In his Sunday column in the Billings Gazette, editor Darrell Ehrlick dropped this nugget, just two days before the election: Prior to September’s debate in Billings between U.S. House candidates Ryan Zinke and John Lewis, Zinke said, “John plays the guitar. I waterboard.” (more…) Continue Reading →
John Lewis
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From the Outpost: With Curtis, at least a sliver of hope
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Regular readers of this irregularly filled space know that I am no fan of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Daines. I have written columns:
* Criticizing his foolish and un-American bill that would tie congressional pay to balancing the budget. Why un-American? Because the bill would allow millionaires like Daines to hold hostage for partisan ends the paychecks of middle-class representatives like his Democratic opponent, Amanda Curtis. It’s a dumb idea, and the fact that a Democrat, John Lewis, argues that members of Congress shouldn’t get paid unless they pass a budget doesn’t make it any smarter. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Montana, News, Amanda Curtis, John Lewis, John Walsh, Obamacare, Steve Daines, U.S. Senate
From the Outpost: An opening for long-shot Lewis
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I just about dropped what’s left of my teeth when I saw on Sunday that the Billings Gazette had endorsed John Lewis for the U.S. House over Ryan Zinke. Zinke seemed to be the natural pick in this race: tons of experience, some of it relevant; an unflappable public presence; a history of edging toward moderation. Even the Butte Weekly, a Democratic-leaning newspaper in a Democratic-leaning town, has endorsed Zinke, a Republican. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Montana, News, Billings Gazette, Butte Weekly, John Lewis, New Republic, Obamacare, Ryan Zinke
House debate unlikely to have swayed many voters
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If the purpose of a political debate is to change voters’ minds, then Monday’s U.S. House debate at Montana State University Billings was a clear draw. It’s hard to imagine that any minds changed after a debate in which Republican Ryan Zinke and Democrat John Lewis seemed to agree at least at often as they disagreed. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Montana, News, Darrell Ehrlick, John Lewis, Obamacare, Paul Ryan, Ryan Zinke, U.S. House
Begging politicians ring alarm bell one too many times
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I don’t want to pick on the Democrats because I know from my years in the newspaper biz that the Republicans are just as bad, but for some reason I am only on the Democrats’ email list this election cycle. These past few weeks I have deleted many dozens of emails from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in addition to “personal” emails from Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, James Carville, John Walsh, John Lewis and others. I looked in my email Trash file today and was struck by the great string of alarming subject lines, which included these dandies: “Kiss any hope goodbye,” “Midnight tonight,” “Begging (12HR),” “Shocking setback,” “This could be the end,” “Terrifying,” “Begging, begging,” and “12:01 will be too late.”
People, you need to know that alarmism only works once in a great while. Ten times a day for weeks on end tends to take the edge off those Nightmare on Elm Street headlines. And then the emails themselves, with their whining, cajoling, pathetic tones! Continue Reading →