I’m tremendously disappointed in Montana’s largest and most visited political website, MT Cowgirl.
The site has said a few times this year that they accept guest posts. Just a couple days ago there was this comment from the anonymous site owner in the comments on a post about how hard it is to blog in Montana:
The site has said a few times this year that they accept guest posts. Just a couple days ago there was this comment from the anonymous site owner in the comments on a post about how hard it is to blog in Montana:
Blogging does take a lot of time. Even when readers of this blog send in such excellent tips, it still takes time to write them up, verify, link, etc. The point of this post is that it takes more than just a blogger to have blog a, it takes an informed, interested readership. Right now for example I have several great tips, so many I don’t know if I’ll have time to write them all even. If people like this blog, they have the tipsters to thank. The blog is looking for guest writers and regular bloggers! Email me if you are interested.
I was troubled by that comment, mainly because I’d sent in a guest post 5 days earlier. I never heard back and the post never went up, even though several days went by without any new content going up on the site.
Oh well. Sometimes certain people will rock the boat, and for established sites that feel entitled to a certain amount of website traffic, political respect, and maybe even advertising revenue, gosh, perhaps someone like me writing on the site would just be too much. After all, that might present a viewpoint MT Cowgirl wouldn’t like.
And when it comes to presenting views like that, MT Cowgirl would rather do nothing.
Be careful about anonymous sites, especially those that claim to rely on their anonymity to get tips for stories. What stories? I haven’t seen much on the site in awhile that’s been new. And to actually question your own party? By golly, that might be American!
Well, without further ado, here’s the post that was too controversial for Montana’s “#1 Political Website.”
Oh well. Sometimes certain people will rock the boat, and for established sites that feel entitled to a certain amount of website traffic, political respect, and maybe even advertising revenue, gosh, perhaps someone like me writing on the site would just be too much. After all, that might present a viewpoint MT Cowgirl wouldn’t like.
And when it comes to presenting views like that, MT Cowgirl would rather do nothing.
Be careful about anonymous sites, especially those that claim to rely on their anonymity to get tips for stories. What stories? I haven’t seen much on the site in awhile that’s been new. And to actually question your own party? By golly, that might be American!
Well, without further ado, here’s the post that was too controversial for Montana’s “#1 Political Website.”
You’re Tired of Politics as Usual
When you read the political news in the morning you want to stop. You want to throw your hands up in the air, pull your hair out, and maybe even shoot somebody.
Don’t worry, this is normal. If you’re not feeling that way then chances are you’re profiting from our current political system.
And which system is that? Why, the one we have in Helena every two years.
Don’t worry, this is normal. If you’re not feeling that way then chances are you’re profiting from our current political system.
And which system is that? Why, the one we have in Helena every two years.
A “New” Kind of Candidate
My name’s Greg Strandberg and I’m running for House District 98 here in Missoula. I’m running because America is no longer sustainable. And so goes America, so goes Montana.
What am I talking about? The multitude of people in this state struggling each day just to get by.
People have it hard today, much more so than when I left Missoula for Shenzhen, China, in 2008.
Back then the Great Recession was just getting started, but it was clear to me as a freshly-minted UM History graduate that I’d better find somewhere to make money. It sure didn’t seem that place was Montana.
Most of our young people are having similar thoughts today. It could be recent graduates that are smart enough to know they better get to the coast where the jobs are, or maybe that graduate of a few years ago who tried to make a go of it but quickly realized it was a lot harder than it looked.
I thought it looked a little easier last year when I moved back to Missoula from China. Sadly, it’s just not the case.
What am I talking about? The multitude of people in this state struggling each day just to get by.
- Whether they’re a small business owner wondering if this’ll be the month when it all comes crashing down, or a worker hoping there’ll be just one more week before that pink slip.
- It could be a homeowner agonizing over that next mortgage payment, or the renter wondering if the landlord will give them just one extra week this month to pay.
- Perhaps it’s the senior hoping they don’t have to dig through the dumpster looking for cans, or the student praying tuition and fees aren’t raised next semester.
People have it hard today, much more so than when I left Missoula for Shenzhen, China, in 2008.
Back then the Great Recession was just getting started, but it was clear to me as a freshly-minted UM History graduate that I’d better find somewhere to make money. It sure didn’t seem that place was Montana.
Most of our young people are having similar thoughts today. It could be recent graduates that are smart enough to know they better get to the coast where the jobs are, or maybe that graduate of a few years ago who tried to make a go of it but quickly realized it was a lot harder than it looked.
I thought it looked a little easier last year when I moved back to Missoula from China. Sadly, it’s just not the case.
Making “Old” Ideas Work for Us
I really don’t think things are going to get any easier for most people in Montana. After all, we continue to send legislators to Helena who are out of touch with how most people are living.
It could be the older legislator who paid $500 a quarter for college back in the day or even that businessman that never had to work for minimum wage. The point is, many of our legislators are retired, teachers, lawyers, or ranchers. That’s great, but it means they’re probably old as well. And no one is better than putting forth old ideas than those folks.
You know we can’t rely on old ideas anymore, not if we want our young people to stay in state and contribute to our tax base, not if we want to compete with the rest of the world. Of course, we could continue to see our young people leave and rely on extraction industries to fund us into our old age. And why not? It’s all we’ve ever really done before.
From furs, gold, silver and sapphires all the way to copper, coal, oil and gas, Montana has always taken from the land. Wheat, barley, sugar beets, timber and tourism are a large part of that landed heritage as well, and we need to find more ways to increase profitability in sustainable ways. Remember, we want something here for our kids when they do decide to stay, and come back.
But the only way you’re going to reach solutions on those issues is through compromise.
Yeah, there’s that dirty word again, the one our Founder’s were so foolish to embrace.
It’s unfortunate so many in both parties feel that way during the odd years in Helena, and it has to stop. Compromise might be the oldest idea of all, but it’s also the best.
We’re already seeing responsible legislators from both parties realizing the mistakes of past sessions can’t be repeated. Instead of banging our fists on our desks because we can’t work with the other party we need to find concrete solutions that move the state forward.
You might not always get everything you wanted when you compromise, but then the other guy doesn’t either. Compromise isn’t such a bad thing, and I hope you’ll send people to Helena that feel the same way.
My name’s Greg Strandberg and I’m one of ‘em, and I hope I’ll get your vote come June 3.
As you can see, that’s just too radical for “Montana’s #1 Political Website.”
What else is?
It could be the older legislator who paid $500 a quarter for college back in the day or even that businessman that never had to work for minimum wage. The point is, many of our legislators are retired, teachers, lawyers, or ranchers. That’s great, but it means they’re probably old as well. And no one is better than putting forth old ideas than those folks.
You know we can’t rely on old ideas anymore, not if we want our young people to stay in state and contribute to our tax base, not if we want to compete with the rest of the world. Of course, we could continue to see our young people leave and rely on extraction industries to fund us into our old age. And why not? It’s all we’ve ever really done before.
From furs, gold, silver and sapphires all the way to copper, coal, oil and gas, Montana has always taken from the land. Wheat, barley, sugar beets, timber and tourism are a large part of that landed heritage as well, and we need to find more ways to increase profitability in sustainable ways. Remember, we want something here for our kids when they do decide to stay, and come back.
But the only way you’re going to reach solutions on those issues is through compromise.
Yeah, there’s that dirty word again, the one our Founder’s were so foolish to embrace.
It’s unfortunate so many in both parties feel that way during the odd years in Helena, and it has to stop. Compromise might be the oldest idea of all, but it’s also the best.
We’re already seeing responsible legislators from both parties realizing the mistakes of past sessions can’t be repeated. Instead of banging our fists on our desks because we can’t work with the other party we need to find concrete solutions that move the state forward.
You might not always get everything you wanted when you compromise, but then the other guy doesn’t either. Compromise isn’t such a bad thing, and I hope you’ll send people to Helena that feel the same way.
My name’s Greg Strandberg and I’m one of ‘em, and I hope I’ll get your vote come June 3.
As you can see, that’s just too radical for “Montana’s #1 Political Website.”
What else is?
Bon Appétit
