Ergot mold discovered in Laurel

April 8, 2009 in 2009 Legislative Session, Dan McGee, Krayton Kerns, Montana
Tags: Planned Parenthood

by Pete Talbot

Ergot, a mold that attacks rye, is the building block for LSD. It has been discovered in huge quantities in the Laurel airshed.

How else can one explain the lunacy coming from legislators Dan McGee and Krayton Kerns (both Republicans and both out of Laurel) in this 2009 session?

Taken in small doses, ergot can lead to feelings of euphoria but in large enough quantities, it tends toward disassociation and psychosis.

Here’s the latest, this time from McGee (courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Montana):

Protect access to contraceptives for Montana’s low-income families!

On Thursday, the Senate may hear an amendment from Dan McGee (R-Laurel) to strip state funding for Montana’s family planning clinics from the state’s budget.

1. This represents a 20% cut to family planning clinics statewide
2. 70% of Montana’s family planning clients were at or below 150% of poverty.
3. Every $1 spent on family planning saves $4 down the road in public funding.

In other words, let’s make sure the poorest in Montana don’t have access to health care and contraception, so they can keep cranking out (sickly) babies who will end up being subsidized by government services (if they’re lucky). This guy McGee should run for pope. Here are more details from PP.

There has been a litany of bad legislation coming from these two yokels: Kerns’ wacky gun bill (HB 228) and his assault on the Healthy Kids Bill (HB 157). And here’s just a sampling of McGee’s: protect all zygotes (SB 406) but attack those who are different (SB 223) and don’t forget to bring partisan politics into our education system (SB 80 and 81).

Let’s hope Laurel gets that ergot problem cleaned up before the next election.

(Update 4-9-09: Good news. The Montana Senate chose not to vote on McGee’s amendments. More below the fold.)

This from Planned Parenthood of Montana:

Despite two amendments and a floor debate, the Senate did not
vote to remove the state's contraceptive funding from the state
budget.

Today, Senator Dan McGee introduced two amendments to eliminate
state support for family planning from the budget (HB 2). The
Senate debated the topic vigorously, with several outstanding
champions, but ultimately did not vote on either amendment.

As of this moment, this essential family planning funding is
still part of the state budget!

We will keep you posted on any new developments for family
planning, healthcare, and the Montana state budget.