Yeah, I hate to say it, but it’s true – I gave money away.
Now why would I do such a silly thing? Well, first of all, I’m not giving money away…I’m investing it. I’m investing that money in both Montana’s and America’s future, and let me tell you three reasons why:
- First, it’s clear to me Steve Daines and his Republican allies and corporate backers want to sell America out;
- Next, National Democrats have told Montana to go diddle itself in the corner and forget about its silly Senate race;
- Finally, young people need to get behind Amanda Curtis and show a lot of these older Montana Democrats that’ve given up that they’re wrong.
As you can see, it’s the wise thing to do. Wisdom often gets pushed aside when you’re angry, and I felt that way today as this Monday in Montana politics began.
Ochenski’s Post
Ochenski goes on to quote an egghead, saying “As widely respected political analyst Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics told reporters last week, ‘I don’t know of any analyst who believes it’s not over.’"
Damn, I guess that’s it then…we should all just go home, as Ochenski makes it sound:
"And if analyst Sabato is correct, there won’t be an influx of funds from national organizations. 'I can’t imagine the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee wasting a lot of money on this,' he told reporters. 'They have enough close races to worry about. So there’s the money issue, the lack of name ID and the overall sense that Democrats in Montana have blown it.'"
Sabato is damn good at predicting races, but in the interests of full-disclosure it’s important to mention that in 2009 Virgil Goode, a House Democrat from Virgina, gave Sabato $7 million. Sabato predicted Goode would win, but he lost.
I just thought I’d point that out for two reasons.
- First, $7 million is a lot of money for throwing darts at boards, no matter how many rich people with fancy degrees you have on your staff.
- Second, who doesn’t want to see an underdog walk all over this fancy-pants in his collegial office, or wherever his year-round political headquarters is located?
See, I’m not sure they have the best interests of Montana or America at heart, and I’m sad to see Ochenski pandering to the thoughts and ideals of these folks. But remember, he works for Lee Newspapers, which is a propaganda machine for a large corporation.
National Democrats
I’ve had some humdingers before as far as bosses are concerned, and I won’t apologize for not wanting to work for these stooges of corporate greed whose main goal for America is division, mainly into two camps – those that buy their products and those that don’t.
We’re getting into complicated economic principles here which are beyond my scope of comprehension, mainly because you’re dealing with an alternate realm where reason, logic and accountability no longer exist.
I collectively refer to that realm as ‘back East’ and ‘out-of-state interests,’ but there are many names for it.
The Hands That Daines Feeds
You can see this in the TV stations that profit handsomely, such as:
- KULR in Billings, which got $974.10 over the past couple weeks;
- KHMT in Great Falls, which got $221.25 last week;
- KPAX in Missoula, which got $1,995 last week.
Oh, but jeez…I’m sorry – that’s how they make their money. Yep, it’s business, ruining America’s Democracy and your dinner hour. It’s all perfectly legal, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it. And remember, before this year you couldn’t even find this information out.
Smack of hypocrisy and lies and BS? I thought so.
Thankfully, and according to Larry Sabato and other political in-the-knows, Daines won’t have to give that kind of money to the TV stations anymore (remember, they only get 15% of his total bill). Now that Amanda Curtis has no chance – according to the National Democrats – Daines can hold onto that money.
So what becomes of the Daines campaing war chest? Well, he’ll probably siphon most of that off to his Senatorial Slush Fund, actual funds that Congressmen use to buy trips to Scotland for golf and to hire family and other shady things that you’d get pissed about if you knew.
But you don’t know, mainly because the media doesn’t want you to know that. It’s no secret though, and these slush funds have been making news in Montana for awhile. Just read this national story on congressional slush funds from this year, unless you’re eating and don’t want to be sick.
It’s not good, and just shows the level of corruption in Washington, a level of corruption Steve Daines can’t wait to jump into hands-first, not in any attempt to attack it like Amanda Curtis will, but to roll around in it like Scrooge McDuck getting his jollies off.
That’s not what we need for Montana. It’s clear already that Montana Democratic candidates are raising the overwhelming majority of their money from people like me, those giving $5 or $10 or in my case $25 today.
Republicans, on the other hand, can’t seem to raise money in Montana and would much rather do so in California. I don’t like Montana politicians raising money in California myself, at least not the overwhelming majority of it.
Steve Daines and Ryan Zinke love it. They love that shit, getting money from those out of state interests that see Montana the way it’s always been seen by rich out of state interests – a place to come and despoil for their own profits.
We can’t let that happen, and that’s why I urge you to give $25 or so to Amanda Curtis on her Act Blue page right now.