I read many newspapers on-line and visit various websites each day. Sometimes I think some of the things they write about or report on are really stupid. Then, some of the people commenting on the issues say stupid things. Yesterday and today was chocked full of stupid stuff (in my humble opinion).

Stupid Stuff Part I

Hey, let’s ask a stupid poll question: Our glorious Montana News Station (CBS) is running a poll about the Burns/Tester senate race of 2006. They ask the question, “If you voted for Jon Tester, and you knew former Senator Conrad Burns would not be indicted, would it have changed your vote in November 2006?”

Dumb. If this is the leading news station in Montana, what does that tell you?

Being the concerned and involved citizen I am, I thought of some better questions for Montana’s News Station:
1. “If you voted for Libertarian Stan Jones, and you knew former Senator Conrad Burns would not be indicted, would it have changed your vote in November 2006?”
Jones took 10,377 votes. Burns lost by a little over 3500 votes. Combined, Jones and Burns took about 51% of the vote to Tester’s 49%. It would be nice if Montana had a law that says the winner has to get 50% plus one vote to be declared the winner, but that’s for another day.
2. “If you voted for Jon Tester, and you knew he would not end the war in Iraq, or get a powerful seat on the senate appropriations committee as promised by his party, would you have voted for Conrad Burns?”

Stupid Stuff Part II

The O.J. angle: The O.J. angle is used by people when they lose. In one of the comment sections of the on-line newspapers that carried the Burns is innocent story, someone commented, “O.J. was found innocent, too.”

Murder, politics. Yes, I see similarities. O.J. at least had a day in court.

Stupid Stuff Part III

Say something “kind of nice” when you screw up: The Great Falls Tribune chimed in today with a sort of feel good editorial about the Burns issue. They probably did this to make their editorial board feel a little better as they were happy to jump on the beat Burns bandwagon with a can of gas and a lighter in 2006.

From what I have heard, without Burns clout on defense and military construction committees, Malmstrom may be toast. Missiles have been removed, no new missions have been obtained, and housing construction was cut, as well as defense funding. As people leave the Great Falls area, which means less money in advertising and subscriptions, the Tribune may have to lay off some people. Let’s start with the editorial board!

Stupid Stuff Part IV

Politics means never having to say you’re sorry: When asked about Burns being cleared in the Abramoff deal, the Chairman of the Montana Democratic Party decided not to apologize, but continued the campaign theme of 2006. He was quoted by the Montana News Station saying, “Regardless of what the Justice Department has found, Montanans know that Conrad Burns’ relationship with convicted felon Jack Abramoff was wrong, and the voters agreed with that position last cycle.”

In easier terms, I believe he was saying, “We lied to the voters and we won, so stick it.” Next election will the voters believe anything your party says?

In closing:

I leave you with this quote from a great man named Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.” We’ve had plenty of that in the last couple of days.