MT Poll: (R) Gianforte, (D) Busse, or (L) Leib.

[Irrelevant]

I'll have to add 2024 at some point.


Montana's purple is looking more pink.

 

[Sytes]

I'll have to add 2024 at some point.
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Montana's purple is looking more pink.

Posts such as this makes me think of our distinguished gent of past time.


As I've shared countless times, i am no fan of solid red nor blue. National and State, our pendulum has taken a red swing for the fence!
There is a reason this occurred. Voters voted this direction. Democrats must stop blaming other factors and look at what they have to share that engages voters.
Carlin is over simplifying for the good citizen piss n vinegar humor side with a taste of reality. He's great! Haha!

Dem leadership needs to revisit their movement forward... IMO, nationally, they've stepped too far on open borders, etc. State, speaking for my thoughts in MT, this is NOT an overnight sudden change. This has been growing for some time and there are Strategists on the Dem side that need to find new jobs because they sure as chit are failing.

Fasten seat belts.

 

[4ohSick]

Dem leadership needs to revisit their movement forward... IMO, nationally, they've stepped too far on open borders, etc. State, speaking for my thoughts in MT, this is NOT an overnight sudden change. This has been growing for some time and there are Strategists on the Dem side that need to find new jobs because they sure as chit are failing.

I agree with you in a sense, and it's especially true of the 2019 Democratic primary where the 2024 candidate did what turned out to be fatal damage to her future as they all scrambled to distinguish themselves as the most progressive. However, I think the impact of issues like the border and culture war stuff have to be viewed through an economic lens. If the average voter felt like the economic system and government were working for them, they wouldn't be motivated by policies that are friendly to immigrants, LGBTQ, minorities, etc. But when the average voter feels left behind by the economic system and the government, they feel like those policies are being pursued instead of helping the average voter. And they vote accordingly. In 4 years, if the average voter still feels abandoned by the government and economic system and feels like the administration is focused on personal grievance and deporting people instead of their pocket-book issues, we may well see a similar wave back the other direction (nationally) and on and on we go.

 

[ismith]

Wouldn’t say extreme it almost seems like both have shifted far left where republicans align more with old school dems.

With a libertarian influence.

 

[SAJ-99]

In 4 years, if the average voter still feels abandoned by the government and economic system and feels like the administration is focused on personal grievance and deporting people instead of their pocket-book issues, we may well see a similar wave back the other direction (nationally) and on and on we go.

Given the demand for big-game tags and the number of campers and ATVs buzzing around during my hunts, I find it hard to understand the "system not working for me" argument. I think Americans just like to complain, be it about inflation or Gaza or Ukraine or the border. But I'm ready to see what happens, and suspect it will happen fast. Debt ceiling limits get reinstated on Jan 1 and the Government will run out of money by mid February without some amazing budgetary gymnastics by Yellen, and why would she when she it out of a job on Jan 20. Let's get it started America. Maybe we start the year by shutting down the government? I think that is the goal of many anyway.

"

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[4ohSick]

Given the demand for big-game tags and the number of campers and ATVs buzzing around during my hunts, I find it hard to understand the "system not working for me" argument.

Awfully bold of you to assume any level of financial literacy applies to most people. Record levels of consumer debt does not a healthy economy make.

 

[SAJ-99]

Awfully bold of you to assume any level of financial literacy applies to most people. Record levels of consumer debt does not a healthy economy make.

I only assume that apathy and laziness explains most things. Context is necessary anytime I see “record levels of…”. Put a denominator on that, like household wealth, or income, or GDP, then see if it adjusts your perspective. While the government balance sheet has deteriorated, the balance sheet of the average individual is about as good as it has been in modern times.

 

[4ohSick]

I only assume that apathy and laziness explains most things. Context is necessary anytime I see “record levels of…”. Put a denominator on that, like household wealth, or income, or GDP, then see if it adjusts your perspective. While the government balance sheet has deteriorated, the balance sheet of the average individual is about as good as it has been in modern times.

Bootstraps getting ready to enter the chat:

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[Irrelevant]

I only assume that apathy and laziness explains most things. Context is necessary anytime I see “record levels of…”. Put a denominator on that, like household wealth, or income, or GDP, then see if it adjusts your perspective. While the government balance sheet has deteriorated, the balance sheet of the average individual is about as good as it has been in modern times.

I can't afford to buy my house in the current market... yet I've had 6 years of steady, 2x/yr income growth. I still stand by that my life is better than it was 4 yrs ago, or 8 years ago, but I can still see why others may not agree.

 

[SAJ-99]

I can't afford to buy my house in the current market... yet I've had 6 years of steady, 2x/yr income growth. I still stand by that my life is better than it was 4 yrs ago, or 8 years ago, but I can still see why others may not agree.

Still, the company that is essentially a taxicab for your burrito hits 52 wk high today.

 

[cgasner1]

With a libertarian influence.

 

[sapperJ24]

An interesting takeaway for me is the large number of voters that supported both CI-128 and a statewide Republican.

CI-128 passed with 58% of the vote, 336k to 247k. This result improves on the 2022 fetal heartbeat referendum which failed with 53% of the vote opposed to the measure.

Gianforte won 59% of the vote with 346k to 226k. Other statewide Republican candidates received 57-61% of the total vote.

It seems that statewide Republican candidates have been successful at nationalizing Democratic candidates while deflecting or distancing themselves from the party's platform [MT Republican Party - "We support a complete ban on elective abortion"].

One can assume that all opposed to 128 voted for Gianforte which would result in about 100k voters who supported both Gianforte (and other Republicans) and 128. Gianforte who signed a 15-week abortion ban last year. Similar numbers supported Knudsen who tried multiple ways to block 128 from being on the ballot.

It seems that the core Democratic position of abortion access must not be a priority issue for the majority of voters, yet when given the option to support it, there is resounding support.

 

[ignorethefringes]

Both sides fail to realize that there are two very different economies in America right now. Some of us make enough money to fuss about grocery bill while not actually changing anything that we buy. But the others have had to drastically shift their budgets because their paychecks have kept up with the cost of food.

Some of us have enough to invest in the stock market and take part of historical gains. But the others have no idea how they'll eventually retire at all, let alone comfortably.

For many, the economy really sucks. For many others, it's just fine or even good.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Both sides fail to realize that there are two very different economies in America right now. Some of us make enough money to fuss about grocery bill while not actually changing anything that we buy. But the others have had to drastically shift their budgets because their paychecks have kept up with the cost of food.

Some of us have enough to invest in the stock market and take part of historical gains. But the others have no idea how they'll eventually retire at all, let alone comfortably.

For many, the economy really sucks. For many others, it's just fine or even good.

Inflation favors those with assets and investments.