New
Corporate Participation
The executive director of the National Institute on Money in State Politics calls corporate money a “dominant force” in state politics, citing the fact that “in Montana’s 2004 ballot measure fight over open-pit cyanide leach mining practices, Canyon Resources alone contributed more than $3.78 million to protect its interests.” However, as Aaron Flint pointed out in Full Text
Jacky Mason Campaigns For A Gentile
Via The Campaign Spot we find Jacky Mason supporting Republican Edward Lynch. Geraghty quotes this bit: He’s a great humanitarian, even though he’s not Jewish . . . He happens to be Hispanic, but he’s crazy about Israel . . . His heart and soul are unbelievable, you would never know he’s a Gentile. But after listening Full Text
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) – Is Dead
Rest In Peace Full Text
They say they’re for coal. They’re not.
Montana Dems will have some serious splainin’ to do if, at 5 p.m. today, the deadline for bids for the lease of coal tracts near Ashland passes with its current number of bidders, which is zero, zilch, nada. You will recall the Land Board’s 5 Democratic office-holders voted, 4-1, to approve a high “bonus bid” price Full Text
Super Sports Story
In honor of yesterday’s big game, I thought I would post this sport story, emailed to me by a friend. I know, I know, wrong sport, but… This story began 30 years ago almost to the day. I was a sophomore in high school on the JV basketball team. We had a game that Full Text
Chart Of The Day
I’m thinking that we’re working on bending the curve down. But, at least for now, we’re below trend – which should ultimately be good as we rebuild our economic base. Full Text
The First NIMBYs
The Washington Post reports on the long-stalled Cape Wind Farm, a 160-turbine project off Martha’s Vineyard. After much whining, it had finally passed the hurdles of environmental regulation until now. You see, the Mashpee Wampanoag have their traditional homeland nearby, and they’ve cooked up a reason why the wind farm should not proceed: he tribes represent Full Text
Local & State Government
Corporate Participation
The executive director of the National Institute on Money in State Politics calls corporate money a “dominant force” in state politics, citing the fact that “in Montana’s 2004 ballot measure fight over open-pit cyanide leach mining practices, Canyon Resources alone contributed more than $3.78 million to protect its interests.” However, as Aaron Flint pointed out in Full Article
They say they’re for coal. They’re not.
Montana Dems will have some serious splainin’ to do if, at 5 p.m. today, the deadline for bids for the lease of coal tracts near Ashland passes with its current number of bidders, which is zero, zilch, nada. You will recall the Land Board’s 5 Democratic office-holders voted, 4-1, to approve a high “bonus bid” price Full Article
When regulators collide…
Jamie tells us why Chicago politics smells so bad: The problem is that Chicago’s building code requires commercial buildings to use copper pipes in indoor plumbing. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers specifically states that drainpipes for waterless urinals “cannot be made of copper pipe, which corrodes.”‘ Full Article
That law I wrote? Yeah, I don’t really understand it myself
So, the marijuana moratorium is passed, but we learn in today’s paper — thanks to Rich Ecke’s tenacity on this subject – that the Acting City Attorney, among others, has no idea what it really does. he subject of a 90-day city moratorium on marijuana operations in Great Falls remained somewhat foggy. Acting City Attorney Chad Parker said Thursday Full Article
“Medical” Marijuana
Dr. Paul Gorsuch asked me whether I think that “enforcing the law as it exists would have any impact on the legitimization and proliferation of recreational use under the guise of ‘medical need?’” (By the way, there is some very good discussion about the science of medical marijuana courtesy of the same Dr. Gorsuch.) The answer Full Article
Medical-Marijuana Moratorium Passes, 4-1
Lots of discussion, and many, many opponents — the Great Falls City Commission meeting tonight lasted exactly 4 hours 20 minutes. Whew. In the end, the medical-marijuana moratorium — which effectively prohibits any marijuana-related business for a period of “approximately” 90 days (with no actual sunset clause) — passed with only Mary Jolley voting no. My impression Full Article
Economy
Chart Of The Day
I’m thinking that we’re working on bending the curve down. But, at least for now, we’re below trend – which should ultimately be good as we rebuild our economic base. [Read More]
Law
Corporate Personhood
Ilya Shapiro via H&R: This line of attack demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of both the nature of corporations and the freedoms protected by the Constitution, which is exemplified by the facile charge that “corporations aren’t human beings.” Well of course they aren’t — but that’s constitutionally irrelevant: Corporations aren’t “real people” in the sense that the Constitution’s [Read More]
Culture
Jacky Mason Campaigns For A Gentile
Via The Campaign Spot we find Jacky Mason supporting Republican Edward Lynch. Geraghty quotes this bit: He’s a great humanitarian, even though he’s not Jewish . . . He happens to be Hispanic, but he’s crazy about Israel . . . His heart and soul are unbelievable, you would never know he’s a Gentile. But after listening [Read More]
National Politics
Jacky Mason Campaigns For A Gentile
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) – Is Dead
Fisking Obama
Obama Approval Flips Negative
Quote Of The Day
Justice Thomas on Corporate Politics
Why Vegas is better than Washington
