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Montana Representative Rosendale at it again

If voting from the D or R trenches is the right side... I'll play along with your opinion I don't understand what the "right side" is, with pride.
Otherwise my publicly shared vote history presents one reason certain Dems held seats in MT.

Democrats complain about losing to a turd YET ignore their own turd was less favorable to the Montana voter. This is the reason Democrats are losing ground.

Democrats, local and national, need to wake up and find the beat of the MT majority voters and more specifically, the R and I voters closer to the center.

It's clear to me, as an Independent, Democrats hold more push for conservation. That's a strong check point... Though weigh that with the national trench agenda and syronara.

Dems need to flex if they want seats in MT. Find quality rooted Montanan's who embrace the general conservation core while tempered from D.C. beltway trench politics.
Bullock is a prime example. Initially good. Won two terms from a Red State voting block that placed +20% vote for Trump!
Then
Bullock destroyed his developed MT roots as he joined the Democrat National entrenched train as POTUS candidate...
2022, Bullock then ran for the MT Senator seat against Daines and lost by over 5%!
The reason for the flip? The National Democrat agenda...

Edit added: My greatest fear in our entrench national dribble: Montana / National without check and balance within our executive and legislative branches.
As an Independent voter, I don't want a full Republican nor Democrat operated, one agenda, governing (ruling) party.
 
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Slight adaptation. Don’t disagree with the original, because democrats in Montana put some real jokers on the ballot. But why should they import someone like Gianforte or Rosendale when the chances of victory are so slim? That R is powerful. Because it is, Batshit crazy works in Montana because there is another high % of voters that will vote for things that are directly against what is their best interest. They get sold a line of BS and they willingly buy it. Logic and reason don’t get you far on the ballot.
This is the definition of our National Political environment!!!! When it is so extreme Nationally it can’t help but ooze & drip 🤢 into local politics. 🙄
 
This is the reality from an Independent voter / lean Red who actively votes D and R... IF Democrats are able to embrace... If they want another seat in the Senate, they must give allowances for the MT Dem Representative to vote middle of the line with support slightly slanted Conservative while maintaining the conservation values that Montana voters would respect.

If Democrats shine 91% vote representation with the National party - they will be countering the Red State interests.

I'm Independent that votes for who I think is best qualified and meets Conservative lean... with some exceptions.

Born Glendive - Rosendale (R) vs Berkeley Williams (D)... Democrats nominated for D, a person with Sanctuary City endorsement / support... voting in opposition to a State law that bans cities from individually creating liberal Criminal Sanctuary Cities.
I use this as an example not to argue Criminal Sanctuary cities... rather to show what causes some Independent votes (maybe not all...) to immediately swing for the R vs D, none the less losing any hope of R votes.
My votes have been publicly shared here to the extent of ballot photos. I shared with HT members the basis to get Democrats to vote at the primaries for FOX vs Gianforte (Open Primaries) However, many thought Cooney had a better chance to beat Gianforte... Instead of looking for the better of the vote potentials for conservation. Fox vs Cooney.

Democrats in Montana are their own worst enemy.
I would tend to agree with you that Democrats in Montana are their own worst enemy, probably nationally also. However, surely the Republicans in Montana can do much better also? Can't they find someone from Montana, with actual Montana values to represent them? Matt Rosendale, Steve Daines, Greg Gianforte - really? The truth is that most politicians on both sides cater to extremists, which is unfortunately what they feel will get them elected.
 
I would tend to agree with you that Democrats in Montana are their own worst enemy, probably nationally also. However, surely the Republicans in Montana can do much better also? Can't they find someone from Montana, with actual Montana values to represent them? Matt Rosendale, Steve Daines, Greg Gianforte - really? The truth is that most politicians on both sides cater to extremists, which is unfortunately what they feel will get them elected.
From a Montana position, and for sake of the thread interest regarding conservation, IMO, there's better chance getting Montana rooted Democrats elected as Governor / senator(s) if given the opportunity to flex enough away from their National entrenched agenda and gain enough of the R and I reasonable (non extreme) votes. We will likely never see extremes vote for the opposing so for that sake, IMO, they're not part of the equation.
When it comes to conservation, O&G / Mining lean in favor of Republicans and where conservation points can be scored, IMO, it's second to the aforementioned. I support O&G and Mining though fair impact considerations and means to bridge that gap need to be considered. Disappointed with the Republicans in this area, I'd rather see Democrat(s) for this purpose.
 
Democrats, local and national, need to wake up and find the beat of the MT majority voters and more specifically, the R and I voters closer to the center.
Who is more center than Joe Biden? You keep talking about the Dem’s National Agenda but what is that specifically? I have never read it. I have read the republicans.

So Montanans got a state Tik Tok ban (which is literally impossible), a ban on the likes of Russia, China and North Korea buying ranches, and a bill banning drag performances in front of kids. All stuff that hits their fears but will not affect their daily lives. And a veto on a bill that had broad support on funding to improve roads. Seriously,WTF. They should be pissed.
 
And may outdoor recreationists never forget the R platform item advocating for transfer and/or sale of public lands.
It pushes an I over the brink toward D.

But those from West Dakota, formerly eastern Montana, who support Matt Rosendale must be oblivious to his rhetoric and voting record.
 
This is a reason why Schweitzer held office from 05-13. Why Tester kept his seat three terms --- in a Red State
Tester has also been fortunate in the election cycle his reelection bids occurred.

2018: The off year election after Trump was elected. This election almost always is favorable to the party not holding the presidency.

2012: Obama vs Romney, Obama was a popular President and Romney inspired almost no one. Result Obama won reelection easily and Tester was able to ride his coat tails to reelection.

2006: Another off year election with a Republican in the Presidency and Bush just was not that popular.

If Tester's reelection bid had fallen in 2010 he would have lost big, likely would have lost in 2014, 2016,2020 and 2022. Probaly would have won in 2008 with Obama at the top.

2024: looking more and more like a Biden / Trump rematch.🤮
A lot can change in over a year, but Biden's popularity is in the basement and he inspires no one. Trump is a turnout machine, both for republicans and democrats. This favors republicans in a red state like Montana, not so much in blue and purple states.
 
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It is interesting that the national Democratic party gets held to account for some of their more extreme pipe dreams but the GOP largely gets a pass for their recent behavior.

The national GOP, that literally declined to put up a party platform in the last presidential election. The same party that to this day has difficulty admitting that their candidate was beaten in the last Election. It is the same party supporting the same candidate that still proclaims the election was stolen. The same candidate that faces more legal liability than everyone on this board combined.

It is the same party's far edge that gave us the January 6 riot, cheered on by the outgoing president. The same man who would not even attend the inauguration of the incoming president.

It is the same party that in in numerous states has set up the ability to overturn elections.

The national Democratic party has many warts. They are small when compared to the romance the GOP has with autocratic rule, presently. The GOP has won the popular vote in one of the last eight presidential elections. If not for the rube goldberg device called the electoral college, they would have held the Whitehouse for four years in the last 32. None of that causes any reflection. Instead, they work on ways to hold power, while holding minority support.

They make it harder for people that they don't think will vote for them to actually vote. The gerrymander those voters into districts, to effectively limit their power. It has worked fairly well for a good while. I think a few things have changed.

The largest is the Dobb's decision. That will both widen the gender gap and intensify the political will of women, over time. The next largest is nearing a turning point, maybe shortly, maybe not, is the one that touches the hunting community. Everyone knows what that is. The public, at some point, will have their fill with mass shootings. If and when this change does occur, the GOP will not enjoy the results.
 
Hey guys, can we get back to a discussion about one particular Representative Rosendale and the one specific bill at hand gutting LWCF? I think we can all agree LWCF has benefitted us all tremendously and no matter our party, we should be pissed about this. A single person with a shitty bill is discrete and actionable. Nebulous values arguments over shifting party politics and candidate quality on a national level are not.
 
Messages sent to both Rosendale and Dianes for his (et, al) antics in this series of bills raised in post #1.

If we stay on only Rosendale (and not the others mentioned) and the LWCF, maybe GoFundMe for raising funds to release PSA's for LWCF attributes for the average Montanan resident?
Then again, Crowd funding may have some restrictions for activism fundraising(?).

Role model, modern day, "influencers"... ?

Posts #2,3,4, etc and continued through deal with the greater issue vs one Senator.
 
Sorry to continue the derail. But I thought of this video while reading the last couple pages of this thread. It talks directly about why they think the election process itself is the cause/significant contributor to our politics/politicians getting more and more extreme.

As you were.

 
At this juncture, send the message to Rep Ryan Zinke. Sen Daines is in another chamber ... and hopefully not inclined to support this legislation anyway.
That's a nice Freudian slip "Ryan Zinke" Same disdain. :) For levity sake. Thanks for the chuckle.

Daines was referenced in another issue, brought up by @Big Fin in the OP
 
Hey guys, can we get back to a discussion about one particular Representative Rosendale and the one specific bill at hand gutting LWCF? I think we can all agree LWCF has benefitted us all tremendously and no matter our party, we should be pissed about this. A single person with a shitty bill is discrete and actionable. Nebulous values arguments over shifting party politics and candidate quality on a national level are not.
@Sytes is correct. This isn’t about one senator. We see the same approach to the LWCF as we do Habitat Montana. The fact that legislation exists to ensure funding doesn’t mean much if that legislation can be wiped away with a pen stoke after the next election. Republicans generally don’t see $ value in public lands. They don’t want the government at any level to acquire more. If it degrades due to lack of funding, it strengthens the case for selling it, whether it is state trust land or BLM. The popularity of public lands is the foundation for it staying public, but the lack of funding is one step in chipping away at that foundation.
 
At one time this would have been a toxic position to take and something that we would not have too much concern over actually happening. It feels different now than just a few years ago. Bills are being proposed passed around the country that would have been unthinkable up till now.
 
I might be wrong, but I think Rosendale is seen as a loose cannon, by other GOP House members.

If you watched the saga involved with electing the Speaker, it was obvious how much Rosendale enjoyed throwing sand into the gears. He is not a consensus builder. He is a windmill tilter. His North Star is to convince the world that he alone has found the path to the future.
 

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