BlueMTexpat

BlueMTexpat's Journal

October 2, 2018

Remembering Charles Aznavour

who died yesterday at 94. He was one of the all-time international greats.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45709541

Rest in peace! You brought me countless hours of joy!

July 1, 2018

Not ALL of Montana is red, thank heavens!

My second youngest sister sent me a clip of herself and my youngest sister at yesterday's protest in Billings, MT against Orange Herr Twitler's zero tolerance and family separation policies.

They are captured in the second photo here (Bethany Baker credit). While they are sitting on the grass in the photo, my sister said that they were truly inspired, even though the photo may not capture their inspiration, LOL.

https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/photos-protesters-gather-for-the-families-belong-together-rally-at/collection_25e23d2a-3b0e-5ab6-afe2-ac06eac7a0df.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share#anchor_item_2

This is great to see. Marches took place in Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Helena and even - Great Falls!!!

Here's a report from the march in my beloved MIssoula: https://www.missoulacurrent.com/government/2018/06/immigrant-march-missoula/

Hundreds of Missoulians marched through the streets Saturday to protest the separation of immigrant families on the southern border under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy – and to demand that ICE leave Montana.

“I think the Missoula community has been watching pretty aghast at what’s been happening at the borders,” said Rebecca Weston, co-director of Montanans for Immigrant Justice. “I think this is both an opportunity to share our rage, but also then to continue the demand that we actually want real change.”

As a psychotherapist, Weston said she knows the trauma children experience when they are forcibly separated from their families.

“I know deeply what this means to kids,” she said. “My mom was a refugee at age 3 and was in an orphanage. I know deeply what it means and the consequences that are generational.”

June 9, 2018

Democrat Kathleen Williams won Montana's House primary slow and steady, county by county

I am so thrilled for Kathleen Williams and hope that her winning run continues. There were some excellent Dem House candidates, but she was the one who prevailed. If they all encourage their supporters to join in to support her (Heenan and Kier already have), she may very well be able to rid the House of one of its more loathsome GOPer scumbags, Greg Gianforte (R-Felon).

Wednesday, people were still trying to figure out exactly how Williams, 57, pulled off the win. There had been no public polling in the race to suggest Williams’ victory was truly an upset, but campaign observers throughout the primary season considered her a long shot. There were three candidates announced for the race before Williams launched her campaign late last October. A little more than two months later, her campaign war chest was just $73,000. John Heenan and Grant Kier, the presumed frontrunners, each had $250,000 at that point. Williams didn’t have that kind of coin until May.

But what Williams lacked in money she made up in time. With her slide-in camper fitted to the bed of her pickup, Williams zigzagged 1,100 miles of Montana back roads in a week. Wherever she was invited to speak, she went. Wherever she wasn’t invited, Markoff called to book a room.

“I kid you not," Markoff said, "When we were scheduling a meet and greet in Ekalaka, the first person I asked to help me set up the event laughed at me. He said, ‘Are you serious? You’re actually going to send your candidate to Ekalaka?’ I had to assure him I wasn’t faking it or losing my mind. There are parts of the state that don’t see candidates frequently, and showing up makes a big difference.”

There are 6.8 Montanans for the each of the state’s 147,040 square miles. In some places, the concentration is much more. In Carter County, where Ekalaka is the county seat, the density is far less. Tucked away in southeast Montana, the county’s emptiness is used for flight training by B1-Bombers from nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Williams' trip there earned her a commanding 57 percent of the Carter County vote. That’s 16 votes of Williams' statewide total of 37,146. There were a lot of county victories like that in Williams’ win column.

https://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/democrat-kathleen-williams-won-montana-s-house-primary-slow-and/article_a06d5f14-519a-5e4d-be22-5b84dfb4c5a1.html

Williams is one of the many Dem candidates in 2018 who understand that it isn't just about the money (although money always helps!). It's about meeting the people and listening to their concerns so that they really feel that they have a say in how their government works.

Bravissima, Kathleen!

March 13, 2018

Former Vice President Joe Biden energizes Democrats at sold-out event in Helena

http://helenair.com/news/government-and-politics/former-vice-president-joe-biden-energizes-democrats-at-sold-out/article_51617ffc-1808-550a-8a0c-34251270669c.html

On a night meant to energize Democrats around the state of Montana, former Vice President Joe Biden spoke to a sold-out crowd about 1,300 people at the 40th annual Mansfield-Metcalf Dinner in Helena.

Biden took the stage late Saturday night, calling U.S. Sen. Jon Tester an authentic person and "a guy who looks like he can lift an ox out of a ditch."
...
The event is the main Democratic gathering and fundraiser each year and was broadcast to the party's central committees around the state, executive director Nancy Keenan said.
...
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock told the crowd Democrats have a "heck of a lot to celebrate," but said Republicans in the state Legislature are "acting more and more like Republicans in D.C." He called on voters to flip the GOP-dominated body and show up for Tester in November. He also told attendees it was important to vote out U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte.

Good for Biden to get MT revved up! Jon Tester has been a good Senator for MT! There are some excellent Dems vying in the primary to go against Gianforte! I like Kathleen Williams but can't vote in MT as I'm no longer a resident. But two of my younger sisters are supporting John Heenan as they know him personally.

Gov Bullock will be termed out in 2020, which could make him an ideal Dem candidate to run against Daines (R) in the Senate. Bullock has already won two statewide elections, even when most of the state voted red for other candidates.

But MT also needs to turn the state legislature blue. Hopefully the DNC and top national Dems - as in the Howard Dean era - will step up there as well.

February 12, 2018

Thank you so much for the lovely heart!

Having had my own heart thoroughly broken by the results in Nov 2016, but encouraged by the Women's Marches in 2017 and 2018 (in which I participated) - as well as by all the recent Dem election successes and the wonderful women candidates putting themselves forward in 2018, I haven't been on DU too much lately.

I was thus delighted to receive a heart from some wonderful person sometime in the past couple days. Thank you for making my day!

I've been traveling since Sat night and am now returned to my Trump-less Swiss haven, where I refuse to listen to or watch any news program that mentions his name.

My reading material on my flight eastward was the wonderful 2016 novel, "The Underground Railroad," by Colson Whitehead.
If you haven't read it, please do.

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Gender: Female
Home country: USA
Current location: Switzerland
Member since: Wed Oct 29, 2008, 04:01 PM
Number of posts: 15,365