Irked about a lot of things

by Tim Adams, Stevensville

I’m irked you let Jon Tester have free rein to just copy and paste his talking points into the paper. 

FYI Tester is correct when he says the Inflation Reduction Act reduces prescription drug prices for Medicare, but he omits this doesn’t happen for FOUR YEARS. In 2026 Medicare can negotiate ONLY TEN drugs for lower cost. In 2029, three years later, 10 more can be added. The legislation also caps Medicare prescription costs at $2,500, but not until 2025. 

I prefer people in journalism tell the truth, and when I have to find it online instead it makes me trust the industry less. By claiming credit for a law that doesn’t kick in for 3-4 years, leaving plenty of time to undo it and keep pharma making profits while Democrats take a pretend victory lap, the only person who wins is Tester and Big Pharma. 

I also saw this with the open lands program coverage. There is a reason they always say they came up with the idea from “Gallatin County” because if you ever had to pay Bozeman rents as a working person, which I did for 15 years, you would run away screaming. The story of my adult life has been watching liberal cities Missoula and Bozeman nickel and dime their way every year to higher and higher taxes for every single pet project through sound good projects and bonds.  

Also, the people who own these large swaths of land are already millionaires. Why should poor and middle-income residents pay wealthy landowners to not develop their land? I’ll vote for your nice view of the mountains and valley when you start paying some of the taxes on my doublewide, thanks!  

Speaking of corrupt people avoiding taxes, I really can’t stomach voting for Ryan Zinke. 

He’s made no effort to hide his corruption and even worse, almost no effort to campaign for the seat. It speaks to a sad state of the Ravalli and Missoula Republican committees that all 3 legitimate candidates came from Kalispell. Would you believe Zinke has spent almost $6 million running for office? Where? I’ve seen two billboards and Ravalli Republicans just canceled their $30k fundraiser to hear Zinke talk for 5 minutes.  

I expect people to live their values. When a rich outsider can just say the words and be whisked away to another expensive dinner and drinks, how can I trust he will represent me in DC? 

While campaigning, Ryan has had dinners at Mangia in New York City, Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse in Seattle, The Henry in upscale West Hollywood, the Venetian in Vegas, all with campaign funds. His campaign manager makes $15,000 a month, triple the national average. They also even purchased a $24,000 ‘campaign vehicle’ from Don ‘K’ in Whitefish, the Republican state chairman. Which was promptly returned for repairs 14 days later! 

Ryan still takes $100,000 salary from a gold company in Wyoming. The Snowfrog Inn, the B&B Ryan swore wasn’t one when he decided to start campaigning, makes him $50,000 a year. Even though he criticized Biden for shutdowns, he was still taking salary until May from a PPP mask/equipment maker. He was still on the payroll for Conoco until December. 

In the spring I wrote asking for some local to step up and I think that needs to happen more than ever. I donated money to Ryan and didn’t expect it to go to free trips, vehicles, fancy dinners across the USA, membership dues for exclusive clubs, and to pay his D.C. based campaign manager $200k. His campaign website was made for $14,000 in Santa Barbara. Just a year ago after he was campaigning for 5 months his wife was christening the USS Santa Barbara with champagne! Speaking of his California home, Ryan also has a $3.4 million hilltop ocean view property that he pays a whopping $2,900 a year tax on. 

Had the $6 million dollar man campaigned for more than a few weeks the whole year or spent his money helping local Republicans by setting up needed campaign infrastructure or actually had his campaign spending in Montana instead of California, Vegas, NYC and DC, I could trust he is genuine. But he’s quit on us now two times already and I for one, won’t be Charlie Browning my way down the field to let Lucy pull the football again. 

I mean, for Pete’s sake, Lola Zinke said on social media last year when the disastrous Afghan withdrawal happened, she wanted Afghanis brought to Montana! Troy Downing, another millionaire from California who lives in the rich enclave of Big Sky, also endorsed Afghanis being resettled here! This all happened mere weeks before one was arrested for rape. These are the Republicans?! 

Not that I like Monica or Lamb. Monica calls herself a moderate, but I haven’t seen even one position in a year of campaigning that isn’t straight line Democrat. She still thinks gas prices are high because of “corporate greed” and “price gouging!” Lamb, the supposed Libertarian, has followed Monica around like a puppy. But then again, he moved here only 3 years ago and can already afford a $1.5 million house in Bozeman? Why are my only choices rich dudes who just moved here and man-hating librarians?