Thank God that's over

[James Riley]

Watching Karl Rove explain Trump's Path to Victory.

No kidding. Putin doesn't seem so bad in comparison.

 

[Nameless Range]

Sent ours in the other day. First time in my life I've ever written someone in for President. Though there are certainly differences between the parties, their similarities as it pertains to corruption are so close I would feel equally bad voting for either of the top 2 candidates. I believe that the internet is killing the old standards of behavior for candidates. It's too obvious anymore that by the time someone from the old ways is a presidential candidate, the deals have already been made. The counter to those who would have us believe that the old standards of behavior are acceptable is statements like: change is slow, pragmatism is powerful and takes patience, etc. The power of these arguments is inversely proportional to the amount of despair people have begun to feel, and they are getting weaker every day. Whether it is our enormous debt, rampant and obvious corruption exacerbated by things like Citizens United, or an electorate that seems to be either intensely apathetic or intensely tribal, I don't think I'm alone in feeling a sense of desperate urgency. Hopefully we can ride this turbulent time out and recognize that we can't have it all with out sacrifice. And also that the optimal way out is together.

I've got election day off work. I'm looking forward to being on a mountain looking down toward the valley and thinking of all the Americans at work or standing in line to vote. They are lucky and so am I. More than anything else in the world, I hope my kids feel the same way someday.

 

[James Riley]

Sent ours in the other day. First time in my life I've ever written someone in for President. Though there are certainly differences between the parties, their similarities as it pertains to corruption are so close I would feel equally bad voting for either of the top 2 candidates. I believe that the internet is killing the old standards of behavior for candidates. It's too obvious anymore that by the time someone from the old ways is a presidential candidate, the deals have already been made. The counter to those who would have us believe that the old standards of behavior are acceptable is statements like: change is slow, pragmatism is powerful and takes patience, etc. The power of these arguments is inversely proportional to the amount of despair people have begun to feel, and they are getting weaker every day. Whether it is our enormous debt, rampant and obvious corruption exacerbated by things like Citizens United, or an electorate that seems to be either intensely apathetic or intensely tribal, I don't think I'm alone in feeling a sense of desperate urgency. Hopefully we can ride this turbulent time out and recognize that we can't have it all with out sacrifice. And also that the optimal way out is together.

I've got election day off work. I'm looking forward to being on a mountain looking down toward the valley and thinking of all the Americans at work or standing in line to vote. They are lucky and so am I. More than anything else in the world, I hope my kids feel the same way someday.

Good post. The part about the old standards is spot on.

I might be able to accept that maybe those old standards are not so bad if only they were supported in open and fair argument. But they are not. Instead they are provided as a "trust us; we've got this; you're too stupid to understand the complexity; hey, it-could-be-worse-don't-take-for-granted-the-bread-and-circuses-that-we-trickle-down-to-you; aren't you glad you don't live somewhere worse" kind of argument.

I wrote myself in at the top and tried to avoid Rs and Ds on the down ballot.

 

[katqanna]

This is not to persuade anyone one way or another, but I have been thinking about Trumps statement he has been yelling that we live in a third world country. I take umbrage with that.

Over the years of the internet, you always see these compilations of current world and US statistics of if you own or do this, you are in the top percent of the world or US; normally you see them before Thanksgiving or Christmas- pointing out the abundance we have.

Things like the percentage of people that own a computer worldwide being like 34%. I own two. There are many things on those lists that I have, like a bedroom with my own bed, hot and cold running clean water, indoor bathroom plumbing, my own vehicle. etc. Even though I earn little now, I still have never viewed myself poor, certainly not a third world country. For Trump to boast of his wealth and the opportunities, take video and photos of his quilded home, I feel is an insult to Americans and a worse, to those struggling people around the world who actually meet the third world criteria. Yes, we do have some in this country that meet that criteria, like homeless vets, but that is not indicative of the whole population and something that I feel could be easily addressed if energies were applied better. Not saying the US does not have room for improvement.

I was a refugee from a religiously controlled, with a governmentally oppressive regime, desert conditions where water is controlled, where women are oppressed with less rights, feudal State. Thankfully, I managed to escape Texas and Montana allowed me into her borders, a land of hunting/angling, recreation opportunities, abundant forests and prairies to freely hunt and fish on. I am in heaven, appreciative and grateful.

So even with this debacle of an election, even with the increased vitriolic tribalism, and exposure of corruptions and governmental inadequacies, I feel we have enough intelligent, compassionate, common sense people fighting to correct the issues and more gaining awareness recently, like Land Tawney's recent statement on the jury acquittal - "It shows we have a lot to do to educate the American people about our public lands – and that we must continue to be vigilant in the face of ongoing attempts to seize, transfer or otherwise divest them from their owners, the citizens of the United States.” These election problems show us where the work needs to be focused.

 

[James Riley]

I was a refugee from a religiously controlled, with a governmentally oppressive regime, desert conditions where water is controlled, where women are oppressed with less rights, feudal State. Thankfully, I managed to escape Texas and Montana allowed me into her borders, a land of hunting/angling, recreation opportunities, abundant forests and prairies to freely hunt and fish on. I am in heaven, appreciative and grateful.

Love it.

I don't think we are third world, but it's a stretch to say we are first world. High second, maybe. Even the poorest of Americans may have more cheap pieces of plastic Chinese shit than anyone else in the world, but it's still cheap pieces of plastic Chinese shit. And we may have the best of X but if only a few can afford X then that does not a first world nation make. Our infrastructure is pretty bad (many third world countries I've been to have better internet than I do).

And really, when did we start comparing ourselves to the third world? We should be comparing ourselves to the first world. Most of them have moved off of material wealth to indicators of a personal sense of well-being, unity, and over-all physical and mental health. For instance, compare Texas to Montana.

 

[Tkaldahl2000]

I only wish it was over. I just got a political ad from Zinke on my facebook feed telling me that Juneau endangered students lives by hiring bus drivers with DUI's, past histories of sexual abuse, and all sorts of nefarious crimes. First, how low of an opinion does he have of my intelligence? Second, how stupid do you have to be to not know that the state superintendant of education does not control the hiring in a local school district. I was leaning in his direction until I saw that. Sadly, I have seen some pretty inane assertions about him as well. Can't we please just stick to the real issues and attempt to have an intelligent and respectful conversation about how to deal with them.

 

[noharleyyet]

This is not to persuade anyone one way or another, but I have been thinking about Trumps statement he has been yelling that we live in a third world country. I take umbrage with that.

..so do I..but not the same way you do.

*dump your pm box, it's full.

 

[katqanna]

NHY, that is weird, I got an email that you tried to PM, checked my box, less than half full, I had cleared some a few weeks ago, cleared some more just now, it is now at 34%, should be good to go.

I do have to say, I was typing my above message out when I got a call from the Forest Service, then had to rush to an appt, so I forgot to add a PS to you, "No offense to NHY".

Recently a friend came home to Montana from a 7 state trip, he had written up his column for a local newspaper out in Billings direction, it brought back memories, I have driven the same route, couldn't wait to get back home to Montana. He gave permission to add it to the newsletter - Montana, Home Again! 3500 miles, 7 states.

 

[noharleyyet]

No M'am, no offense taken.

 

[James Riley]

Recently a friend came home to Montana from a 7 state trip, he had written up his column for a local newspaper out in Billings direction, it brought back memories, I have driven the same route, couldn't wait to get back home to Montana. He gave permission to add it to the newsletter - Montana, Home Again! 3500 miles, 7 states.

Colorado was open carry last time I checked. Sounds like he's a birder; have him come up through the San Luis Valley.

 

[katqanna]

They are not frickin kidding! Everywhere I turned online and in my bloody physical mailbox, there were non stop ads for Gianforte. I wondered how much stock he has in the paper industry?

Montana's Gianforte leads nation in ads by a state candidate http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/montana-s-gianforte-leads-nation-in-ads-by-a-state/article_fbbb7a2e-34a8-53ac-9f12-b9fe9a03349a.html

Montana residents inundated with TV ads about gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte now have proof of just how much they've seen of him: A nonprofit investigative journalism organization says he's aired more campaign ads than all other candidates in the nation seeking to win statewide elections.

The Bozeman businessman's 34,661 ads that have aired on broadcast television since the campaign make him No. 1 for the country, the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Integrity reported Thursday. He ran 4,906 more than Missouri gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens, who came in second...

Bullock has aired more than 9,500 television ads, putting him in the No. 15 nationwide position. The governor's television presence is boosted by a Democratic Governors Association-backed political action committee called Good Jobs Montana, which has aired 11,925 ads opposing Gianforte. That's the seventh-highest total in the analysis...

The ad count by the Center for Public Integrity actually understates the total number of ads run, because it does not include spots on cable TV, radio or the internet.