July 12, 2024

Group behind Project 2025 floats conspiracy theory that Joe Biden will use force

to stay in power. Sweet baby jeebus...everything is projection with these people.

WASHINGTON — A conservative think tank that is planning for a complete overhaul of the federal government in the event of a Republican presidential win is suggesting that President Joe Biden might try to hold the White House "by force" if he loses the November election.

The Heritage Foundation's warning — which goes against Biden's own public statements — appeared in a report released Thursday that the group said resulted from a role-playing exercise gaming out potential scenarios before and after the 2024 election.WASHINGTON — A conservative think tank that is planning for a complete overhaul of the federal government in the event of a Republican presidential win is suggesting that President Joe Biden might try to hold the White House "by force" if he loses the November election.

https://missoulian.com/news/nation-world/government-politics/politics-election-trump-democracy-heritage-foundation/article_81064ba9-cc2f-5669-8704-431d4463e640.html#tncms-source=login

July 8, 2024

I will officially be an empty nester next weekend.

I am aware that I am blessed beyond measure but as I ready my kiddo for this next step, I am floored at how hard this is. I wasn't prepared. I am working so hard to keep my emotions in check.

So many people told me that kids make it easy on you before they leave...they'll be testy and impatient and I'll just be relieved to see them go. This has not been my experience. Owen (the child) is a joy. He's just so much fun to live with and be around. He makes me laugh every day.

I was 40 when O was born. I'd had a two mid-term miscarriages when he joined his dad and me. He was THE biggest surprise. It's just been the three of us for 19 years. Owen is and has always been an old soul. He is sensitive and kind and incredibly empathetic. He's a musician...piano and guitar. I won't know how to navigate for a while without his music in the house.

Owen is a thinker and someone who puzzles through things...he seems to know instinctively when to make a move and when not making a move is these best course of action. He was a straight A student. Owen is a Democrat.

Owen took a random flight with a friend of ours on a twin engine Cessna when he was 17 years old...he was taking a mental health day from school his senior year when he got the invitation. He got off that plane and told me he wanted to take lessons and he would look for an instructor. He found one...he took his first solo flight 3 months later and got his private pilot's license in Oct 2023. He was accepted at ATP flight school in February of this year. His dad and I will take him to CO Springs this weekend so he can begin commercial flight school. His goal is to be a private corporate pilot.

I'm just so stinking proud of him, I can't speak to it. Owen did this all on his own. I'm along for the ride and what a pleasure it has been being this kid's mom. I feel incredibly fortunate. I really didn't know how hard this step would be however. Maybe I should have but I didn't. I know there will be opportunities for finding my way...but right now, I'm just deep in this.

Thanks for listening.

April 30, 2024

"Ballot Roll-Off". I had NO idea what this meant.

Apparently Dems do not vote down ballot as consistently as republicans and it’s killing us in state government. I know we all know this on some level but here’s what SisterDistrict.com has revealed:

Our research team has been digging deep into a hidden voter problem that is Democrats’ biggest barrier – and biggest opportunity – to taking control of state legislatures.

We have already determined Democrats would have gained control of 14 more chambers in 9 states in 2020 if they had only been able to increase their down-ballot votes by 2% or less. And, those votes could have come from people who were already voting for Democrats at the top of the ticket.

Currently, we are investigating what kinds of people roll off their ballots and why.This research has huge implications for the general election this November. In 2024, we are developing and testing messages to address this problem, and we’ll work in coalition with our friends and allies to put these messages into practice during the 2024 general elections.

Things hugely important and I did not understand how big of a problem it is and how slight Democratic defeats were at the state level.

https://sisterdistrict.com/

Instagram video explains this in detail.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6FXKSIpDZZ/?igsh=NDJzYzBiYzVrdTRm

April 12, 2024

JFC. I did not think my little blue city would have to withstand another visit from a tRump.

But it appears that coke boy jr is coming to Missoula to “speak” at the end of the month. Goddamit. I’m so mad right now.

https://missoulian.com/news/local/trump-jr-missoula-um-pac-fundraiser-election/article_352c1f1a-f845-11ee-b1f7-734c1880209b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

April 9, 2024

Animal cruelty trigger warning. PLEASE consider signing this petition.

I’m sick to death of wolf haters. This man tortured a wolf pup in public before killing it. Wyoming apparently needs their hands forced to charge this poor excuse of s human with animal cruelty. His wife is an elected official in Daniel, WY.

https://www.change.org/p/wolf-tormenter-cody-roberts-must-face-a-harsher-punishment

https://www.instagram.com/lolysmenchaka/p/C5cIXClPlZf/?img_index=1

On Edit: the Governor of WY needs a phone call. His number is in this link:

https://www.change.org/p/protect-our-wildlife-cody-roberts-must-face-harsher-punishment

https://twitter.com/actionxander/status/1777184605717586314

February 11, 2024

My kiddo and I didn't make it home to our family Super Bowl watch party.

We’re 49er fans through and through. He and I are watching in a hotel room near the Denver airport. The boy and I were down in Colorado Springs so that he could take his admissions flight at ATP Flight School. We flew down on Friday and he was supposed to fly yesterday but CO Springs got a bunch of snow and visibility was zero the whole day. This morning, the sky was clear, the air was cold and he did his admissions flight with a stunning view of Pike’s Peak in the background. We will fly home tomorrow. Sad to not be home tonight but feel fortunate anyway.

Cheers!

February 9, 2024

Thank you so much for the hearts! I've not been around as much lately which pains me.

But, I check in here on our beloved DU as often as I can.

Going through big changes in my personal life. My husband and I have been in the process of closing one family business and we were fortunate enough to sell our second business in December. I am now semi retired, which is glorious, and I work part time for the new owners of the business that we sold to get them up and running. It has been quite a transition to go from owning and managing two businesses to working part time for one of them.

Tomorrow, I take my 18-year-old son, who got his private pilots license last fall, down to Colorado Springs for his admissions flight test flight at an aviation school. Big changes for sure.

I bought Valentine hearts in the hope of having a little more time to pass them out with love and appreciation for Democratic Underground. I love you all.

❤️

December 17, 2023

On being self insured: My health insurance does nothing to insure my health.

It is only insurance against bankruptcy, at best. I just opened an email from our health insurance agent. I shouldn’t have because I knew it would ruin my Sunday…but it’s time to start planning my finances for the new year. The silver plan through Pacific Source that we purchase for my family of three is going up from $1925 to $2100 PER MONTH. This shake down of a “plan” has a $7500 per person deductible.

We’re the owners of two small businesses. Job creators. We pay a living wage and provide a wide variety of benefits our employees can choose from depending on their wants and needs. Because we are self employed, we have to purchase our own insurance and there no competition for small business in my state. There are two companies and a health care co-op to choose from. Blue Cross Blue Shield of MT prices their plans higher than what I’m paying because they don’t want to deal with the individual market. The health care co-op doesn't have providers that we need to see so we’re stuck with $2100 per month.

I guess I should be grateful that I make just above the threshold for getting any kind of tax break or subsidy for insurance on the healthcare marketplace. This is highway robbery. I’ve written to all my congress critters for years. Jon Tester at least replies and says there’s nothing he can do and the rethugs ignore it.

November 7, 2023

Who has a kiddo voting for the first time in this election?

I see a few of you here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218433907

My son voted for the first time today. We voted for city council and mayor. Our mayoral race is going to be tight. One of our choices is funded by the National Organization of Realtors and that’s something that has young people in our city paying attention. Housing is unaffordable here. With single family homes selling for over $700k on average, it is possible that my son will never be able to buy a home in the city he was born and raised. That along with our ever increasing homeless population were the issues my kiddo was focused on.

What were the issues/policies/ideas that your kids were voting for/against?

October 29, 2023

Best birthday gift! I turn 59 tomorrow.

My 18 year old kiddo got his private pilot’s license last week. For my birthday, he said he would take me for a flight…wherever I wanted to go. FYI, his training plane is a Cessna 152. A very tiny plane so we stayed somewhat close to home. I asked him to take me north of where we live to the Mission Mountains…the gateway to Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park.

Our little plane had to get a jumpstart because it was so cold this morning…but it got better from there.

Here’s a little of what we saw…and yes, it’s winter here already:























It was such a good day.