It’s Friday! Here are the topics that caught my eye this week:

• Republicans are Lying
• Valley Neighbors of the Flathead
• Gallup – Trust in the Media
• One More Thing

REPUBLICANS ARE LYING:

The government shutdown continues. President Donald Trump and many Republicans, including the Speaker of the House, claim Democrats forced the government shutdown fight because they want to give free health care to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. (Source)

Here is a Fact Check from the Associated Press (AP):

CLAIM: Democrats shut down the government because they want to give free health care to immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.

THE FACTS: This is false. Democrats say they are pushing for the inclusion of key health care provisions in the next congressional spending package. In particular, they are seeking an extension of tax credits that millions of Americans use to buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchange and a reversal of Medicaid cuts made in the bill Trump signed into law in July. However, immigrants in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for any federal health care programs, including insurance provided through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Hospitals do receive Medicaid reimbursements — which would be reduced under Trump’s bill — for emergency care that they are obligated to provide to people who meet other Medicaid eligibility requirements but do not have an eligible immigration status, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy research, polling, and news organization. This spending accounted for less than 1% of total Medicaid spending between fiscal years 2017 and 2023.

There are many other sources, such as the New York Times, which have called the GOP’s talking points misleading. CBS News reported the following:

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — passed by lawmakers and signed by President Trump over the summer — significantly restricted noncitizen eligibility for Medicaid coverage, making it only accessible to lawful permanent residents, Cubans and Haitians who entered the U.S. legally and noncitizens from several Pacific islands. 

Even FactCheck.org reports:

Republican leaders have misleadingly said that Democrats “demand we fund healthcare for illegal aliens.” The Democrats have proposed restoring health care for “lawfully present” immigrants, but not for immigrants living in the country illegally, who are prohibited by law from receiving federally funded coverage.

We know that Trump loves the uneducated because they will believe anything he says. This is Trump’s fourth shutdown. His tactics are getting old.

VALLEY NEIGHBORS OF THE FLATHEAD:

Upper Seven Law sent The Western Word a press release about a new lawsuit filed against another Montana Legislative bill (House Bill 278) that is probably unconstitutional. 

On Tuesday, Plaintiff Valley Neighbors of the Flathead filed suit challenging House Bill 278 (“HB 278”) for violating the Montana Constitution. Passed during the 2025 legislative session, HB 278 would allow Montana law enforcement officers to conduct prolonged and warrantless investigative detentions using a federal standard that offers less protection against search and seizure than does the Montana Constitution.

Upper Seven Law contends that both the federal and Montana constitutions forbid law enforcement officers from conducting unreasonable searches and seizures. Typically, to make an arrest, officers must obtain a warrant supported by probable cause. But a narrow exception to the warrant requirement allows “investigative detentions”—temporary stops that allow officers to investigate potential criminal activity.   

The suit contends that HB 278 plainly violates Article II, Sections 10 and 11 of the Montana Constitution because it authorizes Montana officers to conduct and investigate detentions for immigration purposes based on the lesser “reasonable suspicion” standard rather than the Montana-specific “particularized suspicion” standard. 

This is an interesting time in our state and country. It will be fascinating to see what the court decides in this very important case.  

GALLUP – TRUST IN THE MEDIA:

Gallup Polling reports that Americans’ confidence in the mass media has edged down to a new low, with just 28% expressing a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in newspapers, television, and radio to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. This is down from 31% last year and 40% five years ago.

Meanwhile, seven in 10 U.S. adults now say they have “not very much” confidence (36%) or “none at all” (34%).

Gallup also found that although Democrats and Republicans continue to express different levels of trust in the news media, the percentages with high confidence in reporting are at low points among all party groups.

• Republicans’ confidence, which hasn’t risen above 21% since 2015, has dropped to single digits (8%) for the first time in the trend.
• Independents’ trust has not reached the majority level since 2003, and the latest 27% reading matches last year’s historical low.
• For Democrats, the narrowest of majorities (51%) now express trust in the media, which is a repeat of the low previously seen in 2016.

The Republicans’ trust in the media being at 8% is hysterical. Most Republicans watch Fox News, Newsmax, and One America News Network (OAN). What does that say for these cable news stations?

The MAGAs bitch and gripe about the legacy media all the time, mostly because they are reporting something in which they disagree. 

As for me, when I read or watch a news report, I use the Ronald Reagan quote he used about nuclear arms negotiations: “Trust but verify.”

Check out the full report from Gallup HERE.   

ONE MORE THING:

Be the reason someone smiles today! 

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##