closely, particularly Cascade County reps like Mr. & Mrs. Nikolakakos. I did not see them voting against the interests of America ever. They did vote Nay on some really stupid unAmerican fascist nutjob hard MAGA or worse bills. Not all. But put some other country first? Never.
On another subject, big night at the Great Falls city commission tonight. They’re voting on an annexation, choosing a new library board member, and deciding if they want to hike our city utilities a mere 10% or a whopping 27%.
The annexation is probably good. It will grease the skids for an entry level housing development which they’re also voting to approve. Though the developer is apparently separately negotiating for public funding of some required infrastructure which somehow wasn’t mentioned at our NC 4 meeting about the new project, so watch for that.
As to the library board there are four applicants, one of whom is an incumbent who IIRC opposed the conservative commissioners’ efforts to gut library funding so she’s probably toast out of spite. I really don’t think some commissioners are big enough to resist. But of the other three applicants it isn’t clear who is the library hater the conservative commissioners would prefer, just based on their applications. Should be interesting.
Finally as to the 27% utility hike. The material the City mailed out about how little this would cost the typical rate payer with a typical lot is misleading and I believe intentionally so. Very few homeowners with a typical lot use just 600 cubic feet of water every single month, if they really use that little any months. From May through probably October they use more water for things like lawns, trees, flowers, gardens, and so on. It can be way more in a hot month like July. The City even knows this – it’s why they use winter months consumption to set our sewer rates. So this proposal would cost us more, perhaps much more, in real dollars than what the City is trying to sell us. And worst of all part of the motivation for such a giant hike is to grease the skids for developers! On our dime. A hard no.
Library candidate considerations during the work session, and votes on everything during the regular commission meeting. And as always if anyone has a opinion about any of these actions the commission is as close as commission@greatfallsmt.net
Terry – great analysis and information. I’ll be looking for the decision about the rate increase and library board member.
Thanks, JmB
Breaking news:
The GF City commission just voted unanimously to raise your city utility rates 27%. Which will be far more than the paltry little dollar numbers their rate payer funded propaganda promised. Commissioner Joe McKinney and Mayor Cory Reeves are up for reelection this Fall. Remember who did this to you and vote accordingly. Joe and Cory. The new much higher rates take effect July 1.
In other news, surprisingly, they reappointed the incumbent to the library board. Must not have been a dyed in the wool library hater on the card.
Thanks. I watched the commission meeting. Sickening. 27%.