Sunday, August 31, 2008

How the Mighty Fall, periodically

There’s a name that won’t be on the ballot this fall that should not go unnoticed: Bob Keenan.

You remember Bob.

Senate President.

Senate Minority Leader.

Termed out after the '05 session.

While vacationing in Costa Rica, he offered himself up as an alternative to Conrad Burns in the 2006 GOP US Senate Primary. Word had it that Conrad was about to be indicted and led away in cuffs for his dealings with Jack Abramoff.

After filing for his old House seat in the Bigfork area, Bob, being the team player he is, dutifully withdrew from that race put his name in play to serve us in Washington.

Bob lost the primary. And, no, it wasn’t even close. The margin just south of 49,000 votes, to Conrad Burns!

After spending the 2007 session skulking the hallways in the Capitol in an advisory capacity to the House GOP leadership team (You know: Scott Sales; Mike Lange; John Sinrud; Bill Glaser), Bob evidently decided the Ship of State (Helena or Washington) could not navigate troubled waters without him.

“Oh, gosh,” he said. “Governor. United States Senator. What will it be?”

He kept all of us in breathless anticipation until the last day of filing.

Yes, there was the customary ‘aw shucks.’ While discussing a possible run for the Senate, he said, ‘‘I’m wide open. There’s a lot of pressure and assumption and expectation that I might run for governor of Montana as well. The third and most attractive option is to skip the ’08 cycle and go on with my life.’’ Montana Standard. 9/27/07

And?

He filed for his old House seat in the Bigfork area.

To the private dismay of many a Republican House members, shortly after he filed, word filtered down that upon his return to the House, Bob was eying the Speaker’s slot or chairing the House Appropriations Committee.

‘Oh, gosh. What will it be?’ Bob must have been smugly muttering.

With a household name like his, how did Bob use the days between the close of filing and the primary election?

Working hard on the doors?

No, on the links.

Bob, you see, is quite the golfer.

And, certainly a guy with his Brahmin creds need not sully himself by touching mere mortals called voters.

Rumor had it that Bob was not satisfied with his short irons game.

Oh, and the primary election?

He lost. He did manage to finish second to a fellow named Scott Reichner in a four-candidate primary.

And, no, it wasn’t even close.

Bob must still be muttering, “Oh, gosh. What will it be?”

Friday, August 29, 2008

Judy Martz - Iteration #2

This just in:

McCain has selected Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, as his running mate.

The first woman to run as a vice-presidential candidate.

She has served two years of a four-year term as governor and served as mayor of Wasilla for four years, so certainly she is well-versed in worldly matters in the event she would happen to ascend to the highest office in the land.

Certainly, after four or eight years of seasoning she would be ready.

Nothing against women holding higher office, but am I forgetting something? Didn't we try something like this in Montana with Judy Martz? Sorry, Governor Martz.

The only apparent difference is that Sarah won't be able to have the Secret Service give her a ride home to Butte every night after work.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Getting the job done

By working together, folks get things done in Montana.

Former Sen. Lee Metcalf always said by sharing credit, public officials can get a lot done. The legislature works hard to do the right thing on behalf of all Montanans - - - no one person can or should take credit for Montanans successes. Brian Schweitzer needs to keep in mind that one’s ability to get things done is because of who you work for and you work with - - - no one person has the ability to accomplish things by herself/ himself.

When it comes to civility and being respectful of one another in order to get things done, Montana needs to be the beacon in the West.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Democratic National Convention: The more things change . . .

So, the Olympics are over.

NBC repeatedly reminded us that we could not live without it.

Still, many of us did.

Ever wonder if the average Iraqi or Afghan tuned in?

Tape delay was the order of the day.

After all China is way over there.

Even when we knew about the outcome, we were still thrilled, overjoyed or despondent once we 'witnessed' the event.

But, we were able to 'see' it and that's the thing, right?

And to the great relief of the millions of viewers who tuned in from Providence to Petaluma, the US won the overall medal count.

Barely.

When it became clear that the Red, White and Blue could not earn the most Gold medals, we reassured ourselves with the knowledge that the People's Republic in Red could not match our overall athletic prowess to finish first, second and third.

We Americans, it is said, are pragmatists.

We are rationalizers of the highest order.

Perhaps if the viewers concerned themselves as much about our how our nation's policies are being sold to the highest bidder or about our nation's war-mongering foreign policies and the damage it has inflicted on our nation's image and diplomatic efforts with our few remaining friends worldwide, we might stand up and demand an end to corporate domination and an end the senseless wars.



Now, the media frenzy shifts to Denver, then later to Saint Paul, for the presidential nominating conventions.

Perhaps it's just me, but exactly what purpose are these gatherings supposed to serve?

In the old days, before texting, e-mailing, cell phone videoes, these grand gatherings evidently filled a void. Nowadays, a presidential candidate can barely make a move of any type, including one involving the bowels, without a complete description.

So, what is there to know?

We all know what is going to happen.

And, yet, we are compelled to watch.



In the case of the Democrats, the nominating convention is more difficult to figure out, particularly when you consider the sponsors include the telecommunications industry that was granted immunity last month from any liability for its part in the pervasive domestic spying that occurred in the emotional maelstrom that accompanied 911



http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/25/at_t_throws_party_to_support



and Big Oil.



The official line is that Democrats despise both.



That is until the question of sponsorships comes up.


Even the words of concern are espoused and the hands of concern are wrung, political operatives are busily working the phone lines and corporate hallways of big oil, pharmaceuticals, insurance, banks . . . you name it.



Oh. And after they agree to bankroll the extravaganzas, they watch it from luxury sky boxes.



http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/08/so-whos-up-in-those-skyboxes.html



Democracy Now! sums it up very well:



And so, what this is is it’s a very bipartisan corporate-political class that really functions without regard to things like ideological belief or political positions. Democrats, Republicans really don’t matter in this world. It’s a political and corporate class that is very insulated and has its own interests and ensures that those interests are served by the Congress, no matter which party is in control. And they write their own rules that apply only to them and to nobody else. And it’s really at the center of why Americans are so deeply dissatisfied with how our government functions. (July, 22, 2008)



Many cynics figure this is SOP for the GOP.

But, the Democrats?

In January 2007, they rolled into Washington, DC mounted on white stallions, pledging to drive out the 'bad guys.'

Hmmm. The good guys were shaking down the 'bad guys' even before they were sworn in

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4736940

As for the 'bad guys,' all but the very worst of them still ply their trade.

Evidently, the only true ticket out of the Beltway is an indictment or conviction.

Many of those attending regale us about the many evils of PAC's, and then slurp up the finger food at the many parties and 'events' sponsored by you know who.

Obama is the agent of change, right?


Okay, so when does that 'change' thing start exactly?



The Denver gathering is all about unity [let's see how how Hillary's die-hards toe the line] and leadership [Joe Biden for VP. No. No, really.]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the hired hands are left to wonder if their jobs will be outsourced, if anyone is going to get serious about access to affordable health care, whether we will even take the hard steps needed to end our addiction to oil, whether they can afford to heat their homes this winter, or when those now seemingly reasonable fuel prices will resume that steep ascent.

So, check your local listings for the schedule of events. It's sort of like the Olympics: You know what is going to happen, but you can tune in live.

Don't miss it.

After all, the coverage is sponsored by ExxonMobil.