Welcome! Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary: 

• Bobcats – FCS Champions
• Nine GOP State Senators
• U.S. Senator Mark Kelly
• One More Thing

BOBCATS – FCS CHAMPIONS:

It took an overtime period, but the Montana State Bobcats beat the Illinois State Redbirds 35-34 last night. 

The Redbirds had the ball in overtime first and scored a touchdown, but their extra point was blocked. Then it was the Bobcats’ turn. They had a fourth down and 10 from the Illinois State 14 when Justin Lamson completed a pass to Taco Dowler for the TD. Myles Sansted made the extra point to win the game. (Box Score)

This is the first FCS National Championship to go to overtime. This is the second FCS National Championship for the Bobcats.  Coverage from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle HERE. 

Party on, Bozeman and Bobcat Nation! Congratulations! 

NINE GOP STATE SENATORS: 

I am catching up on stories that happened during the holiday break, like this one:

In case you missed this story over the holidays, CBS News interviewed some of the GOP state senators from Montana who were censured for voting with Democrats. CBS News reporter Jo Ling Kent asked them about why they voted against party lines and what their hopes are for the future of U.S. politics.

You can watch the video HERE. 

Here are my thoughts – The censure of the nine GOP senators was bullshit. People are growing tired of the political parties. We want to see elected officials work together for the betterment of Montana and the United States. That is exactly what the nine state senators accomplished. 

We are also growing tired of the RINO (Republican In Name Only) crap that has Republicans attacking Republicans because they are not pure enough. I am tired of the games. 

It does not appear that the extreme MAGA Montana Republicans will change anytime soon. We’re seeing the national MAGA coalition starting to crumble. I hope the same happens to the MAGAs in Montana. 

U.S. SENATOR MARK KELLY:

CNBC and others reported U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, will have his military retirement pay cut as part of a disciplinary action over a video he made that told service members they have the right to refuse to execute illegal orders. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also issued a formal letter of censure against Kelly.

This action by Hegseth is wrong. 

Kelly is a retired Captain (O-6) from the U.S. Navy. He said the following in a video: “Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders.” (Source)

That sentence is completely true. 

Kelly responded to the action with a statement that, in part states:

“Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way. It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.  

“If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country’s history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn’t get it. I will fight this with everything I’ve got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government.”

You can read his whole statement HERE. 

I’m sure if this action is carried out, it will be overturned down the road when Hegseth and Trump are gone. The attack on Kelly does set a dangerous precedent that, in the future, other retired military members may have their retirement pay cut for speaking out. What if it happened to a MAGA? 

ONE MORE THING: 

The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. – John F. Kennedy

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