It's so unfair ------ Let's just "Redistribute" the Wealth of the Rich

Marijuana Repeal back on the Floor

Well it appears that the Medical Marijuana Repeal defeat is not totally defeated after all. The Montana Senate voted to blast the Repeal Bill out of committee but the bill still has to survive 2 more readings and the Governor’s big VETO branding iron.

The following is how Each Senator voted;

Y Arthun, Ron    N Gallus, Steven     N Augare, Shannon     N Gillan, Kim     Y Balyeat, Joe     N Hamlett, Bradley     Y Barrett, Debby     N Hawks, Bob    N Blewett, Anders     Y Hinkle, Greg     N Branae, Gary     Y Hutton, Rowlie     Y Brenden, John     Y Jackson, Verdell     Y Brown, Taylor     N Jent, Larry    Y Buttrey, Edward     Y Jones, Llew     N Caferro, Mary     N Kaufmann, Christine     N Erickson, Ron     N Keane, Jim     Y Essmann, Jeff     Y Lake, Bob    N Facey, Tom     N Larsen, Cliff     N Lewis, Dave    Y Moore, Frederick (Eric)     N Tropila, Mitch     N Moss, Lynda     Y Tutvedt, Bruce    Y Mowbray, Carmine     N Van Dyk, Kendall     N Murphy, Terry     Y Vincent, Chas    Y Olson, Alan     N Vuckovich, Gene    Y Peterson, Jim     Y Walker, Edward     Y Priest, Jason     N Wanzenried, David    Y Ripley, Rick     N Williams, Carol     Y Shockley, Jim     N Windy Boy, Jonathan     Y Sonju, Jon     Y Wittich, Art     Y Steinbeisser, Donald     Y Zinke, Ryan     N Stewart-Peregoy, Sharon

Dick Morris on Senator Tester

What's up with this?  Doesn't Dick Morris normally promote liberals?  It would appear that things are unraveling for Montana's freshman Senator.

Dilbert Pretty Much Nails It Today

Havre School Board Race Newcomer

Thursday, March 24^th, was the last day for candidates for the Havre School Board to get their petitions filed with the clerk of schools for the May 3^rd election.  We are told that current board members Curtis Smeby and Darlene Bricker have filed for another term.  We are getting conflicting reports as to whether board member Cindy Erickson has filed but we do have at least one new-comer to add to the mix.  Pastor Curt from the Assembly of God Church has decided to throw his hat in the ring and sent the following letter to his friends and congregation.

Dear Friends,

Today I turned in my paperwork to run as a candidate for school board member - district #16.  I would appreciate your vote for me at the school board election on May 4th, 2011.  I am running as an "Independent" because, at the present time, there is no such party as "Republicrat."  I am Republican as to moral values and absolutes, like Pro-Life...

With regards to economics and issues where there are no absolute moral 'rights' and 'wrongs' -  I like to weigh the issue out, with no regard as to whether the solution presented originates from a Republican or Democratic source...

I have a vested interest in our school system. My sons, Sam and Matt, attend school at Havre High School.  My oldest daughter is a Concordia College graduate, teaching choir and Spanish.  My daughter, Kimmi, is training to become an English teacher.

I am in favor of the public school system (I also am in favor of home schools.)  I desire for our public schools to provide a great scholastic education for our children --- reading, writing, arithematic.  I do not desire for our public schools to take the place of parents in teaching children morals, sexual orientation, etc.

I believe we are to be good stewards of whatever money is made available.  If that involves making budget cuts at times, so be it - but let's be careful not to "cut off our nose to spite our face."  I admit that I am a novice when it comes to school board issues.  I do not claim to be able to do a better job as a school board member than anyone else.  I only promise to do the best job that I can do for you.

With that in mind, please make me aware of your concerns and ideas;  I will do my best to represent you and your children well.

Thank you for your time in reading this e-mail. Thank you for possibly voting for me on May 4th, 2011.

If you will vote for me, will you please share this e-mail with a likeminded friend or two, who would do the same... I am not soliciting any campaign funds, nor will I do so.  I am totally depending on God's will and your word of mouth for any publicity.

Appreciating Public Schools & Working to see them operate at optimum levels,

Edroy "CURT" Curtis; School Board Candidate - District #16

So Much for Hope and Change

A lot of promises were made. 
Now What?  Military Aid to Libya?
Et Tu Brute?

Obama, not Bush, expanded military aid to Libya despite human rights abuses
Read the story at the World Times

Free Guns for Dish Network Subscribers



Photo provided by Hamilton Radio Shack

 Thanks to Corrector reader Redneck Joe for pointing out this story in the Ravalli Republic


The Hamilton Radio Shack has been offering a free gun to any “qualifying” customer that buys a Dish Network. Store owner Steve Strand, who by the way is formerly from Havre and owned the Radio Shack Store here, said they were trying to think of some ways to generate more foot traffic when they came up with this idea. The idea has worked apparently.

Read the whole story here at the Ravalli Republic

HB 516 Brings Death Threats to Sponsor

About a month ago the House passed HB 516 which was sponsored by Representative Kris Hansen from Havre on a vote of 62 – 37. This bill attempts to limit what can or cannot be done by local municipalities regarding passage of ordinances that disagree with State law on “protected” classes. It states;

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Local governments -- limitation on enactments. A local government ordinance, resolution, or policy may not contain, as a protected class, any classification not specifically included as a protected class under the provisions of this part

The gay and transgendered population took exception to this bill as being homophobic because it would eliminate a recently passed ordinance by Missoula providing special protections to their gay and transgendered community. The bill was quickly labeled as a hate bill by the Democrats but many others disagree and say it is all about cities overstepping State law. They claim that this bill would only prohibit cities from adding any classifications that are not currently in State law.

When this bill hit the floor of the house we started hearing tales of threats towards Ms. Hansen including a veiled threat from Representative Ellie Hill from Missoula letting Hansen know “her days were numbered”  While we at the Corrector are not going to take a position on this bill we have to wonder about the irony of the people who want to be accepted in our communities making threats towards people with which they don’t agree.  We have just been sent the following message by one of the local Politicos that was left on Representative Hansen’s phone where her life was actually threatened over her sponsorship of this bill.

What is particularly interesting to me is that once this bill reached the Senate the lackluster bunch of Republicans basically stabbed Representative Hansen in the back and failed to move the bill out of committee because they were afraid of “bad press”  So much for the girly-boys in the Senate having any “balls”   The Senate was only able to muster 4 votes in favor of hearing this bill and surprisingly 2 were from our area. Democrat Senator Jon Windy Boy and Republican Senator Rowlie Hutton joined Republican Senators Art Wittich from Bozeman and Ed Buttrey from Great Falls in support of at least hearing the bill in the Senate.  The balance of the Republican Senators cowered in the back of the chambers clutching their diapers and hoping none of the House Republicans would notice they had stuck the blade in Ms. Hansen's back.

No matter what your opinion of this bill is I have to wonder how many think the following message was an appropriate lobbying technique. Tell us what you think about this message which, we are told, is very similar to others left for Ms. Hansen.

Economic "Terrorism"

I know, I know, not everyone likes Glen Beck so I rarely post anything on here that is attributed to him but the following segment is just too good to ignore. Interesting the Beck show has recorded a left-wing groups plan to wreck economic chaos on America and collapse our economy. Can our government be overthrown from within?

Beck’s program is rather long (40 minutes) so if you want to hear the audio of the economic terrorism “plan” fast forward to about minute nine.

Who Holds the Mortgage?

This is a very interesting graph posted over at mygovcost.org.  The Chinese don’t hold near as much of our mortgage as I had been led to believe.

The Ultimate Tax Calculator

Here's a very sharp and interesting tool that analyzes what your lifetime taxes go to pay, how much you've got left to kick in, and how much money that would have made you if it had been invested in a portfolio earning about 6 percent a year.

Click on the screen cap above to go to mygovcost.org and monkey around with the calculator, which breaks things down via categories ranging from Medicare to military operations. The example above is based on a 40 year old making $60,000 a year.

Here's a vid with more info:

Is our current Recession following Historic Timelines?

The Corrector received the following information from a person claiming to be Mr. Larry Beinhart pointing out some thoughts about the depression and the current recession.  Further reference can be found at Timelines of the Great Depression: 

I would guess we have been given a fictitious name for the credit on this post as Larry Beinhart regularly writes for the Huffington Post and advocates for increasing taxes and going on unfettered spending sprees. See Huffington Post here

Tell us what you think. Can we spend our way to prosperity?

To the HDC Editor;

The current economy is routinely and universally referred to as the worst recession since the Great Depression.
It makes sense, therefore, to look back at government tax and spending policies during the Depression and what the results were.

1932 -- Hoover raises the top tax rate from to 25 to 63 percent.

1933 -- Roosevelt comes into office. He begins spending at the same time that new tax hike comes into effect. The Depression bottoms out.

1934 -- Recovery begins. The GNP rises 7.7 percent, unemployment falls to 21.7 percent.

1935 -- New government spending on public works and rural electrification. A push to strengthen labor and raise wages. New taxes through the creation of Social Security.  The GNP grows another 8.1 percent, and unemployment continues to fall.

1936 -- The top tax rate is raised again. This time to 79 percent.  GNP grows a record 14.1 percent; unemployment falls even further.

1937 -- Roosevelt is afraid of deficits! He cuts spending for 1937.   There's a new recession. It continues for a year.

1939 -- The U.S. borrows, resumes deficit spending, this time on a military build-up. The recession ends.

1941 -- America enters World War II.

In economic terms, it's the New Deal on steroids. The top tax rate goes up to 91 percent. Nonetheless, government spending is so high that by 1945 the deficit is 123 percent of GDP. Unemployment is ended by employing 16 million people directly in the armed forces and millions more are employed producing war material and supporting the military.

The Great Depression is finally over.

When taxes were raised the economy improved. Every time. Deficits had no negative effect on the economy. Indeed, when deficits were at their highest, the economy boomed.

After spending was cut -- to balance the budget -- a recession immediately followed. When taxes were raised and government spending resumed -- with deficits -- that recession ended.

When taxes were raised again, and government spending went sky high, the Great Depression finally ended.

So here we are. We refused to raise taxes. The recession continues. Now, we're going to cut spending.

Thanks for reading

Larry Beinhart

Another 770 million from the American Taxpayers to buy “respect” from the Muslims

Take a look at this interesting news report from WSBTV

Mosque Makeovers with Your Tax Dollars

I can’t wait to hear from all you separation of church and state people on this news story.
Give your Congressional delegation a call on this idiotic expenditure

Representative Dennis Rehberg
(888) 232-2626
http://www.rehberg,house.gov/

Senator Max Baucus
(800) 332-6106
http://www.baucus.senate.gov/

Senator Jon Tester
(876) 554-4403
http://www.tester.senate.gov/

Where are our Democrat Representatives?

Every Wednesday since the Legislature convened some of our legislators have went the extra mile and made themselves available at noon on Wednesdays to sit through a “Video Conference” with the folks back home to not only keep us informed but also to provide local constituents with the opportunity to voice their concerns or support for what is going on in Helena. Everyone and anyone are invited to just show up at the Robins school building to participate. Judging from the Havre Daily “News” reports each Thursday it is apparent that a few of our local Democrats have seized on this opportunity to just have a bitch session with the Republican legislators hoping the Award winning Havre Daily reporters will write less than glamorous stories about what is happening in Helena.

What I find most interesting is the fact that out of our 5 local representatives only the Republicans show up to answer questions and hear what the people back home have to say. Senator Hutton, Representative Warburton and Representative Hansen show up each and every week but the Democrats Senator Jonathan Windy Boy and Representative Tony Belcourt have never even attended once to my knowledge. Also according to the Montana Legislative Guide which I picked up at the Hill County Electric Cooperative Republicans Hutton, Warburton and Hansen have published their cell phone numbers so the people back home can leave them messages and call with concerns. Democrats Windy Boy and Belcourt both list their contact numbers as the Legislative Information operator (406) 444-4800 where you have to leave a message and hope that they actually will get it at some point.

My question to Hutton Warburton and Hansen is; Why do you even bother to waste your time coming to the Wednesday video conference when you know the deck is being purposely stacked against you?

To Windy Boy and Belcourt; Where in the hell have you been?

hutton4senate@yahoo.com



krishansen33@gmail.com





wendywarburton@gmail.com



THANKS TO THE THREE THAT TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE HILL COUNTY VOTERS

All this time I have been thinking this video conference was some sort of Republican sponsored event and today I find out that the school provides this service to all of our representatives and the Democrats have just failed to participate.  It is time to give them a call at their special Montana State answering service number and ask them to participate. (406) 444-4800

windyboy_j@yahoo.com

tbelcourt@hotmail.com

A few "Facts" about Northern's Biodiesel Funding

Any one read the article in last night’s HDN written by “Award Winning” senior “Journalist” Timmie Leeds under the headline Montana budget still without Northern Biodiesel.  This article, like several over the past couple of weeks, praised Senator Jonathan Windy Boy for “fighting for Northern’s Biodiesel program. While I am sure that Senator Windy Boy does indeed support the program I am having a hard time grasping why the HDN ran the story about him when the Senate wasn’t even the place where the bill was being heard. The bill in question was HB2 which is the funding bill for all state government expenditures. With regards to Northern’s Biodiesel program what really happened was that Representative Wendy Warburton brought forth an amendment to restore approximately $400,000 in funding to the program. Senator Windy Boy had absolutely NOTHING to do with yesterday’s hearing. After I had my WTH moment I decided to watch the hearing on the legislative website to ascertain the facts for myself. Imagine my surprise when I saw a marvelous performance by Representative Warburton pleading for the program’s funding and introducing her amendment to help Northern. Democrat Representative Tony Belcourt from Box Elder also is seen speaking in favor of Warburton’s amendment.


Why does the HDN, an alleged “professional” news organization, allow reporter Timmie Leeds to publish such obviously skewed “news” stories? I have posted the full amendment hearing below so you can judge for yourself. Video 1 shows Warburton making the amendment and pleading for Northern. Video 2 is the remainder of the testimony and video 3 is Warburton’s closing to the question. The Northern amendment failed on a 46-53 vote and HB-2 passed without the funds for Northern by a vote of 66 -32. See the votes here.

What really gets to me is the fact that “professional” reporter Leeds hates Ms Warburton and has said so to numerous people around town and then tries to portray that his articles are fair, balanced, factual and unbiased. That is just plain BS - his articles are nothing more than opinionated editorial pieces such as you would find on any biased opinion political blogs such as the Corrector that unashamedly slants their articles to portray our personal opinions.

As a side note to Thackeray, Jergeson, Peck and the gaggle of people that wrote letters to the editor during Warburton’s re-election campaign saying she voted against funds for Northern because she voted No to the passage of last sessions HB 2. I am wondering if you also will be writing letters against Representative Tony Belcourt because he voted against passage of HB 2 this go around even though he spoke in favor of Northern just minutes before the vote?

Read the HDN article – watch the hearing – tell me what you see!

Video 1

Video 2 - second part of hearing

Video 3 - Warburton's closing arguments

House Passes Lean Budget

The following is an editorial we just received from Representative Wendy Warburton.  Thanks for keeping us updated Ms Warburton

This week the Montana House passed our budget bill, House Bill 2. This forms
the basis for Montana's budget for the next two years. Passing a balanced
budget is the one constitutional duty of the Legislature, and one that I take seriously.

The initial budget, proposed by the Governor before the legislative session, was not balanced. It would have spent more money than nonpartisan projections say that our state will take in. Growing government and raiding our savings account is not responsible, particularly when our economy is still not robust. State government needs to tighten its belt, just like Montana families.

Unfortunately, passing a lean, balanced budget out of the House has been a battle. House Democrats tried to increase government spending during the House floor budget debates through proposed amendments of more than $200,000,000 in additional spending. (That's an astonishing amount when you consider the fact that Montana has less than one million residents!) House Republicans fought off that additional spending. I want to emphasize that is not an easy thing to do. It's hard to say "no" to programs that sound very good and do good things, but I felt strongly committed to not raising taxes on Montana families to balance a budget that has grow significantly in very recent years -- while Montanans' income has not.

I voted for amendments that would have further reduced government spending by $122,716,859. As a whole, Republicans managed to find and pass $33 million in additional savings during floor debate. In the end, the budget that passed the House is more than $136 million below the Governor's proposal and six percent less than the one which passed in 2009.

Don't get me wrong - I support spending that is necessary to efficiently run our state and to build JOBS. With great bipartisan support from our local delegation, I carried an amendment to support MSU-Northern's biodeisel research. I'd like to thank Representatives Hansen, Stahl, and Belcourt for the great teamwork on that effort.

While it didn't pass the House, the vote was very close, and so I feel confident that amendment will be supported in the Senate. House Bill 2 now moves to the Senate where I trust that Republicans will continue to look for ways to make government more efficient and effective. There is still much work to be done and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on ways to make state government more accountable to taxpayers.

Sincerely,
Rep. Wendy Warburton

Left proposes the Government take over "management" of your IRA

The government already does such a wonderful job with all their many programs so what would you think about President Obama proposing to let the government take over all of the private IRA’s and retirement accounts?  At least they would have the ability to be able to “redistribute” the wealth to those that forgot to take the initiative to put aside a few bucks for retirement.

Medical Marijuana Shops Raided

The Feds had a busy day raiding Medical Marijuana shops around Montana this morning in what the growers are calling retaliatory action after the Senate Bill to repeal legal Medical Marijuana failed to advance out of the Senate Committee.  Raids occurred in 10 -12 locations throughout Montana.

News report of raids in Billing from KULR TV

Latest News is posted at Helena's Independent Record

Medical Marijuana Hits the Fan Tomorrow

Medical Marijuana is heading for front stage again as the legislature starts hearing testimony on several bills aimed at either controlling or outright banning of medical marijuana beginning at 8 am tomorrow (Friday 3/11/11)  in the Capital. The “biggie” is HB 161 which would totally eliminate the legality of the marijuana business. (kind of reminds me of what the Democrat controlled bunch did a few years ago to the elk “farmers”) Also on the docket for tomorrow are several other drug and alcohol bills to “clarify” complaint processes or revise regulations or lack thereof. The group called Montana Safe Community Safe Kids has been rallying their troops to have a big turnout at tomorrow’s hearings. Likewise, the people (and lobbyists) representing medical marijuana growers/patients are also notifying those concerned to be on hand to protect the so called medical marijuana “Industry”

Safe Community Safe Kids has been airing the following commercial in opposition to medical marijuana.



Now for the other sides story.  Can the medical marijuana business be beneficial to Montana?  Thanks to Shawn for sending this link to a story in the New York Times called In Montana, an Economic Boon Faces Repeal Effort. The rather lengthy article talks about the down turn in the Montana economy and how the medical marijuana businesses has provided a source of income for hundreds of formerly unemployed Montanans. The article brings out some of the positive aspects of this new and thriving business.  Be sure and click above for the New York Times article.



Obviously there are two sides to this question. What would be a reasonable compromise?

Tougher DUI Laws - Price tag 2 Million

Representative Kris Hansen’s HB 299 which would cause a person receiving a third DUI be charged with a felony passed the house on a vote of 57-47. Currently a person cannot be charged with a felony for driving impaired until the fourth offense. I have no problem with getting drunks off the road but I am a little taken back by the fact that the legislative fiscal note is setting the cost to this bill at an additional 2 million dollars. What do our readers think? Will this make a difference? Are you willing to spend an additional 2 million bucks to tighten up the DUI enforcement?

Also in the following KRTV News video is a report of a bi-partisan bill to place a referendum on the ballot to shorten the number of days the legislature meets to 80 days but allow convening every year. Read the text for SB 261 here and tell us what you think of this proposal

KRTV News Link
Related Billings Gazette Annual Session story

A "Little" Mistake in Hill County Tax Levies

The e-mails have been piling up at the Corrector from people that just received their new “improved” additional tax notice  with following scrap of paper telling us all that a itsy little “mistake” in mill levy calculations has been made.  Nearly every e-mail we received wanted to know who was responsible for this “mistake” and who will be held “accountable”?  The second highest comment related to what a pain in the rear it was going to be to get their bank escrows to pay this additional tax on time.

Ok now for the “Who Done It?”  From what we can find out the Treasurer’s office failed to include the new recently passed school mill levy as well as some of the other school tax.  In addition to the Havre Schools all Hill County Schools were short changed.  Of course blame is being cast on the “old” Treasurer Carrie Dickson that was defeated by Sandy Brown this last November.  That stands to reason because she is no longer here to defend herself and the “recently departed” usually gets the blame for all problems in most all work situations.

Funny part is that no one from the county, either the current Treasurer or the County Commissioners, had any idea there was even a mistake until someone from the school noticed that their school account had some severe deficiencies in what should have been an adequate fund balance and went to the courthouse to find out what was going on. As far as our readers enquiries as to whose heads are going to roll for this blatant mistake I would guess NO ONES would be the correct answer. The thing “suggested” or should I say the next bit of “gossip” was the Dickson purposely sent the mistake ridden tax notices to make the lady that took her out in the election look bad. It is all speculation at this point but I would be amazed if we ever know the whole truth.

In short we are being told to “Pay Up and Shut Up”

Real Cost of K-12 Education

Thanks to Dave Budge over at Electric City Weblog for pointing out the following chart to us.  Be sure and click on the article over at Reason. com for the full story.

2nd Amendment Legislation - What's it Really About?

Thanks to Redneck Joe for sending us this video clip of a testimony in the Texas Legislature a couple of years ago about carrying concealed weapons.  In light of the news coverage of all the controversial gun bills that have been coming before the Montana Legislature it really makes you think.

Suzanna Gratia-Hupp’s closing statement about what the 2^nd amendment is really for was a powerful ending to this testimony.  I hope it makes you logically think about the bills that have come up in this legislative session.

Thanks again Joe