by Russ Lawrence, Hamilton
For my friends and neighbors who are accustomed to voting Republican, I have a few questions.
For starters, just what IS a Republican any more? RINOs, MAGAs, Birchers, Solutions Caucus, Freedom Caucus Republicans and more each claim to be the “true” Republicans, often to the exclusion of others. As we’ve seen in Ravalli County’s recent primary, two candidates, each running as Republicans, will have widely divergent stances on many important issues, and the same applies at the state and national levels. Simply voting the “R” column no longer assures that the candidate shares your values.
Next, why elect candidates from a party that is demonstrably more concerned about ideological purity than about governing our state or country? Just a year ago, the US House of Representatives was shut down after Republicans deposed their own Speaker because he wasn’t the right “kind” of Republican, then held Congress hostage for days while factions argued among themselves over a new leader. Our Republican-dominated Montana legislature is so fractious that serious bills are only passed when enough Democrats vote “aye” to overcome defections by Republican ideologues.
Is the Republican party the party of freedom? Not if you’re a female who wishes to make her own reproductive decisions; not if you’re a parent who wants their child to receive a complete, well-rounded education and to read books from a variety of perspectives; not if you’re that child’s teacher, concerned about the state’s snitches listening to your classroom presentations; not if you want schools and other public institutions to be free from religious and ideological intrusions that may not match your own values; and most certainly not if your race, religion, or gender expression deviate from a narrow standard.
Are you in favor of economic prosperity for all? Over the last 70 years, our country’s economic well-being has consistently lagged in nearly every indicator—GDP, employment, the stock market—under Republican administrations. Republican tax cuts for the rich have resulted in repeated cuts to programs that help people who legitimately need it: health care, food assistance, and education, public infrastructure, all have suffered when Republicans are put in charge.
And really, how many Bozeman gazillionaires does Montana need to elect? We already have Gianforte and Daines (and Zinke, from his Whitefish mailing address); do we really need to add Sheehy to that club? A bunch of rich Bozeman white guys do not represent the rich diversity of Montana, and they certainly don’t look out for the rest of us.
Lastly, at the top of their ticket, Republicans have a ghastly example of self-serving infantilism for whom they must constantly make excuses. How many of his transgressions against basic human decency are you willing to shoulder?
I urge voters who once automatically marked their ballots for Republicans to take a deep breath and to consider voting for thoughtful candidates of sound mind and mature judgment, who will put country ahead of party; they’ll find plenty of them if they look beyond the Republican column.
Alan says
Are you willing to say the same things about the Democrats Russ? Nobody should vote a straight party ticket, right?
WMA says
Can’t think of a single reason to vote for the party of rage and dishonesty.
Bill Cavanaugh says
Exactly… The people burning down Churches, trashing Government Buildings and Colleges, Blocking traffic on major thoroughfares, calling for the extermination of Jews, and 5 assassination attempts on a former president and election frontrunner are Your party Wayne. So Own it.
Dishonesty started with a Fake Russian Dossier so they could try and impeach a sitting president and has lead up to dishonest reporting of Economic Data, Crime statistics, and Immigration statistics. We’ve all had enough of Dishonesty after 8 years of it from the Democrats. Heck Kamala and Walz couldn’t even debate without massive lies.
Glad You’ve come around and we look forward to your vote.
Gomez says
“Militant, nationalistic, white supremacist violent extremism has increased in the United States. In fact, the number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism. Since 1990, far-right extremists have committed far more ideologically motivated homicides than far-left or radical Islamist extremists, including 227 events that took more than 520 lives.[1] In this same period, far-left extremists committed 42 ideologically motivated attacks that took 78 lives.”
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the United States Department of Justice
https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/what-nij-research-tells-us-about-domestic-terrorism
Bill Cavanaugh says
Look I’d rather touch my tongue to a hot stove that read that overblown Pile of Government Babble, but in Scanning I of course saw ZERO Examples. So it’s like when Biden Screamed at the country during his Philly speech complete with Red background, armed military behind him and the Whole Nazi German Fuhrer vibe, telling us how dangerous Maga is. Yet…. There are never examples to back it up. Plenty of dangerous Democrats/Lberals out there committing violence, and calling for violence, yet your news ignores it.
That ilink s government propaganda, which has melted your brain.
WMA says
Bill, please outline briefly the lies that Harris and Walz told in their debates. Yes there were massive protests at college campuses but why assume they were inspired by democrats? Blocked roadways. You must be referring to the truck drivers and their hissy fit over vaccines. And the vast majority of BLM protests were peaceful. The violence happened after dark when a different demographic took to the streets to riot and loot.
Bill Cavanaugh says
Wow…. Talk about being misinformed! Truckers in the Pandemic?
Wayne, Does your TV still have a tube in the back and need to warmed up?
Bill Stroud says
Hey Cav, could you lend a hand down at the courthouse on Nov 5? I’m gonna have a few bins of ballots to unload. Gonna be a busy month of harvesting coming up and I sure could use some help. I’ll call the BSC headquarters to see if they can cut you loose.