Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary:
- Patriotism 101
- Campaign Mailers Update
- Christa Pike
- U.S. House Debate
- One More Thing
PATRIOTISM 101:
I have been seeing some posts about patriotism from MAGA nutjobs, so I thought I would give you my thoughts…
Trump has masterfully brainwashed his followers into thinking that getting absolutely fleeced—paying over $4.00 for gas, over $6.00 for diesel, and a 30% increase on groceries—is a proud badge of patriotism. It isn’t patriotism; it’s a profound failure of leadership by Trump and his MAGA enablers.
I’ve spent my life witnessing genuine patriotism, and whatever this performance is, it doesn’t even come close. True love for this country isn’t about blind allegiance to a single politician, nor is it about quietly swallowing a massive failure of leadership while your wallet gets drained at the grocery store and the pump.
Real patriotism involves holding our leaders accountable when they fail us, demanding transparency, and protecting the actual well-being of American citizens. What we are seeing today from Trump and his sycophantic MAGA enablers is a cheap, superficial imitation designed to exploit loyalty rather than solve real problems. It is a complete inversion of civic duty, trading the hard work of actual governance for a hollow political stunt that leaves everyday Americans paying the price.
CAMPAIGN MAILERS UPDATE:
New readers – I keep track of the campaign literature received during the campaign season. The literature is what I receive in the mail and what is left on my door.
Some of the better mailers will be shown here at The Western Word.
Last week, I received 12 mailers. This past week, I have received 7 more campaign mailers to bring the total to 19.
That is through Tuesday, October 6.
Please make sure you save your mailers and recycle them!
CHRISTA PIKE:
In a stunning update today, Christa Pike’s lawyers shared that she is now conscious and talking.
On Wednesday, September 30, Tennessee authorities failed to execute 50-year-old Christa Pike for her role in the 1995 slaying of Colleen Slemmer.
According to her legal team, Pike survived a double dose of pentobarbital and was transferred to an off-site hospital in critical condition. Reports indicate execution teams spent an hour attempting to establish stable IV access. In response to the unprecedented failure, state officials have halted all upcoming executions pending a full, independent investigation.
In a stunning update today, Christa Pike’s lawyers shared that she is now conscious and talking. It is an incredible turnaround after surviving two lethal doses of execution drugs and spending days on a ventilator. Her defense team called her survival “against all odds.”
Tennessee has proven once again that it cannot reliably carry out executions without crossing the line into torture. When the state botches a procedure as severely as it did with Christa Pike, it should permanently lose the right to try again. Pike has already suffered an extraordinary and agonizing ordeal. If she survives this failed attempt, the only just and humane response is for Governor Bill Lee to commute her sentence to life without parole. If the state cannot get executions right, it should abandon them entirely.
U.S. HOUSE DEBATE:
Montana Free Press and NonStop Local Missoula will co-host a livestreamed debate for Montana’s 1st Congressional District U.S. House candidates, Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, on Oct. 13 at 8 a.m. Montana time.
The 60-minute debate will be moderated by MTFP’s Tom Lutey and NonStop Local’s Bradley Warren. The journalists will ask a mix of panel-prepared questions and inquiries submitted by MTFP readers.
Viewers can watch the live broadcast on montanafreepress.org, MTFP’s YouTube channel, NonStop Local’s websites, and on SWX. (Source)
I want to applaud both Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag for agreeing to this debate. In an era where many political candidates avoid public forums and unscripted questions, their willingness to openly share their views is commendable. It is unfortunate that this level of accountability isn’t standard practice for all candidates.
ONE MORE THING:
Election Season Notice: It’s important to look closely at lawn signs during election campaigns. Last election day I accidentally voted for a real estate agent…
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