Gianforte reported as Montana's next Representative. [UPDATED]

*while on a posting holiday/vacation, layout and sidebar editing happens; some might care to look*

Needing to understand how a near ideal candidate on a near ideal policy set lost as he did, it might be time to take a month off from posting. Allow the Georgia election to happen. Allow a Ryan budget to fare as it may. Allow the DNC to fare as it may. Allow Onward Together to gain funding. All without posting.

Montana had the opportunity to make a difference. And declined. Allow Montanans to appreciate their voting majority's decision.

Allow New York and California Single Payer attempts to happen or be stymied. Watch New York and California join Colorado and Oregon and Washington as bellweather states on changing parts of a status quo, or not. As always these things resolve apart from any single blog analysis and opinion publishing.

Let them. Another option would be to close the blog and remove all content. That drastic a step is not anticipated.

But a month off will be nice. It could lengthen. If an issue seems important enough during the next month, during June, there might be posting but likely not.

There are quality people in Montana. That clearly includes the Quist family.

That Gallitin MT creationist museum is offensive to science and to thought. Ayn Rand would have had her architect dynamite it.

______________UPDATE______________
Gianforte's letter of apology, posted and analyzed, Huffpo.

Having nothing to do with Montana nor, of course, any contention of omitted sentiment in an apology; Strib reporting on post game commentary of LeBron - at closing paragraphs:

As for his own future, James, who is averaging 32 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the Finals, said he hasn't decided how much longer he'll play.

"I definitely want to compete," he said. "I want to compete for championships every year, and so we'll see what happens."

And James has once again been criticized for not being more aggressive late in Game 3, when he made a pass to Kyle Korver. The sharpshooter missed a potential game-sealing 3-pointer with 50 seconds left. Durant then came down and made his go-ahead 3.

James broke down the play, highlighting every detail — Green with five fouls, Durant collapsing, Curry guarding Kevin Love and Korver being open in the short corner — before delivering his own counter punch.

"I would do the same exact thing," he said.

As the day of reckoning is days away in Montana, the national mainstream media are reporting, but with a beltway bias readers can see for themselves, via Google news websearch returns. [UPDATED and topside]

[THIS POST HAS BEEN DATED MAY 26, 1:30 AM IN ORDER TO KEEP IT ATOP UNTIL A DATE/TIME WHERE MONTANA VOTES WILL LIKELY HAVE BEEN COUNTED. UPDATE: MONTANA'S POLLS CLOSE 8:00 P.M. THURSDAY, MAY 25, AND CURRENT NATIONWIDE REPORTING HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY A SINGLE EVENT - SEE POST BELOW THIS]
................................................................................

Two web searches to keep bookmarked through the week; each Google news, clearly overlapping:

search = montana

search = montana election quist gianforte


Perhaps a third, or some combo - with this one being a Bing News search, not Google:

search = montana money trump

With the notion there in that last suggestion that beltway pundits want it "a referendum on Trump" which is simplification, beltway bias, and thought channeling that is not fully merited. Also, a referendum on spending in a Congressional seat election wholly out of line with what 2018 with more seats in play might show.


Perhaps the best idea might be simply

search = montana

because it is unbiased toward the election and candidates, just, what's news to the TWO search engines, Google News, or Bing News, leading up to Thursday.

What are the pundits saying, how intensely nationally is the Montana race in focus, and what might it lead one to expect; vs Friday, May 26, when the result is in?

Then, will the pundits be phrasing the result as related to Georgia CD6, or will the pundits ignore any such implication and solely be in apology mode, or told-you-so mode?

_____________UPDATE____________
Apart from Montana, other flyover land, Strib local content re-headlined for the season: "Guide to Minnesota's 13 national wildlife refuges -- Minnesota is home to 13 national wildlife refuges, each with a distinct set of attractions for hunters, anglers, birders and wildlife-watchers. - By Doug Smith Star Tribune - September 25, 2014 — 5:27pm;" source of this image as proof a redwing blackbird will perch on anything to declare and overview territory in breeding season.

Go to the Strib item to enlarge the image full size.

This year male redwings have shown up, but the females migrate later, and I have yet to see them this year in Anoka County.

Public lands matter in the midwest too; but with the issue not as intense as in the west; no Cliven Bundy business happening here, no threat of private expropriation and/or exploitation. No politicians suing the State to limit recreational access of the citizenry via contesting established easements. Minnesota Nice instead.

_____________FURTHER UPDATE______________
Bonus video: Bernie taking time at MSU to talk outside to the overflow crowd of young people - the future of the Democratic Party if the party has a future.

____________FURTHER UPDATE_______________
The Observer, this link with part of the headlining:

‘If you do it here in Montana, we can do it in every state’

And that is why beltway Republicans and their donors and lobbyists for the Trump/Ryan status quo of shame are focused like a laser beam on defeating Rob Quist. They know the truth of that sub-headline. And their wish and will is to add another millionaire to their heartless cabal. Progress needs Quist.

That last paragraph was plain awful, so try again:
Beltway Republicans and their donors and lobbyists for the Trump/Ryan status quo are putting exceptional amounts of money into their effort to defeat Rob Quist. They know the truth of that sub-headline. They oppose progress and they know: Progress needs Quist.

Better. The message IS that progress needs Quist, and it shows better in the re-write.

Gianforte assaults a reporter in Montana on the eve of the election. He did it himself. He did not outsource the assault.

Hope the reporter had good health coverage.

Montana Cowgirl Blog features the story.

You cannot help but hope the situation blows off his chance at going to DC to try to nail down that eight hundred grand tax bonanza that the Ryancare cruelty was aimed to deliver to him and his class.

Poetic justice. And Quist is a poet, as well as a musician and song writer.

A ballad IS due on this story. It can be Montana lore for years.

What's vexing, he had the opportunity to do it to the Trump child.


UPDATE: It's catching.

CBS News screencapture
click image to enlarge and read

In light of Gianforte, wrap your mind around the image, "Pence goes on to slam House Democrats, specifically Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, ...".

FURTHER: YouTube posting of morning after reporting. Comprehensive. Montana newspapers withdrew their Ginaforte endorsement, at 0:25 or so in the video report.

FURTHER: Mother Jones has written it up, Gianforte appearing to lie about what happened:

The reporter, Ben Jacobs of the Guardian, had previously broken a major story about Gianforte's investments in Russian companies.

[...] According to audio of the encounter posted by the Guardian, Gianforte's outburst came after Jacobs asked him about the Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the GOP health care bill, which Gianforte had previously signaled he was supportive of. "I am sick and tired of you guys!," Gianforte can be heard shouting. "The last guy who came in here did the same thing. Get the hell out of here!"

In a statement, a Gianforte spokesman blamed Jacobs for the incident, asserting that Jacobs was responsible for "pushing them both to the ground."

Statement from Gianforte on @bencjacobs: "aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist"

— Holly Bailey (@hollybdc) May 25, 2017

[...] Update: Three members of the Fox News crew that was preparing to interview Gianforte when the incident happened have now corroborated Jacobs' account, and added some new details:

Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him. Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the man, as he moved on top the reporter and began yelling something to the effect of "I'm sick and tired of this!"

After Jacobs left the room, Fox News' Alicia Acuna reported, "Gianforte looked at the three of us and repeatedly apologized."

[bolding and links in original, italics emphasis added] Gianforte is a large man, apparently a hot-head who cannot stand the heat per the Truman adage. The reporter was normal size, and obviously taken by surprise in that candidates do not usually assault reporters, it's a rare thing.

AND THEN THE GIANFORTE CAMPAIGN LIED ABOUT IT.

WORSENING AN ALREADY BAD SHOWING. UNACCEPTABLE.


.................................
FURTHER: An online law enforcement press conference noted five eyewitnesses. That includes, apparently, Ginanforte as perpetrator, the Guardian reporter as victim, and the three FOX employees as independent eyewitnesses who noted Gianforte's conduct, per the MJ quote above. If so, no Ginaforte staffer was present.

Why misdemeanor assault? Why not felony? It seems questionable charging. Apparently at the time of that press conference prosecutors had not filed any charge, per the officer's response to a specific question.

Next, a Guardian Report filed by the victim of the Gianforte assault, prior to the assault. Read it all. Judge for yourself: Is there any provocative bias to it that would inspire a viscous attack? The man seems too tightly wound when there's some pressure, to be one earning voter respect. Certainly assaulting an unsuspecting victim is not anything to respect. It's like sucker punching someone, but less injury appears to have ensued. It appears no head injury was caused, which is always the worry if being unsuspectingly felled to the ground. CNN in a panel discussion compare audio of the situation with a statement issued the press by Gianforte operatives, and it is not a favorable comparison for the Gianforte prepared statement, truth being the question. FOX eyewitnesses clearly stated there was no provocation.

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that there was probable cause to issue a citation, but the nature of the injuries “did not meet the statutory elements of a felony assault.”

Still, the incident sent shockwaves across the country and resulted in three key Montana newspapers taking back their earlier endorsements. [...]

The incident occurred Wednesday evening when a Fox News team was scheduled to interview Gianforte at his campaign headquarters. The [three person FOX] team said Ben Jacobs, the reporter from The Guardian, pressed Gianforte about the newly released Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act.

Gianforte told Jacobs to talk to his press officer. At some point, Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground, according to witnesses.

The crew watched Gianforte punch the reporter. As Gianforte moved on top of Jacobs, he began yelling something to the effect of, “I'm sick and tired of this!” [...]

Federal records show that the Gallatin County sheriff donated $250 to Gianforte's congressional campaign in March. In his statement, Sheriff Brian Gootkin confirmed the donation, but said, "This contribution has nothing to do with our investigation, which is now complete."

Gianforte is scheduled to appear in Gallatin County Justice Court between Wednesday night and June 7. He would face a maximum $500 fine or six months in jail if convicted.

[link in original, italics added] Montana law would determine whether the unprovoked nature of the assault and the language used established intent to cause severe bodily harm, and according to the story the degree of actual ensuing bodily injury is a factor in a choice between misdemeanor vs felony charges. The Sheriff's office appears to have issued a citation, with it unclear whether this was with or without prior consultation with a prosecuting attorney; nor has any campaign contribution by prosecuting authorities been reported, either way. Details linger, but an unprovoked assault is what it is, and instability under pressure is a disadvantageous trait for any office seeker. From all things report, he derserves maximum fine and jail time, in my view; which had it been Quist breaking loose that way, would be the same. Opinions on that can differ. Again, really, why not felony assault remains unclear.


FURTHER: DCCC has prepared a "What happens when you ask Greg Gianforte a Question" ad; linked to and/or embedded on the latest Cowgirl post.

FURTHER: Direct URL for the new DCCC ad. It is a negative ad, true, but he earned it beyond any doubt. It is interesting the pro-GG trolls are absent today from Cowgirl blog posting. Quelled enthusiasm, or just sound judgment as with the withdrawn press endorsements?

FURTHER: The Atlantic [links in original]:

The citation for assault was an eleventh-hour twist in a race where as many as two-thirds of the ballots had already been cast. Several of the state’s largest newspapers, including The Billings Gazette, The Missoulian, and The Helena Independent Record withdrew their endorsements of Gianforte. “This incident is not Montana. It's not America,” said the Gazette. “It's not who we are, and attacking — literally — those with whom we disagree cannot be justified, tolerated or explained away.”

My nickle bets the guy will not be honorable and drop the contest. He's got eight hundred thousand reasons to regret but stay; each a dollar; each a part of the tax break Ryan's Cruelcare which, if passed, would have yielded him. A piece of work.

FURTHER: FOX gives us: Minneapolis mayor Hodges gave her State-of-the-State speech in a mosque because of a belief that "the city's Muslim community is under attack from the Trump administration." FOX town scold Hegseth posed the hypothetical to the mayor, "... would you do it in a church?" He should pose that question to Gianforte. There in front of the alter and the Cross on the wall. WHAM? Knocking over an incense censer? Scattering alter boys who wonder, does me mean for us to "Get the hell out?"

Hello Montana and the nation: The CBO analysis of the Ryancare trainwreck bill passed on narrowly to the Senate is out now and it says - "It's a trainwreck."

WaPo reporting, NPR reporting, The Hill reporting.

The CBO document itself, online here.

Al Franken on the Senate floor analyzing, with little sympathy for Ryancare, or for dishonesty behind it.

Greg Gianforte wants his taxes cut, as he said when calling east coast lobbyists to raise money. While cheering on the House's Ryancare passage. What passed would mean lower Gianforte family taxes if passed into law.

Bill opponents: Two generations of the Quist family, both musicians, pictured by NPR.

It's a better talent than outsourcing jobs.

It must be great to have a talented daughter. Trump would probably wish for that.

UPDATE: The Franken report has the Senate floor speech video posted. Franken begins by noting rural impacts of the Ryan package. As noted to him by Minnesota rural healthcare providers  during community visits, things would degrade to "survival of the fittest." Towns are further apart in Montana than in Minnesota. Effects would be more severe.

FURTHER: The Franken floor speech is clear, chilling, and true. If you feel you've not a half hour to run that video, you are a fool.

FURTHER: If you believe Greg Gianforte getting an $800,000 cut in his taxes is great stuff even if he attains it by putting millions of Americans closer to death and bankruptcy and losing homes and having retirement savings wiped out; don't bother watching the Franken explanations. He was aiming his remarks at others than Greg and his fellow travelers.

Isn't it refreshing to see all the young people with young thoughts and issues that Tom Perez has brought into the DNC leadership so it would not ossify or die off?

This link. And an eye toward the future. Clearly with this fresh bunch the sin of superdelegate domination over voter opinion and preferences will be a thing of the past. Because they love democracy and the democratic process. And because a fifteen buck minimum wage is an issue it impresses how minimum wage earners are disproportionately represented among the hands on the levers. It makes a strong impression.

They have a "DONATE" page, but not any report online at the site on how the funding is shaking out; income and expenditures stuff. Were it expected to be of interest to voters it clearly would be there, but voters don't care where they get money from or how it is spent. A photo of Trump suffices:

click and
"fight back"

What is a minor trouble, personal to me and clearly of little or no interest to any others, I don't want to "fight back," I want to fight forward.

Nothing there for me, so unlike the multitude, I'm not giving them a single cent; but clearly, somebody is paying the bills.

_____________UPDATE_____________
It's your feelings, stupid. These video talking heads are clearly barking up a wrong tree.

Sad.

___________FURTHER UPDATE____________
Also, the Tom Perez courage in being unequivocal about his Single Payer commitment is compelling. A shade less enthusiastic over Single Payer than Perez, Nina Turner, this video, in support of California's Single Payer legislation effort.

Isn't the reported fortitude and rectitude shown by key Democratic Party inner party functionaries on the Single Payer issue something to behold? It makes you want to cry.

Perez in his DC bunker [DNC DC bunker] is seeing California, per the Nina Turner previous link, and New York pressing upon him from both coasts on Single Payer, and once the nation is energized he clearly will articulate he was for it all along, and it was just Bernie's irrational exuberance that made him play straight man to the Vermont Senator's turn of words. And that he likes heading the DNC and however things shake out he presently has good health coverage from it. And he may be expected to add his support for remaining a superdelegate, feeling super about Single Payer and all once dust has settled and it's law. Getting there, a tiny hedge here and there perhaps, DNC on record as wanting big donor money, but when appropriate expect Perez to say where his heart was all along. He is that kind of a man.

All along able to live with remaining a superdelegate with uninterrupted or unnderfunded DNC paid coverage, and at the right time he might be satisfied to endorse a prior passage into law, once done, of the New York measure Gottfried sponsored and described:

New York Health would be a boon to business. Employer spending on health care eats up a median 12.8% of payroll costs on health insurance, up more than 50% in a decade, with small businesses spending even higher percentages. According to the Friedman study, New York Health could be funded through an income assessment averaging just 8.1% of payroll.

“New Yorkers deserve better,” said Assembly Member Gottfried. “We should be able to go to the doctor when we need to, without worrying whether we can afford it. We should choose our doctors and hospitals without worrying about network restrictions. We deserve health coverage for all of us, paid for based on our ability to pay, not what the market will bear. I’m proud the Assembly has passed the New York Health Act, and I look forward to working with a great community of advocates including medical professionals, medical students, organized labor, and Senate sponsor Bill Perkins, to enact it into law.”

New York Health has been endorsed by the NYS Academy of Family Physicians, NYS American Academy of Pediatrics, NYS Nurses Association, Committee of Interns and Residents, Doctors Council SEIU, NY chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program, SEIU 1199, NYS AFL-CIO, Communications Workers of America, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1056 and 1179, United Auto Workers 9 & 9A, UFCW Local 1500, Capital District Area Labor Federation, Local 32BJ SEIU, NYSUT, United Federation of Teachers, Working Families Party, Green Party, Citizen Action, StateWide Senior Action Council, NYPIRG, League of Women Voters, and others.

Once two houses have passed it and a governor's signed it Perez would be the first to stand up and say, "It's law, in New York." Being hasty, no call for that, because tardiness is next to godliness. Even with Mamon a lead god, tardiness is the best policy. While, of course, being there all along.

Who besides the Republicans are running Nancy Pelosi these days?

Politico, today, May 24, stating in part:

Republicans have long demonized Pelosi, even before she won the speaker’s gavel in 2006, in a strategy that her supporters say reeks of sexism. But the plan for the most part has been wildly successful, with the GOP controlling the House since 2010 and likely for the foreseeable future. And with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton gone but Pelosi still House minority leader, she’s Republicans’ primary Democratic punching bag.

This time, Republicans aren’t the only ones tuning in to see whether vilifying Pelosi is still a winning strategy. Pelosi’s caucus, restless after years in the minority under her leadership, is watching what happens now more than ever. And some are already privately demanding change if Democrats don’t pick up one of the special election seats up for grabs.

“There’s a real widespread sense if the Republicans’ only attack on us is Nancy Pelosi, why are we leading with our chin?” said one House Democrat. “There’s a greater and greater sense that it’s time for a change in leadership.”

Pelosi’s advocates say any talk of a change in leadership is minor at most and completely unrealistic. And, they argue, Republicans are only targeting her because they have nothing to show for having all the power in Washington.

“The GOP brand is in tatters, and their top legislative priority, Trumpcare, polls at 17 percent,” said Jorge Aguilar, executive director of Pelosi for Congress. “The tired, rehashed strategy of attacking Pelosi doesn’t work and demonstrates just how bankrupt of ideas House Republicans are.”

“Clearly, House Republicans recognize they have no message to run on in the midterms and they’re desperately grasping at straws,” said Tyler Law, a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman.

While the special election for Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s old seat in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District pits Republican Karen Handel against Democrat Jon Ossoff, Republicans in Georgia and Washington have tried to shove Pelosi front and center, peppering mentions of her name and her picture into paid ads for months.

And when Gianforte's strong point is he phone calls lobbyists seeking five grand a pop from each, praises Ryancare's abdication, and says, now get to lowering my taxes; take a dump on Nancy because, why?

Quist has been there and suffered that; big money running both parties; and he's ready to be a real representative for a change.

Dylan Ratigan - What ended his career on MSNBC. Finding things on YouTube that too few people have viewed, and until now were unknown to me.

This video. Hat tip to this one for the insight to track down the first. Each in large measure speaks for itself.

That's all watched before the post is published. Two links, here and here. Do yourself a favor. Follow them.

This fuller video of the first linked item. Very few viewers noted.

Hello, Greg Gianforte.

UPDATE: At about 8:30 into the last video, check out the woman at the workstation in the background and her boogie.

FURTHER: DWS. Who is still in Congress. Because Tim Canova was insufficiently backed. And because she's strong in the district. Ratigan, back years ago in those videos explained the DC money flowing into Montana for Gianforte. May the best Quist win.

FURTHER: Older MSNBC days.

Little known facts of DC: A quarter of a billion taxpayer dollars annually goes to Senate staff. More, four hundred thirteen million to House staff. Each party like the other that way.

Ballotpedia, here.

Spoils of winning/holding office. Montana is part of the pack. Do you suppose the DCCC and RNCC get staff contributions? SuperPACs?

Is the public being served by public servants in such arrangements? Who do staff talk to besides lobbyists? Do lobbyist ranks consist in large measure of former staffers and former office holders? Is that good for the pubic? Is such a level of spending creating inertia against reform? Against progress?

House Majority PAC [a Dem one] has invested in an "Our Pain is His Gain" Montana video ad focused on Gianforte's lobbyist call attaboy for the Ryancare handoff to the Senate. GOP counters. Quist GOTV ads are the important ones.

The video, online here. Hat tip to KOS for presenting the link, per this online item.

There's the old saying, every little bit helps.

UPDATE: GOP attack video ad against Quist also noted by KOS.

Greg running against Nancy Pelosi again. Yawn. Nothing positive said about Gianforte in the item. It looks to be generic "Hate on Pelosi" content, filmed with a Quist lead-in, but surely avoiding Greg's attaboy of the Ryancare business in DC. Don't look there, as if it never happened but it did.

Every Quist vote is important and the deadline is tomorrow.

FURTHER - Top sidebar item, click the image, weigh the Quist GOTV need.

THE HILL: Pence records robocall for GOP candidate ahead of Montana special election

Fitting. The man's a robot, so what better role than a robo call? There probably is a GOTV fools list of registered Republicans set to be called.

At least his dog in the hunt, Gianforte is not a robot. As said earlier swapping the two, Pence the candidate, Gianforte the vice president would be an improvement, but faint praise is what it is.

Rob Quist is the better man than Pence and Gianforte together, throw in Paul Ryan, still Quist is more than a cowboy hat taller than that troika.

Rob Quist will enhance and not imperil the health and access to pharmaceuticals and care of the nation, Montana and the rest of the nation together getting better representation. Every Quist vote will be important because Republican GOTV tactics have been honed to sell a bill of goods to the unsuspecting.

FADE AWAY DEMOCRATS - Whether by primary challenge or otherwise, these are the impediments in the Democratic Party most in need of replacement.

Claire McCaskill hates young college age Americans.

She's a multimillionaire politician from the state where two rivers come together, to leave.

Gotta go. That state can and might replace her with a Republican, but she's one in soul and spirit so the only difference would be a vote on organizing. If she faces a progressive in a primary challenge, and it leads to a Republican win, there is no substantial loss. If she faces a progressive challenge leading to a progressive Senator replacing her, that would be bonanza time for certain.

The Senator, in two screencapture images, first from The Observer, here, second from Ballotpedia, here.

Last image, bottom, she's not Joe Manchin, but that is faint praise. Manchin is every progressive's lead "gotta go" federal officer/Democratic Party liability. Young people have cause to question a callous McCaskill position wanting them under the pressing stone of early and great debt loads. She should fade away. As a lesser evil than Todd Akin, whoopee. Taxing Wall Street trades could pay for free state college tuition for a deserving student body. In total, no strings attached.

Educated people are a national asset for a better fairer nation, which is the cause of Republican opposition to educating people. McCaskill appears to be in that camp. She's a big money constituency "Democrat." The kind that lost to Donald Trump. A Fade Away Democrat.

UPDATE: The Observer cross links two McCaskill online items, the one previously linked, and this.

Don't persist. Please, don't persist.

This link. Of interest, a captive owned donation page.

https://secure.onwardtogether.org/page/contribute/default

Donate Together or what? Not using ActBlue. Not wanting to pay the few-percent ActBlue tithing fee? What? Not wanting ActBlue to know whose money's tripping in? Sheikhs and such? Haim and the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers? Russian bank - Uranium One money and/or Wall Street? The Tramsformers? Speaking opportunity -- Who-What? You don't have much else disclosed, but hammered in place from the get-go that "donate" page. (Oh, also a brief "Privacy Policy.")

click image to read the troubling Clinton  "persist" threat

A screencapture of the Wikipedia page before the proxies get in there and add and subtract:

And get a load of the "funded" grassroot names:

[...] to fundraise for progressive political groups including: Swing Left, Indivisible, Color of Change, Emerge America, and Run for Something.[1]

The footnote link: here. In fairness, Guardian says they are legit, but I've heard of "Our Revolution" and "Justice Democrats" and they need money to be helpful; yet MIA on the Clintons' plate. Never heard of these Clinton things but perhaps Tom Perez has; DC based, whatever. Black Lives Matter doesn't matter enough, apparently.

If those names don't sound like astroturf to you, what do they sound like? Just - Go - Away.

Pack in the PAC and all. Into obscurity. Wherever it is W went. Go there. Isn't a cash-flow foundation mischief enough?

______________UPDATE______________
More Guardian. Better for the future. Featuring a clearly better person.

____________FURTHER UPDATE_____________
A mind open to finding new and interesting things on the web must be a good thing. In navigating from things posted above; this buzzfeed link was found, and not being into tweets, it was illuminating. Clearly no Senator is responsible for actions of supporters from during a campaign, after the campaign's ended and separate paths were followed. That said, the mood of #WeWillReplaceYou generates some sympathy from impatient elders. Yesterday was not soon enough; and if a hot focus is placed on a litmus test of single payer healthcare as a right; for it or otherwise, all the better.

Primary challenges are good for over-comfortable long-term incumbents. After being secured in a seat long term by bipartisan gerrymandering trade-offs the only way to trim dead wood may be primary challenge, Tea Party style, and may there be an Eric Cantor equivalent to fall. If having a choice, Feinstein before Pelosi, both being attractive for private sector lobbying or where they might go. Some superPAC, some Soros think-tank [advocacy-tank being a more apt term, but one that's not caught on].

It turns out there is a website beyond a hash-tag;

http://wewillreplaceyou.org/

With a websearch showing there's much present online to where a personal failure to have found it sooner is a fault. Short manifestos are best, and CommonDreams has served its public purpose by publishing that of the replacements organization.

Variety published

Remember the football-themed film, The Replacements, where the replacement quarterback, Keanu Reeves, ended up better - more skilled and more respected than the incumbent.

Schlock film, but somehow called to mind. Anybody quick enough to fight a host of Agent Smiths could slow down and play quarterback, but I digress - (Morpheus would be a good tight end, linebacker, being quick too.)

Back to important stuff:

An ActBlue "contribute" page, i.e., going generic instead of closed source; and they'd use the money better, and  need the money more than Hillary and her flying monkeys, (or is it morphing power rangers).

So give. That's:

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/wewillreplaceyou

and bookmark it so you can contribute more than once. LAST, not all of us use online contribution portals; so "all of us" should post a snail mail P.O. Box so "some of us" can mail checks.

____________FURTHER UPDATE_____________
TYT untogether. Noting a Clinton popularity polling lower than Trump's.

A please-fade-away level. The item has been linked to in earlier posting here. TYT has its poll.

Kissing babies. The guy in the middle might be thinking, "I get to Washington, you two little shits are on your own."

Mom's the clueless jester. Not the kids. This image from this link. A sharply dressed jester. One person, one vote.

Can the designated bag man be taken seriously, beyond the bag?

This Reuters link.

We need a Paul Revere ride on this hummer. Voucher privatization of public education remains a clear and present danger, and evil people are behind it and against the people and the teachers.

This Strib carry of an AP feed, leading with an image of an evil person. Scott Walker in a dress. Oppressive student debt in a dress.

Young Turks has a reporter on the ground at the Billings Quist GOTV rally.

This video. Seeing a young deadhead being interviewed who says he's been a GOTV activist was an interesting choice of crowd members to single out for attention. As older Montanans streamed past behind the interview where they were not sought out as people to address, or if interviewed, an editorial decision was made. There was editorializing, by first focus being on Bernie, not the candidate. This was a QUIST rally, and Bernie's office is secure in the Senate. This was a rally aimed toward sending a quality progressive to Congress on behalf of the people of Montana and that flavor did not come through strongly enough in how Young Turks handled coverage.

Nationwide and international attention would be on the shared goals and worldviews of Quist and Sanders, that part was correctly covered, but for Montana it was a Quist rally and Sanders helping. The excerpting of soundbites from the rally was interesting. That part was handled well enough but again, Quist is the candiate and beyond a poem touching the public lands issue, he was too ignored and marginalized. It was a conscious Bernie piece from the editorial perspective of the outlet and it was not subtly so.

It was not nuanced TYT coverage, but it is national news other outlets seem to marginalize while the first stage Georgia election was roundly covered, mainstream. This is not the Kansas situation. The grassroots have contributed and the campaign is very very well staffed, as Quist noted in saying he had the best campaign staff possible, in part because his is the only election going. It is good he said that, in that way. The man bleeds honesty. Whether that's Montana candor, or personal, it is an endearing charm.

______________UPDATE______________
As the Thursday, May 25, election day approaches, the Team Quist YouTube channel gets updated daily, with two rally segments now posted [besides the link here, top sidebar, click the image, reach that site]. This is a YouTube page screencapture from a part of one of the new videos; and even with their backs to the camera, can you tell which is Rob, which is Bernie? (One hint given: If you need to enlarge the image to say which is which, have an eye exam.)

click the image to enlarge and read

VOTE MONTANA! VOTE QUIST!

While awaiting the Montana vote this Thursday, the rally Tom Perez neglected to attend. Biden too.

Start at min 40 for the tail end of the Elizabeth Warren intro by the union official who served as the Sanders Massachusetts campaign head in 2016. Before that much of the video touches local issues.

Somewhere in there once Warren has begun and progressed in talking, the future of the nation's young being the future of the nation seeps through so inescapably that Perez, had he been there, would have had an epiphany as if on the road to Damascus. But he was not and it is likely his eyes remain closed and his mood beholden. Yet presume he has a learning curve of some degree and that it presently hovers at a point aware that the real and cognizant grassroots are known as necessary for the Democratic Party to have a moral future. Or any future whatsoever.

You Don't Need an Oracle to Know Which Way the Wind Blows

No balloon drop. No Podesta participation. Back in his counting house or wherever. Write off Podesta and the lobbyists and beltway elites and do hope that Perez is not, ultimately, a Podesta at heart.

Putting faces and names into play helps. Which way does Ossoff face? After Montana, that will be the question.

____________UPDATE____________
There is unneeded confusion of where Elizabeth Warren is on healthcare, is she a Single Payer advocate, coverage for all as a right, or less? This undated item suggests a hedge. This is important because she's a potential 2020 presidential candidate, and would be a good one.

This video is interesting. In a townhall reported end of March, this year; i.e., prior to the Our Revolution rally noted as the primary focus of this post Warren said, "Yes," and explained the political reality of what Obama put together and got passed without saying it was all that was feasible with Dem majorities in both houses and Obama in the White House because of Dem foot-dragging because too many of the corporatist Dems were bought and owned by Big Pharma and Big Insurance. A majority of seats did not mean a majority to fix a crazy-bad system where special interests in the best reform would be rendered less special.

Watch that last linked video, and Warren is clear as to if the Republicans put it all on the table by being Paul Ryan clones up and down the line, then it's time to push single payer. This other short video buttresses the Warren position. It's time to move on it now, Paul Ryan handed over the chance to go the full hundred yards and score a touchdown. No better opportunity in the future is likely.

And this is why Jon Ossoff should not be allowed to do a straddle. On board or otherwise, but declare.

One thing the insurance discussion ignores, they get healthcare coming and going. Besides being temple gatekeepers at present, they also insure malpractice, and suck profits from both ends of things.

Without knowing the Canadian system on the malpractice question, a guess would be something similar to workman's comp exists to prevent the money waste from that end of things too.

That and a stronger way of pulling licenses to practice would be needed when bad actors now get priced out of practice by the insurers, so that there is no actual and effective public mechanism to police. Something sucking fewer dollars from the system would be needed to replace trial lawyer skill being the determinant of who continues in medicine and who is riffed.

Warren doing the Our Revolution rally in her home state with Bernie pretty much seals her as a supporter of Single Payer. Whether as a practical matter she'd go with improvements to the status quo short of that, if feasible, is a hypothetical so long as it seems the Democratic Party might be cajoled and primaried into no other policy posture, or not, for the 2018 elections. If the DC Dems believe they can dance "Trump's a disaster, our turn" and win without guts to go Single Payer, they will be gutless and stay bought since the present DC Dem view seems to define a viable candidate as one who can raise big money traditionally, not as Bernie and Quist have done, grassroots vs. big donor.

If Quist wins the Montana seat, and Ossoff declares strong on Single Payer and wins, the die may be cast. If Ossoff keeps a waffle stance and loses, will that trigger any unanimity? That's murky.

Last, what in the hell is Tom Perez up to? He's painfully clear on refusing to commit to single payer; and his DNC mandate is to take corporate money, so, what's his story and why is he not being pressed by the press to clarify? Why is he being cut so much slack?

_______________FURTHER UPDATE______________
The Clintons are polarizing figures, having channeled the Democratic Party wrongly in the 1990's into the minority status and policy failure it presently is. Republican-lite has not sold once the flavor was tasted and it was proven bad for one's health. That said, Young Turks have published a video critique of a Warran tweet [really Twitter is the devils work if anybody takes it seriously], with that tweet voicing support of a kind toward the Hillary Onward Together PAC stuff. Warrem might better have been silent toward it as Bernie is, but Jeeze, it's only a dumb tweet and to some the big sin is using Twitter at all for anything instead of being substantial.

Make of it what you will. It can be seen as Warren not unnecessarily making enemies, and saying it is being done, there is no law against it, and if it adds votes on organizing a majority in either house, bless it. Similar to the feeling here toward the Ossoff candidacy. It can help. In ways, Young Turks notice this, it can hurt.

But grassroots litmus tests this early are counterproductive. Warren stands up and gives her voice as she does. A tweet not unfavorable toward the Clinton spouses is not earth shaking from a Democatic Senator in the same party. Bernie, as an Independent caucusing with the Dems can more easily stay silent. Clinton saying womens' issues will be a main focus of her PAC money, wherever raised, cannot be viewed as a thing where Warren would say the stated aims are not important to her.

As noted in the video, at the start, Warren's commentary highlighted the aims of support of the Hillary still-on-PAC-money thing; and Hiam Saban being mentioned as a start-up fundraising dinner factor (the Young Turks commentator properly flags the Saban spouses as the force that slandered Keith Ellison during DNC Inner Party voting days), that part of the video is extremely appropriate. Deserving a capital letters BRAVO. See this websearch. If the first fat cat donor the Clintons turn to in attempting to stay relevant is Saban, that is a credibility point to weigh in weighing the PAC itself, and the Clintons. They are unsavory and best fading away, which they by their inner natures, decline to do.

Does any reader know, is Jon Ossoff's LSE Masters Thesis "on trade relations between the United States and China" online anywhere?

The thesis is mentioned online multiple places, e.g.,Wikipedia's Jon Ossoff entry.

Nobody seems to care enough about what the thesis said to have put it online, or am I wrong and it is online?

Perhaps Ossoff should post the document as a pdf on his campaign page. That would help inform the nation and the world on who he is, where he's been.

It appears a book review written and published online by LSE is his sole writing online. It is interesting as it stands with readers urged to follow this link. It appears he made no effort at publishing his thesis as a book; while being critical of the book he reviews as banal in part, better in other parts. Trade policy being a key issue, a hope would be some clarity. His issues page is what might be called circumspect.

He's a waffle on Single Payer at a time when waffleship on that defining issue may be unhelpful. In facing the runoff he has an opportunity to sharpen his positions. With national Dem money flowing in before the runoff to the tune of around eight million dollars, there must be something there the donors like, but it is difficult to discren beyond a hope at capturing a Congressional seat previously held by a Republican.

______________UPDATE______________
Not wanting to leave a suggestion that too many of Ossoff's policy positions are equivocal, it is important to flag what is not:

Jon will introduce legislation to reform campaign finance laws and reduce the toxic and corrupt impact of money in politics. He is opposed to the Citizens United decision allowing unchecked, anonymous money in politics.

While there is some suggestion that a Constitutional amendment may be necessary, legislation can constrain the reach of a bad thing. The unequivocal commitment is good. Also -

Jon will defend women’s access to contraception and a woman’s right to choose and fight any legislation or executive action that would allow insurance companies to discriminate against women.

Planned Parenthood provides essential preventative and reproductive health care services like cancer screenings, STD testing and low-cost birth control to millions of American women. Jon will defend Planned Parenthood in Congress.

Phrases missing from his issues page: "two states" and "wall street" which seem omissions of intent and not neglect.

He articulates no tax reform intent. The word "income" is used only once, the word "disparity" is absent, and "income" is mentioned apart from any disparity considerations. Those are disturbing things to see.

Then on the plus side:

Jon will oppose legislation or executive action that undermines Americans’ access to private communications and strong encryption.

A strong position on net neutrality would be welcome, but is absent at present. He posts:

Jon’s mother is an immigrant who became a small business owner, an American citizen, and a champion for women’s rights. America needs a strong border policy that protects American citizens and American jobs. We should welcome those strivers who, like our own forebears, seek the opportunity to work hard, play by the rules, and build better lives in America.

Jon believes it is a violation of core American principles to slander entire religious groups and that it’s unconstitutional to ban anyone from entering our country on religious grounds.

That is a clear stance on immigration, but it could be less circumspectly worded.

OpenSecrets info on PAC spending in Georgia's CD6 was not found per a cursory search. Interesting OpenSecrets pages:

Here, re Ossoff and others.

Here, re "Health Care Overhaul." Impediments to progress can be identified, top of list downward. Following the money is maddening, with McConnell and Hatch deserving "For Sale" tattoos on the forehead. Schumer and Wyden being high on the list is informative. Bipartisanship?

___________FURTHER UPDATE___________
Super waffle:

Jon will oppose unnecessary military intervention overseas and will only support the use of force where US national security is at stake.

From that you'd also expect wife beaters and child molesters would be disapproved; since "unnecessary" is as much a weasel word in that context as any, but he's compelled to want to please everybody by fudging to indeterminate obfuscation.

Does he favor goosing up the military-industrial budget, or lowering it? That statement is about as bad as it gets. It is an entirely content-challenged thing that might as well have been omitted. It is gratuitous and offensively so.

Vote Goat.

An earlier post asked, this YouTube answers.

Team Quist has a series of new short "ads" you can view on YouTube. GOTV.

GOTV

(Does that stand for Goats Ought To Vote?)

One of the Quist - Sanders rally events is on YouTube, starting at about 18:00 into the post, Bonnie Quist addressing the event. [UPDATED]

This link.

And if you want a follow-up more good persons, Nina Turner in California speaking in favor of the California Single Payer effort. [UPDATE: And she does a shout out acknowledgement of the nurses. The nurses rock.]

Good persons want to do good things, and have hope for good results from other good persons taking the time to vote.

Go ROB. Go Single Payer, California.

_____________UPDATE_____________
Having posted for readers before watching, so everybody could watch, a screencapture from within the event as it streamed here at home:

Win or lose, this is important to Quist and his team, and to the nation. Grassroots support allows it, while the Republicans are shipping in boxcars of money to undo righteousness; and may they fail decisively.

___________FURTHER UPDATE_____________
Bernie's part of the rally brings to mind the Truman story. Somebody at a speech yelled, "Give 'em Hell, Harry." Truman looked back and replied, "I am only telling the truth, but they think it is Hell." Bernie speaks the truth, and it is clear why the corporate interests in the media and the Democratic Party wanted to marginalize and silence his message.

Quist needs to win, everyone in the nation needs it, leading into 2018 and reform then and after once the Congressional elections in that year are held and won by progressive candidates wherever they run.

_____________FURTHER UPDATE_____________
A screencapture of the rally's opening speaker, Bonnie Quist, talking heritage and hope:

A woman's place is on the podium speaking truth.

Seeing her passion and eloquence and care, I have to ask, when Donald Jr. and Pence were in town touting Gianforte, was Susan Gianforte any part of things?

Was she even there? Does anyone know what she looks like? Or what if anything she might have to say for herself or the family? Or was it just the boys on the bandstand? Greg and guests having a say, Susan irrelevant to a state's political processes? Any reader who saw that stuff, what happened? Also, the post below this, do note no live rally highlight mentioned, instead the bolded text of a Gianforte email exhortation to his loyalists, "If I'm not on the airwaves until Election Day, my opponent will win!" Any bets that "on the airwaves" will be anything but continual unremitting unrelenting mud-slinging because positives about Gianforte are few and far between?

Watch and see. Or don't bother, just vote Quist.

________________FURTHER UPDATE_______________
The Bernie part of the rally is separately posted, but if you only watch that you are shortchanging yourself of a fuller understanding of the Montana election, and only seeing part of the story. No full session post without sandwiched commentary was found, the one above, again, at about minute 18 into it is where Bonnie Quist leads off the rally speakers. For those with the shortest of attention spans, a 90 sec. excerpt of Bernie's speech.

The Young Turks noting the obvious, but worth watching, YouTube, here.

______________FURTHER UPDATE______________
In comparing Quist and Gianforte healthcare policy, to the extent Gianforte says anything in Montana you can trust as opposed to being truthful in calling money sources back east, bear this in mind from Minnesota's largest circulation daily newspaper, Strib, online here:

UnitedHealth Group is once again at the top of the list in the Star Tribune’s annual survey of largest publicly traded companies in Minnesota. The company’s 2016 revenue of $184.8 billion represented an increase of nearly 18 percent over the previous year, while annual profit of $7 billion was up nearly 21 percent.

UnitedHealth’s health insurance division, UnitedHealthcare, competed on exchanges in 34 states during 2016 and posted $850 million in losses. It was the second year of significant red ink.

It is difficult to not recognize that record earnings and record profits is not hurting. They want more. Merit and need are irrelevant, they want more. They oppose the exchanges arrangement because it cuts against record profits, the record could be higher, and the healthcare needs of people can be damned as far as they care. They love Paul Ryan because his Gestalt is theirs, theirs is his, and they share a symbiotic symmetry made in Hell.

______________FURTHER UPDATE______________
Guardian US-news homepage, feature item, the Quist Montana rally. The mood of positive message and policy, not sitting and saying "referendum on Trump" will be tested. The notion of sit and diddle and let Trump be Trump did not come out well Nov. 2016. People care for more than a balloon drop. People can be sensible in aggregate, sometimes. Hope this time. Guardian noted Republicans "on the airwaves" because in person, what?

Ending item paragraphs:

Quist faces an uphill fight. His opponent, Gianforte, has built a significant advantage on the airwaves with nearly $5m in outside money. National Democrats were slow to take the race seriously and have only become involved in recent days.

The question is whether Quist and his supporters can take advantage of discontent with Republican healthcare reform as well as Trump’s falling approval ratings. If they can, there could yet be an upset in Big Sky Country.

[link in original] The final paragraph, yes the Ryancare obscenity is coarse, but Trump was seldom if ever mentioned. It's positive policy that carried the day's discussions. Running against a ghost living at all via outside money, little to no national Democratic Party presence, Quist has an agenda parallel to Bernie's which did carry the Montana Democrats' primary in 2016 when Bernie, getting no media attention, ran against the balloon drop millionaire-career-politicians spousal pair with the foundation and speech fees. And superdelegate rigging.

_____________FURTHER UPDATE_______________
Rob Quist's complete rally speech has been posted separately on YouTube, this link.

____________FURTHER UPDATE______________
Forbes, dated May 21, "Paul Ryan Could Lose A Key Trumpcare Vote In Montana Special Election," actually talks about the two special election seats, in ending paragraphs.

Strib local reporting dated May 21, "Minneapolis Fed begins exploration of inequality issues with two-day conference --
Dozens of leading researchers are in Minneapolis to identify ways the central bank can assist their work. By Evan Ramstad Star Tribune." Early paragraphs:

Starting Monday, dozens of the nation’s top economists and researchers on poverty and inequality will participate in a two-day conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis to explore that paradox — and whether the nation’s central bank can do anything about it.

The conference is the first public event of the Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute formed late last year at the Minneapolis Fed. The bank’s president, Neel Kashkari, had encountered the poverty paradox as a politician in California and an official in the U.S. Treasury Department.

“I’m really having trouble reconciling what seems to be progress on the ground at a micro level and seemingly a total lack of progress at the national level,” he said in an interview last week.

Berniecrats know the problem is one of legislative capture by wealth, at the federal level, and the cure is new personnel in both houses of Congress. The Fed is run by bankers, and that's a big part of the problem.

Not Montana specifically, but generic.

Having put myself on the Gianforte emailing list, for the quaint purpose of seeing how much and varied BS can be put between click boxes for donating in different amounts, there is a striking generic similarity party-to-party.

Latest, Greg, writes me, as "Friend," saying [contribution boxes omitted]:

My opponent and his Washington allies just placed a $1 MILLION advertising buy for the last six days of this election! The Left knows exactly how important this race is and will stop at nothing to shut down the conservative movement coming out of Montana!

This election has just days left and we can't keep this seat and add to our conservative majority in the House without you!

Our nation's future is resting in the balance based on what happens in Montana. If the Democrats are able to pull off a win in this race, it will fuel their efforts to win many more races moving forward.

Friend, I know that I have asked you for your support before, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the support you have given me until now, but we're running up against a major deadline.

If I'm not on the airwaves until Election Day, my opponent will win!

[bolding in original] Now, knowing Greg can cut another million buck loan to his effort any time he damn well pleases, the likelihood of Montanans being bombarded by his stuff "on the airwaves" during TV watching is 100% regardless of whoever is chump enough to give free money to a multimillionaire.

What amazes, is they are out there. They are being shorn of money that could go to family needs. Money diverted from family needs for a multimillionaire who supports throwing folks off of health coverage and calls back east to lobbyists with the message, great the healthcare thing has been pitched over the transom to the other house of congress because now you can hone in on cutting my taxes which is what in a nutshell I am about.

Not only that. I got a same-day email purported to be from Trey Gowdy, calling me "Friend" and stating in part:

I know I reached out to you last week about this race in Montana – but things have escalated and I need your attention once more please.

Democrats in Montana and across the country have not only increased their focus on Montana, but their fundraising efforts as well.

With only days left until voters hit the polls in Montana (Thursday, May 25th), every action we take now to help Greg Gianforte defeat liberal Democrat Rob Quist will make a difference.

Your donation – no matter the size – will make an impact and could be what pushes Greg to victory.

This election is going to come down to the wire. Please Friend, let's make history together and help Greg cross the victory line.

[bolding in original] Well, I choose friends carefully, and beyond that, a Republican elected to replace another Republican who has been given a cabinet appointment by a third Republican is not actual "history" to me, but then after watching some of the Clinton-email hearings it's clear already Trey is a bit loose with truth.

Puzzling, Trey's message has the footer, "Paid for by Greg for Montana." There are ways that can be interpreted, but the guess is the Greg thing did not actually pay Trey a bribe to send an email, and while it says it's from Trey, I suspicion somebody else actually sent that email. And lo, using a Gmail detail button, this:

It is confusing that Trey would be checking in with his friends, using an info@gregformontana.com generic email address. Even Podesta was more careful in his emailings. Perhaps there is some mendacity afoot and Trey did not really email me.

That leads to further inquiry, results of which I am sad to report. Earlier -

Ted, how did you get my email address? Oh, right, it's that info@ guy at work again, so Ted's likely not really my "Friend."

How much that saddens me, only the angels can know.

Now what baffles me most, in this emailing which I now suspect as all being from info@gregformontana.com and all "paid for" accordingly per footers: WHERE IS NANCY PELOSI? She is not mentioned. I have been led to believe Greg is running against Nancy Pelosi, his ads on YouTube say so all the time, and it baffles me why his emailings and surrogate things are loath to mention his obvious real opponent.

Nancy is getting a free ride and Greg's friends in emailing should really touch base with the campaign staff to learn they should be bashing Nancy Pelosi in order to have paycheck-to-paycheck minions so fearful that they'd give their grocery money to a multimillionaire who on drop of a [cowboy] hat can lend himself another million of his wealth, allowing supporters to buy food for their families.

Now since readers expect me to be truthful, neither Ted, Trey, nor Greg are friends of mine, and with Greg running against Nancy Pelosi she'd get my lesser evil vote; but if Greg were running against a true progressive valuing serving the people of Montana more than lowering a millionaire's taxes, somebody like Rob Quist, then I'd be more enthusiastic about the Dem offering.

Nancy's not my friend either, since she's another multimillionair from being in politics, similar to the Clintons, and happily I see she's being primaried. But I digress -

Aside from that WIN ROB, WIN! That about sums up days between now and Thursday, May 25, with an afterthought,

  GOTV ROB, GOTV! 

All for now. And in all honesty, ROB is not a "friend." The truth is I have never met the guy, all I did was contribute money to help his campaign, as others should, and I expect ROB, instead, picks his friends carefully.

___________UPDATE___________
This is a "for whoever cares" addition to things. The emails detail boxes screencaptured above were

"mailed-by: returnpath@bluehornet.com"

which inspired this websearch, leading to this webpage, this A rating with the BBB, and a whois. So Greg's right in there with Kentucky Fried Chicken using an email marketing service in San Diego. Neither Trey, Ted, nor even info@ were actually mailing me Greg-stuff. A marketing operation in San Diego was. Am I saddened? Wouldn't you be?

A screencapture from here

..................................

So if a voting Monanan [which I am not] and not voting Rob, my vote would be to write in: bluehornet

They've the imagination and moxie Greg as a person lacks. On their big top page screaming banner, "INTUITIVE, POWERFUL TOOLS" Greg lacks the intuitive part, while pursuing "110:1 ROI ON EMAIL SPEND." That 110:1 is something a monied portfolio geek can relate to, even with Russian holdings and cement company holdings not quite up to that ROI.

MONTANA MUSINGS: Not a million reasons behind Gianforte's run to repeal Obamacare. Just short of 800,000 in fact, each a dollar.

$756,813 is the actual calculation. If Greg Gianforte were to dedicate that tax break, no strings attached, to battered women shelters and other protections, making it a tax wash, he'd have grounds to be taken seriously on his pledge to serve Montanans banter. So far, not so. And that pledge about taking corporate PAC money? How, really, is suggesting in his lobbyist call that such money be directed to his benefit different from taking it, for his candidacy, not into his pocket which was never the issue. That tax break is not chump change, and Gianforte in his call to the east coast was supportive of moving the healthcare repeal onward, but his focus WAS taxes. That's in the transcripts online, multiple places.

This opening HuffPo screencapture.

In fairness to Gianforte, running for Governor and spending more of his own cash there than in this contest suggests tax lowering may be a secondary aim, the thing being an ego trip since he's got all the money anyway. Either way, the vote Thursday will decide whatever the strategic aim, does he go or does he stay? Flip side, eight hundred grand is a mighty big secondary aim, if not primary. Quist is free of any such pecuniary stake in the outcome. Which is in his favor, given the tax cut dimension of the call Gianforte made to money lobbyists back east. One question is did he put the million dollar loan to his campaign into place after that call, or before, and did the call actually get more cash into his campaign or into a PAC he'd touted as an alternate GOTV outlet? The Montana press should be able to get answers on that follow the money line of inquiry, since it is always relevant.

UPDATE: The linked HuffPo item indicates:

Shane Scanlon, a spokesman for Gianforte’s campaign, did not respond to a request for comment on the law’s financial benefits for the GOP candidate.

Why is that? It is not a beating-your-wife kind of gotcha question. It is something most voters should know and should want to know. Silence in that situation properly leads to a conclusion that following the money is not liked in the Gianforte camp, for some undisclosed reason.

FURTHER: The remainder of the HuffPo article describes the phone call facts and implications, and ends on this positive Quist GOTV outcome:

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whom Quist backed in the 2016 presidential primary, is speaking at events for Quist in Missoula, Butte and Billings on Saturday and in Bozeman on Sunday. Quist’s campaign had to move the Missoula rally to the 7,500-capacity Adams Center arena because of the high level of interest in attending.

If anybody knows what having to move a session to a larger venue means, it is a musician who has toured. Quist is experienced. Bernie also is experienced in filling venues and overflow crowds. Bless them both.

(that quoted pararagraph has a link to here)

UNDER THE RADAR RAMSEY NEWS: Former town official moved from Wayazata to Maple Grove in 2015.

Strib reporting on a Wayazata growth project nearing completion mentioned:

The Promenade of Wayzata replaces Bay Center Mall, a 1960s-era shopping center with sprawling parking lots. The largest redevelopment project for the city in scale, size and investment, it was controversial when a divided City Council approved it in 2008.

Some residents opposed it for its size and scale. But city officials said it would create a mass of retail, address housing needs and provide a walkable area that one said would become “the most lavish pedestrian environment in all the Twin Cities.”

“It was a blighted property [that was] underutilized,” City Manager Jeff Dahl said.

Construction stalled for two years during the tail end of the Great Recession, starting in 2012. Now public sentiment may have shifted, said Steve Bohl, the developer of the hotel and a condo building called the Regatta.

“Now that we’re here, a majority of the people have accepted it and most are delighted and excited,” he said.

The five blocks include 326 units of senior housing — from apartments to assisted living, memory care and nursing home units — 88 condos and 26 apartments, 119,000-square-feet of retail, and parking.

Nelson during Wayazata tenure.

"City Manager Jeff Dahl" rang a wait-a-minute bell. Heidi Nelson had moved from Ramsey to become city manager in Wayazata, so a where now question was in mind. Websearch reached a LinkedIn page and reporting here, here, and here (source of the image).

Ramsey residents may recall Nelson's time working with Darren Lazan of Landform on the failed Town Center project in Ramsey during the real estate downturn times of 2007, and onward; when the McDonald's promise of a Town Center site was spawned but never, since, materialzed. There was council turnover.

MONTANA SPECIAL ELECTION: Marijuana - desperate candidate reaches for non-issue?

A NORML post led to this websearch. What is interesting (in stuff about what should in all good sense be decriminalized nationwide as Washington and Colorado have done), is that truly damning evidence is among the returns:

Because Missoulian headlining spanned two issues the damning notice about Gianforte's wanting government overreach and intrusion, his way, got in the search retrun list. Absent running two issues together, the GG policy offensiveness, given the search terms, would have not been returned in the search. However, women's health assistance is not something the government should have its nose into, beyond funding it as a public good, and another thing the public is coming around to realize from experience and thought, is that marijuana use is private and should properly be fully removed from government interference.

The Republicans are troglodytes and should be scorned for it. Ask Rand Pual. He scorns the intrusion of criminalizing marijuana. As a doctor and as one concerned with personal privacy and -

- smoked weed the man did -

What Ginaforte idiot thinks this will be a last moment decisive issue? Ask Norm Coleman, (the chair of the PAC running the hate-Quist advertisements Montanans suffer), whether he in his pre-GOP college bullhorn-agitator days ever tasted the weed. Don't expect a straight answer, but ask.

Gianforte is two-faced on the Republican effort to wreck healthcare from where it is when sanity is single payer; and gee Greg, Rob has used weed? Who are these people? What they are is no mystery. A clear and present danger, but who, besides Greg, the Trump kid, and Pence trying to get their leaky balloon airborne? You'd think they'd have the hot air, but they're grounded.

Quist is such a better choice the surprise is that he's not seventeen percentage points ahead.

Job outsourcing facilitation for big money, and the litigation of Gianforte to impede public access to a stream matter. Weed should not. From NORML's item cited in opening:

It seems a bottom line that Ginaforte has no real respect for privacy or needs of others, wanting big government but in his preferred ways, while wanting to go to DC to cut his taxes and be closer to the lobbyists he now phones. His phone call, basically stripped to its nub, great that healthcare stuff's been moved, now let's get to important stuff, cut my taxes.