Posted on 11/12/2018 6:10:59 AM PST by Kaslin
Tuesday’s midterm elections weren’t a slam dunk for either party, not by anyone’s estimation. Democrats managed to avoid another apocalyptic election meltdown and keep their base from flipping out by flipping the House, if barely, and Republicans added slightly to their already slight majority in the Senate. We sent at least three Red State fake moderate Kavanaugh thumbs-downers packing and, even better, the GOP ‘squishy caucus’ ranks have been whittled down to Ben Sasse and his imaginary better angel. There’s still Collins and Murkowski, of course, but now President Trump’s judicial nominees aren’t depending on ‘good feelz’ from either to get confirmed. And that’s definitely a good feeling for conservatives.
Thankfully, as I wrote last Monday in my then-unwelcome (judging by a few of the comments which basically boiled down to ‘you’re an idiot’ and ‘kill yourself’) ‘silver lining’ prediction piece, all isn’t lost for Republicans or the Trump agenda. Not by a long shot.
But alas, Montana, none of this is thanks to you. That’s right, instead of helping further the agenda of the person you voted for at a 56 percent clip in 2016, you instead chose to send the massive, flannel-shirt wearing crew-cutted wonder, Democrat Jon Tester, back to the Senate for - wait for it - a THIRD term.
But the insanity doesn’t stop there, Montana. While you sent Tester back to us at a 50.1 percent clip - 246,291 votes to Republican Matt Rosendale’s 230,974 - you turned around and sent WWE wannabe Greg Gianforte, a Republican, to the U.S. House as your lone representative by a margin of 251,291 to the Democrat’s 226,251. So in other words, MORE Montanans voted for Gianforte than Tester and - the real kicker - upwards of 20,000 pulled the lever for Gianforte only to turn around and vote for the Democrat for U.S. Senate. Apparently, in Big Sky Country these days body slamming reporters is totally cool (and I’m not even judging, just making an observation - as a reporter), but saying ‘yes’ to President Trump’s judicial nominees and tax cut bills are a big ‘nah.’
What’s worse, an overwhelming percentage of Montana voters actually seem to have wanted change in Washington. “A clear majority, 76 percent of voters, did not approve of the job federal lawmakers were doing,” writes the Helena Independent Record. “But that same group of voters, by a significant margin, chose to send Tester back for a third term, deciding he was the best choice to improve the gridlock.”
No, there’s no excuse for this insanity, Montana, and if nobody else is going to tell you I will - You need to get your act together. It’s embarrassing. At least neighboring North Dakota had the good sense to chuck their dead weight. You, you sent all 300 pounds of it back to Washington for another six years.
In a political age as divided as ours is, every inch of territory must be retained at all costs. Liberals have the cities and they are making gains in the suburbs. They have the numbers and the promise of more should they succeed in their goal of bringing the entire Third World to our shores. What we have, for now, is Red states, and lots of them. And thanks to the wisdom of our founders each one of those Red states comes with two senators, two bulwarks against liberal tyranny. In the next several election cycles, the House and especially the Executive will be increasingly tougher for Republicans to win and hold, but with the Senate we have a chance. In this political age, there is NO EXCUSE whatsoever for a Red state to send a Democratic senator. None.
Jon Tester is probably a decent guy, and he isn’t the worst of the Democrats, not by a long shot. But he’s still a Democrat. Which means, like most, he’ll pretend to be ‘bipartisan’ on non-controversial issues like veterans care while stabbing President Trump in the back on tax cuts and judicial nominees. I mean, at least West Virginia’s Joe Manchin voted for Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. Jon Tester? He voted with Chuck Schumer like he usually does.
Montanans, you should have known better. You should have been better. Thankfully, there could be a bit of redemption coming in 2020, when you’ll have a chance to re-elect your lone GOP senator. But as far as 2018 is concerned, Montana, thanks for nothing!
Given what else has been going on in this country, was Rosendale that bad a choice or did Tester have an insurance policy?
There’s a lot of new housing there last time we drove through. Lots of Calis moving there?
Are Conservative Californians that ones that ruined Denver, Boulder and Colorado, in general? Nope. Californians. Interestingly, since you’re still in California, it’s pretty consistent from commenters that are actually from Colorado, the ones that hunt and fish not ski and snowboard, that they’re the ones that say California Liberals have ruined the place.
A buddy of mine lives in Kalispel, Mont. When I asked him about it, his response: All the liberals in Bozeman and Missoula.
Bozeman has Montana State University. Missoula has the University of Montana.
If you’re a Conservative stuck in California, I hate it for you. But, you’re fellow Californians ruin every place they go. They are like locusts or the aliens in Independence Day.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/words-deeds/article218210580.html .... this one says that the folks from idaho should be glad Californians are coming because they’re so much smarter than everyone else.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article164420672.html
http://uk.businessinsider.com/californians-priced-out-move-to-idaho-2018-10?r=US&IR=T
I apologize, the massive influx of liberals is from Washington. With folks from California coming in 2nd. However, Washington used to be a great place, until it was overrun with radicals from California.
https://newwest.net/main/article/california_official_scapegoat_of_montana/
According to, xlcountry.com, they also say that Californians are #2. Either way, every place they migrate to ends up going down the drain.
... a divisive lie...
______________________
Maybe, since it isn’t just the CA transplants. In my rural WI area, the problems/change come from MN,CO, WA, OR, NY, CA, the liberal urban areas of WI and IL. They congregate in rural districts, create an entire *culture* indistinguishable from the cities they left, attract more and more of like-minded people and within 10-30 years, the place is no longer conservative.
Taxes rise. Natives cannot afford the COL. After one generation, the new natives win local political office because they marry into the old families and are considered native.
Our property is for sale. I have yet to meet a conservative prospect. They are all very liberal and announce it in countless ways as they describe what they would like to change, like putting in a paved road across 80 hilly acres with creeks and springs for easier access. They announce that they will engage in prairie restoration when this land is already pristine and has not been farmed for 35 years. It never was prairie. It is a unique biome called the Driftless Area. They “intend to plant trees”, have the property managed by a property manager and maybe they will move on in retirement. Never mind we have over 40 acres of woodland, participate in managed forest programs and property managers are euphemisms for a side job for realtors who do nothing except contract for lawn mowing. They dismiss 1000 feet of national trout stream frontage because it is across a township road, not understanding that that separation insulates them from both the hordes of trendy out of state fishermen and the flooding that is a factor in living on a river.
They want gourmet kitchens and no more than 15 minutes from Culture (shops and boutiques and bistros). They push through indoor pools no one uses and cannot find grants for outdoor pools, so they scheme to do so. They have ruined our schools and their kids are the heart of the drug and petty crime epidemic. They want free trash hauling in a township that can no longer find employees to oversee the dump or recycling because the job pays only $15k/year. They hate the landfill, but force everyone to increase its usage. They want township driveway plowing and then sue the township every time a plow takes out a mailbox. They want a county plan to take care of them in any emergency, but do not ever present a viable approach to doing so.
They like wood fireplaces, but turn up their nose at efficient woodstoves and the work it takes to stack and cut fuel. They have no understanding of woodstove maintenance. They look blank when shown the transfer box and generator because the generator should be automatic. They have no idea of the consequences of a power outage during spring/summer floods and winter blizzards. Propane tanks are icky-looking and they want NG pipeline hookups, cheap.
I could go on, but will end with the fact that there are not enough tradesmen available on a minutes notice and everyone out here is forced to do all their own property maintenance, wait weeks for a plumber or electrician or make arrangements with neighbors. We exchange hunting privileges for snow removal and summer field/path mowing, but the prospects, so far, are against hunting. Wonder if they realize the deer and rabbits will decimate their expensive tree and prairie plantings?
We end up feeling like strangers in a place we have lived for 45 years. We are rethinking our plans because the urban liberal are incompetent to live on their own in the country in a northern climate.
If only the conservatives would move in, but they don’t. I guess the weather in CA and the conveniences of other urban areas are worth the price of living in rapidly devolving situations. The liberal DO NOT like the results of their ideology, but they do love their ideology. They just do not get the connection. They mutter about the crime and the filth and the congestion and the corruption, but do not understand that individual responsibility and moral fiber are what made our areas so attractive.
The Montana Senate seat like the Wisconsin Governor and AZ Senate seat were stolen.
Morrisey was truly not ready for prime time.. the fact he wound up as close as he did, speaks VOLUMES about how much MAGA draws, because Morrisey honestly based on merit and ability to retail politic should have been in the 20s.
So if Sinema’s lead holds up and depending on how the Florida fiasco goes then best case is that the Republicans pick up 2 Senate seats. Worst case scenario is they pick up one. This in a year when some people were predicting a pick up of 11 seats. Add to that the loss of 35 to 40 seats in the House and how can anybody classify this as anything but a disappointment for the GOP?
Good question. I don’t know!
So you’re a rich California A$$hole who lives on a dirt road? And Butte 20 years ago had more hippies than SF?
Sell that crap somewhere else. You know nothing about Montana.
Saw some Californians would choose to take your millions and buy a ranch you could buy 20,000 acres. And live next to Ted Turner. But not you I see. that’s fine. But I know that many Californians have and they bring their politics with them.
Saw some Californians would choose to take your millions and buy a ranch you could buy 20,000 acres. And live next to Ted Turner. But not you I see. that’s fine. But I know that many Californians have and they bring their politics with them.
People keep implying that dems will have like 220 seats or something. It will be 230-234. That is not "barely"! GOP has only officially secured 198 seats. Yes the margins of rat victories were mostly small but there were so many of them including in places that shouldn't have even been close.
Jon Tester is probably a decent guy, and he isn’t the worst of the Democrats, not by a long shot.
I don't agree, he's Frank Church (different state I know) 2.0, no moderate at all. He's swine, and it's sickening he won 50% of the vote. Given what State he is, he is THE WORST. A "red state" could not do worse, no other state now has such a deficit between what it should have in a Senator and what it does have. And no "decent guy" is for partial-birth abortion, ok? That's like, evil.
Montana is far too competitive, rats have one 4 Governor races in a row too and Obama nearly won in 2008. I will say though that Rosendale was a weak candidate. Ryan Zinke was supposed to run but he was plucked away for a meaningless (Maybe not to Montana but in the grand scheme of things) cabinet gig, and minor scandals he's incurred in that pointless gig won't help him if he runs in the future.
Meanwhile you have MT state senator Jed Hinkle needing to take matters in his own hands at the ballot counting offices. Yes, I know he’s Republican, but lacking common sense, at least in this: https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/mtleg/candidate-hinkle-removed-from-area-where-uncounted-election-ballots-held/article_8c8920ca-d3f6-5302-8414-929015ab07e2.html
In his defense, I heard he responded to the damning photo and he said there were other candidates as well in that room and because Bozeman Daily Carbuncle is a left-leaning rag, they refuse to post the facts that really happened that afternoon.
Anyway, it helps to demystify and put him back in a better light. He really has been a decent upstanding guy
Sounds like Moab, Durango, etal.
Here; let's read a poem about Wyoming...
Outside money came in, and local loyalties were shown to the door.
You can see how much this guy doesn't get it by his gutless cheap shot at Congressman Gianforte.
Montanans voted for Gianforte BECAUSE he bitch-slapped the scheming pee-pants Guardian reporter, not despite.
Scott Morefield can sit at Townhall and lick his self-inflicted wounds...or he can come on up here and see if he could handle our homegrown candidates any better than the (not) Guardian did.
I can WATCH IT over and over.
“If Stephen Moore and his elitist shitehead comrades at The Club for (not) Growth had stayed the hell out of Montana, one of the state’s own candidates would have made blubber strips out of Festerbestertester.”
Rosendale was a poor candidate and was hammered on being from out of state. He also had ZERO enthusiasm when he spoke.
“Montanans voted for Gianforte BECAUSE he bitch-slapped the scheming pee-pants Guardian reporter, not despite.”
NO! I know Greg Gianforte and really dislike him as a person. I voted FOR him rather than for his first opponent - a left wing loon ‘singer/songwriter’ who played twice a year at a gig at a nudist colony in Idaho WITH HIS 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER! The D candidate that year was worse than Rosendale! Kathleen Williams this year was not an effective choice for Montana.
Stop telling ME how and why I voted as a Montanan, Yutz!
I pinged you on a friendly basis because I largely agreed with you.
You don’t seem to read well, but my first paragraph was all about Rosendale being a piss-poor out-of-state candidate. Are you so dense as not to see that?
Likely you are just that dense. That you are willing to brag about voting for Rob Quist (whose name you don’t seem to have retained) suggests that that you are not only without brains, but also without shame.
I can’t help that you are envious of Gianforte. He’s won twice now against the large contingent of horse’s patoots like you, and I expect he has a long future of same ahead of him.
Yutz? Really? Ha! Greenhorn!
I did not vote for Quist, asshat.
Fuck off!
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