Is anybody else getting uninterested in whiny Republicans? 

The newest instance is an editorial despatched throughout the state by 57 Republican Legislators.  Their grievance is, as soon as once more, a screed in opposition to the judiciary.  Didn’t any of them take 8th grade civics lessons?  What a part of “checks and balances” don’t they perceive? 

This time round they’re griping {that a} choose discovered a number of legal guidelines handed by the final legislature unconstitutional.  

The legal guidelines in query make it harder for folks to vote. Why make voting in Montana harder?  As regular, they trot out false arguments about voter fraud which have been confirmed repeatedly to be pretend information.  That is a part of an effort by the Republican Occasion to undermine our religion in elections as a result of Donald Trump misplaced the final one. . . by no means thoughts that Montana Republicans received all of the state-wide places of work and picked up many legislative seats within the final election.  It’s ironic that so many Republican legislators assume their very own victory was rigged by Democrats.

Republicans within the final legislature repeatedly demanded confidential paperwork from the Montana Supreme Court docket, which the court docket refused to supply.  So, the legislature enlisted Republican Lawyer Normal Austin Knudsen to complain on their behalf, taking their case all the best way to the U.S. Supreme Court docket, which declined to listen to the case.  It was a whole waste of sources to claim the legislature’s inflated view of their very own energy.  

It’s unhealthy sufficient that they waste money and time on these efforts to guard and protect their energy, however each time they lose, they revert to slinging insults like faculty yard bullies.  On this final editorial they are saying the choose they disagree with is an “activist choose who doesn’t like frequent sense.”  They go on to accuse the choose of being a part of an imagined conspiracy, stating, “Choose Moses unilaterally blocked all these commonsense legal guidelines on the request of the Montana Democratic machine.”  Fairly an accusation contemplating the Republicans are in full management of state authorities.  

As part of their persevering with battle with the judiciary, the Republican legislature eradicated the Judicial Nominating Fee in order that Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte may appoint whoever he pleases to judicial vacancies.  As soon as once more, the Republicans complained about being handled unfairly by “activist judges.”  And, because of this, handed full energy to nominate judges to their Republican pal within the Governor’s workplace.

Many individuals assume that is all simply political posturing.  That’s true.  However the Republicans are preoccupied with creating smoke the place there is no such thing as a hearth.  Whereas they’re pointing fingers on the liberal judiciary, they whine concerning the border wall, wolves stalking our mountains, gays, trans, antifa, and socialists behind each tree, they’re ignoring actual issues that have an effect on the each day lives of Montanans.  

The place is their concern about the truth that the Heat Springs State Hospital is failing the sufferers it’s meant to handle?  What are they doing for farmers and ranchers who face manipulated and unfair costs for his or her merchandise?  What are they doing concerning the hundreds of people that can’t discover inexpensive housing?  What about changing and sustaining our growing older infrastructure?  These are critical points, however Republicans don’t speak a lot about them.

As a substitute, Republicans are taking books out of native libraries, telling faculty boards what to show in historical past class, arguing about masks, and selling myths about election fraud.  On the finish of the day, this stuff have little to do with the standard of life right here in Montana.   The intense issues we face won’t be addressed by the whining of overblown, self-important Republican legislators. 

Ken Toole is a former state senator and former vice Chair of the Montana Public Service Fee.  He’s now retired and lives on an off-grid farm south of Nice Falls.