Tuesday’s Quick Hits 

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Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s independent commentary:

  • Fireworks in Great Falls
  • Good Trouble Lives On
  • Superman & MAGA
  • Department of Education
  • One More Thing

FIREWORKS IN GREAT FALLS:

In the Great Falls City Commission work session scheduled for today (Tuesday), one of the potential agenda items is “City Commission Discussion on Fireworks.” (Source)

This is a first step in the process of what I hope is a total ban on fireworks in the city of Great Falls. I have no problem with having professionals do fireworks shows, but the private use of fireworks has gotten out of hand. 

I encourage the commission to endorse a total ban on fireworks and place it on the November ballot for the voters to approve or disapprove. 

The Electric reports that, from July 1-5, Great Falls Fire Rescue received 40 calls on July 4, while Great Falls Police Department received 53 fireworks calls, and 500 calls overall. This year saw an increase in calls from 2024. 

A lot of money would be saved if the first responders did not have to deal with fireworks calls. 

It has also been widely reported that Missoula, Kalispell, Helena, Bozeman, and Billings ban fireworks within the city limits.

GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON:

Get ready, Great Falls – there’s a “Good Trouble Lives On” protest in Great Falls this Thursday (July 17) from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the U.S. District Court building. 

“Good Trouble Lives On” is a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration. Together, we’ll remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.

To find an event near you, click HERE. 

SUPERMAN & MAGA:

I am not too big a fan of Superman, but I may become one. The MAGAs believe, for some reason, that the newest Superman is “woke.”

The Trump White House seems to be jealous of Superman. As Bill Goodykoontz writes in the Arizona Republic:

The White House posted a photo on its official X account of a poster from the new “Superman” movie — only instead of David Corenswet, the film’s star, in the image, it was now Donald Trump in the Superman costume. Not really Donald Trump — the body shape remains all Corenswet. 

Of course, there’s more. The poster says, “A Trump Presidency,” and “Truth, Justice and the American Way. Superman.” The chatter on the post says, “THE SYMBOL OF HOPE. TRUTH. JUSTICE. THE AMERICAN WAY. SUPERMAN TRUMP.”

Probably the main reason the MAGAs dislike Superman is the comments from the Director James Gunn about Superman:

“Superman is the story of America,” Gunn said. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country.” He continued, “But for me, it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.” (Source)

I hope that Superman continues to use his powers to do good in the world – like to find and release the Epstein files. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

The Associated Press is reporting that the U.S. Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump to put his plan to dismantle the Education Department back on track — and to go through with laying off nearly 1,400 employees.

After that report, Trump on Monday said that Education Secretary Linda McMahon will begin the process of dismantling the Education Department in the wake of the Supreme Court decision allowing the administration to resume layoffs at the agency. (Source)

I remember when Trump was running in 2016, and after he won Nevada, he proclaimed, “…We won with poorly educated. I love the poorly educated.” (Source)

If you look around at your friends and family who support Trump, you probably find that many of them are “poorly educated.” They believe everything he says and what they read and hear from MAGA sources. 

So as Trump attempts to do away with the Department of Education, he will probably end up with many more “poorly educated” supporters running around. 

ONE MORE THING:

Fruit cocktail is the most disappointing of all cocktails. Period. 

## THE END ## 

2 thoughts on “Tuesday’s Quick Hits ”

  1. I lived in a city with a total ban on fireworks. Even state laws dating back to the 40s on what type of fireworks could be sold elsewhere in the state were very strict, allowing just sparklers, smoke bombs, black snakes and the like. But like clockwork every 4th of July was still like a war zone out there. So real good luck to our commission and undermanned police force. At least they could claim they did something besides constantly raising fees and taxes on us. And maybe a theoretical good stiff fine would deter a few.

    Kind of interesting watching this debate play out on local social media with many MAGA types insisting there’s no constitutional right to fireworks and the government must take firm steps to prevent others from bothering them and their dogs with the noise and possible fire hazard and yadda yadda. The truly interesting part is many of the people making this case (especially on Tryon’s Facebook) are the same Don’t Tread On Me crowd that claimed the government had zero authority to infringe their non-constitutionally protected “freedoms” around wearing Covid face masks to prevent them from coughing their plague all over their neighbors, relatives, and other people.

    Plus one other local government related thought from yesterday: If this utility increase is really going to be as puny as they claim, why is the City trying to hard to get out front of it? In the usual ebb and flow of monthly City bills no one would even notice $17. IMO they know very well they lied and people are about to realize it. Especially people who water their lawns.

    • I think if the city was very strict in upholding a ban with fines, then most people would get the message. There will always be a few lawbreakers, but if they cut the activity down by 3/4 they would help.
      I have not watered my yard as much due to the increased rates. It’s getting harder and harder for many to make ends meet. -JmB

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