Things are going to get slow.
I guess they already are. Most of the bigwigs of state government will be taking the holidays off.
That could be most of this week, just a few days, or even from now until the New Year.
Must be nice making those big bucks.
Don’t forget who’s paying you – the taxpayer.
We don’t much care what the taxpayer has to think, however, except for the election cycle.
For Bullock that means, oh…March to November.
So he’s got 8 months and change that he’s got to appear to care.
That means kissing babies, kissing ass, and of course kissing ringed and perfumed hands of the big money donors.
Greg Gianforte doesn’t really have this problem. The guy made himself a billionaire.
How the hell’d he do that? I don’t know. I guess I could pick up his book, Bootstrapping Your Business, but I probably won’t.
Others have – it has 34 reviews on Amazon and a rank of #514,000 or so. That means he’s selling about 1 copy every 10 days.
Steve Bullock has no books, unless you want to count Zap Man…though I’m pretty sure that’s another Steve Bullock.
Why does this matter?
It doesn’t.
I’m just rambling because there’s absolutely nothing going on right now.
That’s a damn shame.
I guess they already are. Most of the bigwigs of state government will be taking the holidays off.
That could be most of this week, just a few days, or even from now until the New Year.
Must be nice making those big bucks.
Don’t forget who’s paying you – the taxpayer.
We don’t much care what the taxpayer has to think, however, except for the election cycle.
For Bullock that means, oh…March to November.
So he’s got 8 months and change that he’s got to appear to care.
That means kissing babies, kissing ass, and of course kissing ringed and perfumed hands of the big money donors.
Greg Gianforte doesn’t really have this problem. The guy made himself a billionaire.
How the hell’d he do that? I don’t know. I guess I could pick up his book, Bootstrapping Your Business, but I probably won’t.
Others have – it has 34 reviews on Amazon and a rank of #514,000 or so. That means he’s selling about 1 copy every 10 days.
Steve Bullock has no books, unless you want to count Zap Man…though I’m pretty sure that’s another Steve Bullock.
Why does this matter?
It doesn’t.
I’m just rambling because there’s absolutely nothing going on right now.
That’s a damn shame.
For starters, why the hell are we still without a lieutenant governor?
I guess that’s not quite accurate – McLean is in the position still, likely twiddling her thumbs and doing a lot of office chit-chat – and will be until early-January.
Many think this is a stupid move on the part of Bullock. Perhaps it is. Still, let’s consider the following:
- No one seemed to realize that Bullock’s LG picks were constrained, mainly because he can’t pick from currently elected officials. We learned that from Logicosity on December 17. Did anyone know of it before then…anyone in Bullock’s office? I dunno.
- Keeping McLean in her post until she takes her new job gives Bullock leverage over her, especially since we’re pretty sure some strings were pulled (despite Bullock saying otherwise) to get McLean her new job. The bump in salary, though explained away by state officials, has already raised eyebrows. Mainly, McLean couldn’t talk even if she wanted to.
- Consider Bullock’s ultimate lack of power and decision in these matters. We know he’s not a self-made man and therefore has to pander to moneyed-interests, or at least donors. Most donors are rich people, and from Bullock’s fundraising announcements, we know he likes going to their houses most of all. In that regard, he doesn’t decide what happens in government, they do.
Those are interesting things to think about.
Remember, we don’t have anything else to think about.
Nothing is going on!
- That’s not quite true – the Montana middle class is slipping further and further into the history books while young people continue to flee the state.
- On top of this one of our leading universities is suffering badly, though the entrenched leadership there continues to dig its feet in while making diplomatic gestures.
- Besides that we have $11 billion in unfunded infrastructure obligations, which thankfully is $2 billion less than it was last month due to the new highway bill.
Actually, don’t bring up infrastructure.
If you do that you’ll just see Democrats pull out the blame sticks, saying Republicans killed their own bill.
Let’s not forget that Republicans will counter by saying we should have taken a cash over bonding approach while cutting the pork or cutting up the bill.
After that we can all rest easy knowing both camps have gone back to their trenches, nothing accomplished whatsoever.
That’s Montana politics today – two trenches of dead and dying that can’t wait to finish each other off.
Over the coming weeks we can expect a few things in Montana politics:
- First, Bullock will finally get around to announcing his new LG pick. To keep his thumb on McLean he won’t make this announcement until after the New Year.
- Next, Bullock will take time from his busy fundraising schedule to come up with a campaign platform based on past accomplishments and future goals. Actually, this might be a long time in coming…if it ever does come.
- Then, legislative candidates will begin filing for office. We’ll see the incumbents file, though we know which ones will be from our October analysis of who is running for the 2017 Montana Legislature.
- After that Gianforte could officially announce, though if our COPP was worth anything we’d know he already had.
- Finally, your life will get worse.
Maybe you don’t agree with all those assertions, but I think you do.
On that last one especially you know that nothing is going to improve for you as the clowns head out on the campaign trail and throw their snake oil about.
You know this.
Your life isn’t going to get better unless you’re in on the game, making money off this absurdity we call politics today.
If you are you should be ashamed of yourself – this country is broken and your inability to stand up and say so is a large part of the problem.
Yeah, you could get fired or reprimanded or even have a good talking-to.
It’s called leadership.
We won’t be seeing much leadership in 2016, however. No, it’ll be the same yahoos as usual, the same tired “ideas” for making your life better.
Your life isn’t going to get better – stop lying to yourself.
Instead get mad, get angry, and make it clear to everyone that you will not be playing the game this year.
No, for you that game is done.
It’s time for a new game.
Will 2016 bring it?
We know it will.
