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

• Iran’s Nuclear Program
• Selling Federal Lands
• Montana Family Foundation
• One More Thing

IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM:

The New York Times is reporting that a preliminary classified U.S. report says the American bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran set back the country’s nuclear program by only a few months, according to officials familiar with the findings. The strikes sealed off the entrances to two of the facilities but did not collapse their underground buildings, the officials said the early findings concluded.

President Donald Trump said after the bombing that the United States had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. This appears to be another lie from Trump, who is known for sensationalizing events. 

“Obliterated” was the word of the day after the bombing. 

Earlier in the day, Trump went off the deep end after hearing that Israel and Iran were not complying with the ceasefire. Trump used an “F” word during a question-and-answer session before he departed for Europe. 

“We basically have two countries that have been fighting for so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing, you understand that?” (Source)

One of the major issues is that Iran probably moved the enriched uranium it had stockpiled to an undisclosed location. Some reports say it is enough to make 10 nuclear bombs. (Source)  

SELLING FEDERAL LANDS:

The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that a plan to sell more than 3,200 square miles of federal lands has been ruled out of Republicans’ big tax and spending cut bill after the Senate parliamentarian determined the proposal by Senate Energy Chairman Mike Lee would violate the chamber’s rules.

This is good news. I am against the sale of federal public land. Once you sell federal land, it’s gone. 

The Montana delegation (Steve Daines, Tim Sheehy, Ryan Zinke, and Troy Downing) has been hounded by people opposed to the sale of public lands, and they have publicly said they were against it.  The sad deal is if the plan somehow gets back into the “big beautiful bill” and Trump needs the votes, we know our MAGA delegation will support him. 

MONTANA FAMILY FOUNDATION:

The Daily Montanan is reporting that the Montana Family Foundation has filed a lawsuit about Constitutional Initiative 128, which protects abortion in the Montana Constitution. 

Constitutional Initiative 128 was passed by voters with 58% of the vote. I supported the initiative. 

The Daily Montanan reports that the Montana Family Foundation alleges that the full text of the amendment should have been printed on the ballot instead of just a summary of the proposed Constitutional amendment. It alleges that voters who registered on Election Day were particularly harmed because they didn’t receive the voter guide distributed in advance by the Montana Secretary of State’s Office, which includes the “complete text” of any Constitutional amendment.

I doubt the lawsuit will change the outcome, but Montana is MAGA land, so anything is possible. 

ONE MORE THING:

If you watch Jaws backwards, it is a heartwarming story about a shark who gives arms and legs to people who need them. (Source)

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