Welcome to the Wednesday edition of The Western Word! Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary:

• Transgender Athletes & SCOTUS
• Downing Dispatch
• Reading Assignments 
• One More Thing 

TRANSGENDER ATHLETES & SCOTUS:

Several sources, including the Associated Press (AP), are reporting that the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on Tuesday appeared ready to deal another setback to transgender people and uphold state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams.

The AP also reported that the court’s conservative majority, which has repeatedly ruled against transgender Americans in the past year, signaled during more than three hours of arguments it would rule the state bans don’t violate either the Constitution or the federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), who is up for reelection this year and needs publicity, was outside the U.S. Supreme Court posting on social media. 

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who is probably running for something in the future, showed up at the U.S. Supreme Court building and gave the crowd his two cents. (Source)

Does this issue affect a lot of people? 

NCAA president Charlie Baker told Congress in 2024 that he was aware of only 10 transgender athletes out of more than half a million students on college teams. It has also been reported that about 2.1 million adults, or 0.8%, and 724,000 people age 13 to 17, or 3.3%, identify as transgender in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. (Source)

DOWNING DISPATCH:

Many folks in the Montana Second Congressional District probably received the “Downing Dispatch” in their mailboxes recently from U.S. Representative Troy Downing. 

The “Downing Dispatch” is a public document that deals with official business. It is paid for by official funds authorized by the House of Representatives. In other words, we, the taxpayers, are paying for it. 

There are rules governing the distribution of congressional newsletters on the taxpayers’ dime. For one, they can’t be sent within 90 days of a primary or general election. They can’t be for political purposes, like saying “Vote for Me” because I brought home the bacon. They do tell the member’s constituents what the member has accomplished in Congress. 

Everyone with half a brain knows that the newsletters are a wonderful tool to help members of Congress get reelected, without saying “Vote for Me.” 

As for the “Downing Dispatch,” it was very professionally done. It contained a lot of information. Downing did list “Town Hall Attendees” in the newsletter. He claims 45,289 attended his five town halls. He did not state that his town halls are via telephone only. 

You can view two of the “Downing Dispatch” pages HERE and HERE. 

READING ASSIGNMENTS:

Here are a few articles that you should read:

Four years of legalized adult-use marijuana in Montana produces more than $1 billion in sales

Lower my taxes; send me a refund! 

Best & Worst States to Raise a Family in 2026

Montana is in the middle of the pack…

States That Have Made the Most Racial Progress

Montana has some work to do…

Ethics Ratings of American Professions (1976-2025)

Nurses – good. Members of Congress – bad.

ONE MORE THING: 

It costs $0.00 to be a decent human being.  

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