Dear Montana,
I’d lake to take a moment to apologize for Missoula.
There’s been some strange stuff happening here lately. I know it makes us look bad, and the rest of the state in turn.
So let me apologize, and let me also say, we’re not all like that.
When it comes to Missoula, the stuff you read about in the papers or on the blogs…well, that’s not all of us.
Yes, we’re sensible, law-abiding citizens that work and don’t waste time!
You might not get that impression of the good people of Missoula, however, when you read headlines that have been appearing lately.
For instance, I see that a Missoula man has started a campaign to make Missoula a sanctuary city for undocumented workers.
This despite the fact that undocumented workers made up just 0.4% of Montana’s labor force in 2012.
That’s about 5,000 people.
Oh, and they're here illegally. Some have been here for years without even trying to fill out the necessary paperwork.
Meanwhile our acting mayor – don’t ask me where our current mayor is, no one knows – is up in arms over Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon as chief policy advisor.
Why Marilyn Marler thinks her phone calls are going to do anything is beyond me.
At the same time this is going on we know Missoula is working to get a local option sales tax through the legislature.
This at a time when Missoula is the highest-taxed city of all the major cities in Montana.
Where are Missoulians tax dollars going now?
On top of this we also have some of the highest housing prices and some of the highest rents.
But those things aren’t really talked about much – it’s undocumented workers and what Trump’s doing that’s getting most of the attention.
That’s a shame.
Something that you won’t read much about is the city’s foray into the private sector…again.
Recently we took over Mountain Water and just this week we took over EKO Compost.
That’s $3 million of taxpayer money that the city used to take over a private business.
The city will then run that business with your tax dollars, although it’s already set to lose money – the city is going to eliminate the compost bagging portion of the business, which currently brings in 50% to 60% of revenue.
That’s Missoula city government in action.
Once again, I feel the need to apologize to the rest of the state for what’s going on here.
I’m sorry these things happen. I’m sorry they make the state look bad.
All I can say is that we’re not all like this, many of us know the problematic road the city is going down, and many of us don’t like it.
So there’s hope.
Until then, Montana, just remember that many Missoulians are sorry.
I’d lake to take a moment to apologize for Missoula.
There’s been some strange stuff happening here lately. I know it makes us look bad, and the rest of the state in turn.
So let me apologize, and let me also say, we’re not all like that.
When it comes to Missoula, the stuff you read about in the papers or on the blogs…well, that’s not all of us.
- Some of us have sense.
- Many of us don’t like to waste time on frivolities.
- Most of all, however, we just try to do our jobs and follow the law.
Yes, we’re sensible, law-abiding citizens that work and don’t waste time!
You might not get that impression of the good people of Missoula, however, when you read headlines that have been appearing lately.
For instance, I see that a Missoula man has started a campaign to make Missoula a sanctuary city for undocumented workers.
This despite the fact that undocumented workers made up just 0.4% of Montana’s labor force in 2012.
That’s about 5,000 people.
Oh, and they're here illegally. Some have been here for years without even trying to fill out the necessary paperwork.
Meanwhile our acting mayor – don’t ask me where our current mayor is, no one knows – is up in arms over Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon as chief policy advisor.
Why Marilyn Marler thinks her phone calls are going to do anything is beyond me.
At the same time this is going on we know Missoula is working to get a local option sales tax through the legislature.
This at a time when Missoula is the highest-taxed city of all the major cities in Montana.
Where are Missoulians tax dollars going now?
On top of this we also have some of the highest housing prices and some of the highest rents.
But those things aren’t really talked about much – it’s undocumented workers and what Trump’s doing that’s getting most of the attention.
That’s a shame.
Something that you won’t read much about is the city’s foray into the private sector…again.
Recently we took over Mountain Water and just this week we took over EKO Compost.
That’s $3 million of taxpayer money that the city used to take over a private business.
The city will then run that business with your tax dollars, although it’s already set to lose money – the city is going to eliminate the compost bagging portion of the business, which currently brings in 50% to 60% of revenue.
That’s Missoula city government in action.
Once again, I feel the need to apologize to the rest of the state for what’s going on here.
I’m sorry these things happen. I’m sorry they make the state look bad.
All I can say is that we’re not all like this, many of us know the problematic road the city is going down, and many of us don’t like it.
So there’s hope.
Until then, Montana, just remember that many Missoulians are sorry.
Our Rubbish Media
Let’s move on to some other issues today.
It’s been reported that 70% of Americans no longer believe the media to be honest or truthful.
That comes to us from and MRC/YouGov online poll of 2,006 people done November 9-10.
We also learn that 59% of people think the media was biased toward Hillary during the election, and that includes 32% of Hillary’s supporters.
Despite these startling numbers, the media is giving us the same old tired song and dance.
The corporate-controlled networks just churn out the spin and the hate and the rhetoric and the falsehoods…over and over again.
It’s on all day, everyday.
No one ever asks where the anchors and reporters went to school, what their experience is, or how they got the job.
We just trust them…although that’s not quite true.
Just 30% of Americans believe the rubbish that’s thrown at them each day on the TV or in the papers.
I bet some communist propaganda countries have a better percentage than that.
And perhaps I’m biased as well. Hell, I spent 5 years in China, a country where I knew the news was shit.
I took that attitude with me back to America, and guess what, it turns out many people agree with me.
So it’ll be interesting to see where the media goes from here, after blowing it so badly on election night, and in the process letting their droopy-eyed faces make quite clear where their biases were.
Americans didn’t believe the bullshit that night or the many nights leading up to it, and they won’t start believing it now.
Most Americans are happy with the election, and a great many don’t even care.
It’s a small minority that’s upset, and I bet most of them believe the media.
So it’s a 70-30 split in America right now, and I think we know who’s winning.
Still, a lot of it comes down to what you want to believe.
It’s been reported that 70% of Americans no longer believe the media to be honest or truthful.
That comes to us from and MRC/YouGov online poll of 2,006 people done November 9-10.
We also learn that 59% of people think the media was biased toward Hillary during the election, and that includes 32% of Hillary’s supporters.
Despite these startling numbers, the media is giving us the same old tired song and dance.
The corporate-controlled networks just churn out the spin and the hate and the rhetoric and the falsehoods…over and over again.
It’s on all day, everyday.
No one ever asks where the anchors and reporters went to school, what their experience is, or how they got the job.
We just trust them…although that’s not quite true.
Just 30% of Americans believe the rubbish that’s thrown at them each day on the TV or in the papers.
I bet some communist propaganda countries have a better percentage than that.
And perhaps I’m biased as well. Hell, I spent 5 years in China, a country where I knew the news was shit.
I took that attitude with me back to America, and guess what, it turns out many people agree with me.
So it’ll be interesting to see where the media goes from here, after blowing it so badly on election night, and in the process letting their droopy-eyed faces make quite clear where their biases were.
Americans didn’t believe the bullshit that night or the many nights leading up to it, and they won’t start believing it now.
Most Americans are happy with the election, and a great many don’t even care.
It’s a small minority that’s upset, and I bet most of them believe the media.
So it’s a 70-30 split in America right now, and I think we know who’s winning.
Still, a lot of it comes down to what you want to believe.
Bullock’s Hail Mary
What is Steve Bullock thinking? What is his staff thinking?
I can’t help but think they're thinking…’what the hell?!?’
I mean, the Democrats blew the legislative races yet again, ensuring they’ll have strong GOP majorities to contend with.
In that regard, why not throw out the exact same budget proposal as in 2015?
Alright, I’m sure there are some differences, but it doesn’t seem like much.
This is why I call it the Hail Mary Budget – it seems like a real long shot, something you’d do when you really have no other options.
Of course, Bullock could have sat down with leading Republicans and discussed some of their ideas and how they square-up against his own.
He chose not to do that.
Remember, Bullock has a closed door policy when it comes to budget negotiations.
Overall, I don’t see the GOP Legislature working with Bullock on this.
I don’t see a huge wing of ‘responsible Republicans’ accepting a lot of these budget measures.
I could be 100% wrong on that.
I just don’t think I am.
I can’t help but think they're thinking…’what the hell?!?’
I mean, the Democrats blew the legislative races yet again, ensuring they’ll have strong GOP majorities to contend with.
In that regard, why not throw out the exact same budget proposal as in 2015?
Alright, I’m sure there are some differences, but it doesn’t seem like much.
- We have nearly $300 million in infrastructure requests yet again, and I’m willing to bet the majority of that will be done with bonding.
- We have the Historical Society and Romney Hall in there, two things the state doesn’t really need.
- Early Edge childhood education funding is in there again, even though that went nowhere 2 years ago.
- Bullock wants to have the same $300 million rainy day fund…but don’t ask me why we need that much.
- Besides that we have some tax credits for businesses and tax increases for the rich. There’s a bit more, but that’s the gist of it.
This is why I call it the Hail Mary Budget – it seems like a real long shot, something you’d do when you really have no other options.
Of course, Bullock could have sat down with leading Republicans and discussed some of their ideas and how they square-up against his own.
He chose not to do that.
Remember, Bullock has a closed door policy when it comes to budget negotiations.
Overall, I don’t see the GOP Legislature working with Bullock on this.
I don’t see a huge wing of ‘responsible Republicans’ accepting a lot of these budget measures.
I could be 100% wrong on that.
I just don’t think I am.
Tester’s Leadership Role
I see that Senator Tester is now the ranking member of the Senate’s Veteran’s Affairs Committee.
Perhaps now his bill that hasn’t seen the light of day on the Senate floor in 18 months will get some lovin’.
I’m not counting on it.
If our Congress can’t even keep the promises it made to veterans, I don’t seem them changing now.
I feel sorry for veterans.
I feel incredibly thankful I’m not one of them.
I don’t know why anyone would join the military, and I’ve been saying that for 20 years, ever since I was in high school.
It was clear to me back in the late-90s that America did not care about veterans.
Just look at Vietnam veterans and how they were treated!
No, I knew way back then that I did not want to go and get my arm or my leg blown off ‘for my country.’
Of course, it’s not really ‘for my country’ so much as it’s for the global oil companies.
That’s what Iraq is all about. Afghanistan is just a war to make sure Big Pharma has their steady supply of opium.
That’s what America fights for – globalist corporations.
When those Americans come home wounded in body, mind and spirit, we as a country ignore them.
That’s what 18 months of Tester’s bill not doing anything means.
Perhaps Tester will be able to change that with his cushy new position on that committee.
I’m not holding my breath, though.
Perhaps now his bill that hasn’t seen the light of day on the Senate floor in 18 months will get some lovin’.
I’m not counting on it.
If our Congress can’t even keep the promises it made to veterans, I don’t seem them changing now.
I feel sorry for veterans.
I feel incredibly thankful I’m not one of them.
I don’t know why anyone would join the military, and I’ve been saying that for 20 years, ever since I was in high school.
It was clear to me back in the late-90s that America did not care about veterans.
Just look at Vietnam veterans and how they were treated!
No, I knew way back then that I did not want to go and get my arm or my leg blown off ‘for my country.’
Of course, it’s not really ‘for my country’ so much as it’s for the global oil companies.
That’s what Iraq is all about. Afghanistan is just a war to make sure Big Pharma has their steady supply of opium.
That’s what America fights for – globalist corporations.
When those Americans come home wounded in body, mind and spirit, we as a country ignore them.
That’s what 18 months of Tester’s bill not doing anything means.
Perhaps Tester will be able to change that with his cushy new position on that committee.
I’m not holding my breath, though.
