Links…

May 1, 2007 in Links

Montana Headlines is right: he and I could hammer out a compromise on tax refunds…just give us a quiet room, a pizza, and two hours. Makes you wonder why the Legislature can’t…

Matt Singer apportions the biggest burden of blame for the Legislature’s failure to Scott Sales. I can’t say I disagree: he did start the session off with inflammatory rhetoric and then appointed a right-wing extremist to the chair of one of the most important legislative committees. He poisoned the soup before they sat down for dinner.

Montana Legislature: what could have been.

New West reports on what the Legislature actually did.

The Good Guv refuses to name a date for the legislative special session.

Senate President Mike Cooney suggests legislative leaders should meet in Billings and hash things out, on their own dime. An excellent idea.

With all of the recent Republican mishaps – including Iraq – Matt Singer mulls the future of the state GOP.

Sarpy Sam is irked by the Legislature’s inability to agree on a budget. While some of the right’s most ardent supporters deny it, you legislators represent us all. Git ‘er done, people.

Ed Kemmick has a few thoughts dislodged by Billings’ panhandling ordinance and the online commenters’ reaction to it…

You know your Representative is out there if his beliefs are indistinguishable from satire: Jesus General has embraced Idaho’s Bill Sali as a kindred spirit. (Hat tip Sara.)

Julie Fanselow tracks Sali’s voting record and wishes he were merely satire. Luckily Sali is the least powerful member of Congress.

Sara Anderson – on a recent blogging tear – mulls the media’s depiction of women interested in the issue of abortion.

Half the world’s species may be extinct at century’s end, and what may follow…

Montana Liberty Project touts geothermal energy.

Shane applauds the recent SCOTUS decision on patents.

Obama takes the lead in the Democratic presidential race. Colby mulls the results.

A fifth of the Gitmo detainees are “free,” but have to stay for “months or possibly years” because of administration incompetence.

David Broder: Karl Rove’s quail-eating buddy.

Federal contractors owe over $7 billion in unpaid taxes.

Prosecutor purge links, including news of a secret memo empowering Goodling, Sampson to have final say over fires and hires.

Ex-CIA official claims he has evidence that the Vice President’s office forged the uranium-from-Niger letter.

Reagan’s former NSA advisor, General Odom, urges Bush not to veto Congress’ Iraqi funding bill.

Now even diehard Bush supporters are shying away from the President, seeing a “bunker mentality” in the man. Not good news for the country.

George Will, William Buckley worry that the Bush presidency has irreparably harmed the GOP. Will: “This could be a foreign policy equivalent of the Depression…”

The Bush presidency has created a “toxic climate” for GOP candidates, affecting fundraising and candidate recruitment. Looks like maybe impeachment could be a reality if this keeps up, eh?

Independent citizens are becoming the watchdogs of government. Yes, MT legislators, we’ll be checking out who’s funding you.