Happy Halloween! That’s a scary mask you have on. Here are the topics that caught my eye this week:

• SNAP Benefits & Donations
• Shutdown Day 31
• One More Thing

SNAP BENEFITS & DONATIONS:

There’s a very good chance that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will end this Saturday, November 1. The Great Falls Community Food Bank is asking for help:

With the government shutdown continuing this week and future Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in real jeopardy, Montana charities that feed the hungry need your help more than ever.  The residents of Cascade County have always stepped up and we know you will again.  PLEASE consider making a food or cash donation to ANY Cascade County agency (including us) that feeds the hungry in our community. If you know of anyone on SNAP, and you can help them–please do.  It is time for us to come together and take care of our own. Let’s show Washington how people with different views and opinions can put those aside and help our fellow human beings.

Click HERE for more information. If you are not in Cascade County, please look for ways to donate in your area. 

SHUTDOWN DAY 31: 

Today is the 31st day of the government shutdown. For those keeping score at home, the longest shutdown was for 35 days and happened from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019. Oh, and Donald Trump was President during that shutdown, too. 

Back in 2013, when asked about a shutdown, then private citizen Donald Trump made the following remarks in a “Fox & Friends” phone interview: 

“Problems start from the top, and they have to get solved from the top, and the president’s the leader, and he’s got to get everybody in a room, and he’s got to lead.” (Source)

Maybe Trump should do some leading?

According to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, more Americans blame President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress than Democrats for the nearly month-long government shutdown. 

The Republicans are in charge. They need to lead! They have the majority in the House, the Senate, and the White House.

Back here in MAGA-rich Montana, Great Falls City Commissioner Rick Tryon had a couple of unhinged rants this week on Facebook, the main one being the government shutdown. In part, Tryon writes:

But the current government shutdown, resulting in many federal employees not getting paid and SNAP benefits running out, is on the Democrats alone.

This isn’t political spin, it’s a fact. Period.

Senate Democrats could end this fiasco tomorrow if they weren’t so infected with TDS and so intent on using this ‘crisis’ as political leverage for their own perceived advantage.

Enough with the ‘both sides are to blame’ gaslighting on this specific issue. We’re not stupid.

Democrats, it’s all on you, and everyone knows it.

It seems many of the recent polls don’t agree with Tryon. I don’t agree with Tryon. It was also interesting to see that a few commentators did not agree with him, either. They will probably be blocked, because he is a delicate little flower. 

One person chimed in with, “Pardon me but it is republican president, house, and senate so how the hell is it a democratic shutdown. I’m sure you saw the video of knowledgeable trump saying the shutdown falls on the president for lack of leadership.”

Another wrote, “You are ignorant and misguided!”

Still another said, “Rick got his talking points down. Who’s a good boy?”

One of my favorite comments was, “Too bad you don’t know what your talking about Rick. Republicans rule, they did all this and are doing nothing to help people suffering because big business doesn’t pay living wages and people like you spout nonsense.”

Maybe MAGA Rick is not as influential as he thinks. 

ONE MORE THING:  

Even on Gilligan’s Island, they listened to the professor, not the millionaire.

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##