Never More Happy To Be Wrong

Quid pro quo (0.00 / 0)

I have no problem making medical marijuana a nonprofit business if we do the same with Pfizer, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Abbott, etc.

By the way, being a suave Missoula sophisticate, I thought the veto branding was hokey and over-the-top.  But since people love visuals (a picture is worth a thousand words) and because TV is the most powerful of all the media (and TV reporters crave action video), Schweitzer's branding was brilliant.  And in the field of marketing, branding is more than searing things with a hot iron.

The pundits are saying that Schweitzer should go after Daines in 2012 for Montana's congressional seat -- an easy win -- then run for Senate in 2014, whether Baucus decides to run again or not.

Kinda looks like he's campaigning to me, don't you think?  

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by: pete talbot @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 00:57:40 AM UTC

Pete, (0.00 / 0)

I love your comments.  You are one of the most astute writers out there.  But can I bounce something off you?  Everyone is continually trying to figure out just what Scwheitzer is up to.  Can I offer up that the guy is simply trying to do what's right?

From what I know of the guv, he's simply a good, decent, caring, compassionate man who really does love this state.  And in addition to that, he loves his job, a job for which he is amazingly well-suited because of his intellect and personality.  Is he flamboyant?  Well sure, but why not?  He uses every tool at his disposal in the game of politics.

But from what I know of the guv, and I think I know him pretty well, what you see is what you get.  I'm not sure that he'd even want to go to D.C. to live at this point in time.  And he really doesn't need politics to make his living.  Therefore, I'm just really, really thankful for his service at this extremely important time.  And let's face it.  Who the hell WANTS to go into politics?  It's a thankless job except for the sleazy Pubbies who want to enrich themselves with corporate bennies, ie. judy mars and Taser corp., and sen. corndog buns with I forget whom!

Schweitzer doesn't NEED/WANT that crap.  Lest we forget, he fought like hell to make it illegal to become a lobbyist for a period of time.

Nope, I think that we should all just be thankful for him being there for us and doing the right thing.  Hell, remember, shortly after he entered the gov mansion, some moron showed up on his doorstep with a baseball bat!  He's taken the risks, he's sacrificed, and he's done a great job.  And I think he did it all because that's who he is.  He is absolutely unafraid to take on the most vile, hateful rightwingers out there, and do so with courage, flare, style and class.  And he should be a model for other Dem candidates around the country.  He leads from the front.  And that's a damn lonely place to be now days.

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by: Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers! @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 01:21:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Schweitzer has just been doing all this just for our benefit, eh, Larry? (0.00 / 0)

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by: Horst @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 14:56:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Schweitzer is doing this to show Montana how crazy the legislature is. (0.00 / 0)

So we get a better one next cycle.  Don't ya think? And to stop crazy from becoming law.  That being said, I wouldn't mind if he ran against Baucus...I love this guy.

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by: Kevin @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 15:00:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I am glad I was right (0.00 / 0)

I figured that the good gov would veto the repeal for many reasons - not the least of which is that this bill passing would be the first time that a citizen initiative was repealed by our State Legislature. For Schweitzer to have allowed that one through, he would have turned his back on the majority of people in this state that voted for it to exist. I also expect him to veto the suto repeal they are considering now. While I somewhat agree with Larry in that I think Schweitzer is a "good guy", more importantly, I think he is a good politician. There was no down side to him vetoing the repeal and his theatrics simply solidify his standing with the Montana voters.

I would love to see him stay as Gov, but Schweitzer as Senator or Representative has a good ring to it - even if it is only long enough from him to run for Governor again.  

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by: moorcatavalon @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 15:34:27 PM UTC

The Labor Rally (0.00 / 0)

 
all those little speeches unheard/unheeded by the Reichwing Repugs, meant little if anything BUT the chant for VETO surely rang loud for the Gov...
 With 1500 - 2000 ppl chanting VETO VETO i'm sure it helped in getting the imperative veto's.
  Never the Less Schweitzer is a Neo-lib DLC politician; even tho the DLC has somewhat disbanded their pernicious and nefarious means and desires are deeply imbedded in the DNC.

   RE the TESTER 'gamble'  i truly Hope he is NOT re-elected - i'll do my best: bumper sticker:  Progs against Tester

          ONE TERM Tester!  

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by: Darwin26 @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 17:46:09 PM UTC

Repeating myself, Darwin (0.00 / 0)

But until I see a viable, progressive candidate going up against Tester in the primary -- or even a viable, third-party candidate -- I pray that Jon is not a one-term Senator.

As ineffective as Denny Rehberg is as a Congressman, he'd be a disaster as a Senator.  As he drifts farther-and-farther to the right, you can be assured that Denny's votes will make mainstream Republicans look downright liberal.    

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by: pete talbot @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 18:42:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I just don't see anyone stepping up (0.00 / 0)

to challenge Tester from the Left. Rehberg is a joke but he is unlikely to get primaried out. Given the choice between Tester and Rehberg, there isn't much guesswork involved. Tester certainly isn't the best we could do but he is a damn site better than Richy Rehberg.

That said, I think there has to be a lot of "tough love" given Tester over some of his actions. The latest one - attaching a rider to the budget bill to delist wolves - is just one example. If Tester wants support, especially from those of us from the middle or middle right, he needs to clean up his act.

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by: moorcatavalon @ Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 20:02:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tester has demonstrated, so far, that he is just Rehberg with shorter hair. (0.00 / 0)

A real nothing senator who joins a whole history of nothing senators from Montana.

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by: Horst @ Sat Apr 16, 2011 at 14:50:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The fate of SB 423 (0.00 / 0)

I was confident he would veto HB 161 because it overturned a citizens initiative.  He clearly wanted reform legislation, not a repeal bill. The chances of the bill dying are zero, in my opinion.  The GOP has a disturbing agenda- I think if they ended this session with a repeal (or a faux repeal)and not one other accomplishment, they would consider themselves a success.  I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think Schweitzer will straight up veto 423. Perhaps an amendatory veto.  

I agree, it is difficult to predict his next move although I've been far more worried about SB 423 than I ever was about HB 161.  A part of me actually preferred a full-out repeal- at least then we'd have voter sympathy in 2012.  If we end up with a regulatory bill, however; repeal will be on our ballots next year anyway.

Either way, we have our work cut out for us. I would think that marijuana legislation on the ballot would be a blessing for dems, although after this session they may not need it. On the other hand, voter memory is short. While ballot measures don't generally increase turnout on a mass scale, this particular issue has the potential and I doubt it will have much if any effect on Republican turnout.

I'm anxious for an answer, one way or the other.  It is heartbreaking to witness the toll this stress is taking on patients who are already very ill. Not to mention the thousands of us who will soon be unemployed if SB 423 passes in its current form.  

 

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by: montanafesto @ Sat Apr 16, 2011 at 11:57:00 AM UTC