You can give a person knowledge, but you can’t make them think. Some people want to remain fools, only because the truth requires change. – Tony Gaskins
Welcome to the big column to end the week “Caught My Eye” (CME)!
If you are a first-time visitor, welcome! CME is the once a week column that is posted here every Friday morning. This is when I take a look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week. There may be some sarcasm and pointed independent commentary so be warned!
Here are the topics that “Caught My Eye” this week:
- Tester/Daines Shutdown
- Tim Fox Announces
- Daines Ramping Up
- The Last Straw
- MLB Hall of Fame
- One More Thing
Tester/Daines Shutdown Day 35:
An hour or so before the two votes in the U.S. Senate to end the shutdown on Thursday, I tweeted this:
We will soon see if any senators have the guts to cross party lines – if we have any Patriots or just a-holes. (Betting a-holes) #Shutdown
During the two votes, a few senators crossed party lines, but not Montana’s two U.S. Senators, Democrat Jon Tester, and Republican Steve Daines.
After the two measures failed, I tweeted this:
During the two Senate votes, we found we lack Patriots and have plenty of a-holes. Montana’s two senators voted the party line. A-holes. #mtpol
So yes, Tester and Daines are both A-holes (capital A) for what they are doing to our country, but they are not the only ones who put party above country. Today is day 35 of the shutdown. People are missing their second paychecks, but not Tester and Daines.
In an amusing story, Tester and Daines each gave Tom Lutey of Billings Gazette their spin about their votes and the shutdown. Lutey reported it like a moron.
I have lost all respect for Tester and Daines.
Tim Fox Announces:
On Thursday, MTN News reported that Attorney General Tim Fox became the second prominent Republican to enter Montana’s 2020 race for governor, vying for his party’s nomination to succeed term-limited Democrat Steve Bullock.
Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is the other big name Republican who has announced his intention to run for Montana Governor.
I applaud Fox for waiting until he was term-limited from running for AG again instead of trying to jump from one office to another like Steve Daines and Steve Bullock did and Matt Rosendale tried to do, and Corey Stapleton is trying to do. It makes it hard for me to cast a vote for those people.
I like Fox, but I am scared to death that if Montana elects a Republican governor and we have Republicans controlling the state legislature, it will be like the inmates running the asylum.
Face it former fellow Republicans – you have some freaking nutjobs in your caucus. I’m not sure Fox or Stapleton could stand up to them.
Daines Ramping Up:
U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) is up for reelection in 2020. We know this because all of a sudden he starts doing things and becoming more visible. One of the most dangerous places to be these days is between Daines and a microphone.
I got a kick out of a couple of his press releases this week. One announced that Daines was the “Most Effective and Most Bipartisan U.S. Senator from 2014 Elected Class” and the other press release said Daines was “Named a Leading Bipartisan Senator.”
I’m not sure I believe either press release. I’d like to see a press release from Daines announcing that he was going to hold a town hall meeting in person with Montanans in Montana. Daines has been a chickenshit when it comes to meeting constituents face to face.
The Last Straw:
The Great Falls Tribune reported this week that two bills sponsored by Missoula state senator Sue Malek are wending their way through the Legislature could change life as some Montanans know it by limiting plastic straws in retail food establishments and charging for plastic bags in stores.
The Tribune also reported that there is a bill by another lawmaker that would send Styrofoam containers packing.
I doubt these bills pass.
The president of the Montana Retail Association was quoted in the story saying there should possibly be a bigger discussion about recycling in Montana. I say “Amen” to that. I think Montana is way behind in the recycling world. It needs to be easy to recycle, not hard.
I know Montana is way behind on the safe disposal of needles, syringes, and lancets – also called “sharps.” Basically, if you do not want to pay to dispose of your “sharps” the Montana Department of Environmental Quality instructs you to put the used sharps into an empty, puncture- and leak-proof container with a tight lid, like a liquid laundry detergent or bleach container. Put some bleach on them and duct tape the bottle closed. Mark the container with the word, “SHARPS.” Then place the container in your regular garbage to take to your local landfill.
Yes, send your used needles to the local landfill. Crazy. Here’s the fact sheet.
MLB Hall of Fame:
ESPN reported this week that Closer Mariano Rivera, designated hitter Edgar Martinez and starting pitchers Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina will be the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame (HOF). Rivera became the first player to be unanimously voted into the Hall, appearing on all 425 ballots.
There are three more that should have been in the Hall of Fame years ago – Pete Rose, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds. We should forgive Rose and let him in the HOF. I thought we were a forgiving society – one that gives people second chances.
As for Clemens and Bonds, ESPN said their “cases are muddied by steroid accusations.” These are just accusations. If they did steroids, it was never proven.
Major League Baseball needs to move on and they could do this by letting Rose, Clemens, and Bonds in the HOF.
One More Thing:
If we make guns illegal, then nobody will get shot anymore. That’s how we stopped everybody from doing drugs. – Unknown