Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/author/david-crisp/page/14/)
An old newspaper joke says that the job of editorial writers is to go onto the field after the battle is over and shoot the survivors. The election is over; let the shooting begin. ♦ Cheapest shot: Democrats ran ad after ad pointing out that Greg Gianforte comes from New Jersey, as if failure to be born in Montana disqualifies candidates for public office. (more…) Continue Reading →
The news media are more biased than ever—as well they should be. Whoever said the media ought to be above petty partisanship, blatant favoritism and payback shenanigans had it all wrong. We do expect some professionals to be above bias. Doctors should mend the homeless as conscientiously as they stitch up millionaires. Court-appointed attorneys, underpaid and overworked though they may be, ought to be as conscientious defending a homeless vagrant as a debutante shoplifter. Continue Reading →
The 2016 election has set many new precedents. Here’s one for me: I will vote a straight Democratic ticket. Never thought that would happen. Even in the yellow dog Democrat days in Texas, my argument never varied: elect the best candidates, regardless of party, and they will find a way to figure out the way forward. Elect some Democrats to get the horses to a gallop, and throw in a few Republicans to pull on the reins. Continue Reading →
Legislative candidate Robert Saunders has apologized for a deleted Facebook post that said vandals involved in civil unrest in Ferguson, Mo., should be shot with “two rounds through the brain.” (more…) Continue Reading →
The Billings City Council unanimously punted on a proposal to spend $35 million in tax increment funds Monday after splitting on a proposal to spend far less. (more…) Continue Reading →
Few charges are more damning in modern America than an accusation of racism. That’s why Last Best News sat on a story making exactly that charge against Robert Saunders, a Republican candidate for House District 48. The openly partisan Montana Cowgirl blog broke the story on Thursday. The Billings Gazette followed up with a front-page story on Saturday. We’re still not buying it. Continue Reading →
Sentenced three times to die, Damien Echols said Thursday that he is alive now because a few people were willing to challenge the system. (more…) Continue Reading →
Much as I rail against the two-party system, it has its advantages when you get down to the bottom of the ballot—you know, those races you meant to check out but never got around to. If you hate taxes, worry about coal-mining jobs and think people should be able to do whatever they want except smoke dope, abort babies and marry the sex of their choice, vote for the Republican. If you love government, worry about global warming and think people should be able to do whatever they want except own guns, burn gasoline and block bathroom access, vote for the Democrat. (more…) Continue Reading →
Like many people, Ron Jore came to Yellowstone County because of the Bakken oil field. But he wasn’t trying to get closer to the field. He was trying to get away from it. Jore brought his leather-working business here two years ago from Watford City, N.D., where he had planned to spend his entire life. His grandparents had moved there from Norway, and his parents had spent their lives there. Continue Reading →
Our recalcitrant grandson finally made his appearance early Tuesday afternoon, two weeks late and after a day-and-a-half of hard labor in a Missoula hospital. I had been joking that the baby would refuse to appear until after the Nov. 8 election. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that he showed up when Hillary Clinton’s lead in the presidential polls went into double digits. The coast is clearing. Continue Reading →
