For the record, Japan is way bigger than Montana.

In terms of square miles of land it’s probably similar, but Japan is way more spread out, and includes water in addition to land.

Curse you, Wikipedia:

With a land area of 147,046 square miles (380,850 km2) Montana is slightly larger than Japan and slightly smaller than Paraguay.

Apologies. I was only considering the parts of Japan you can stand on. ;->

Damn! That dude on the right. He’s got some issues. I like the sign too. I wonder what that yahoo would say when I asked him what part of winning an election did he not get.

Wow, two actual examples of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

Why do hunting rifles needs silencers?  If you’re that lame you shouldn’t be hunting.

By “faith-based” health care services do they mean someone can refuse to treat someone else based on his/her faith?

Is Sweitzer still governor?

By “faith-based” health care services do they mean someone can refuse to treat someone else based on his/her faith?

No, its basically groups of religious people who pool money to help pay each other’s medical costs, and want to be exempted from HCR and any other type of government regulation. Kind of a credit union for Conscientious Objectors.

Is Sweitzer still governor?

Yes.

Why do hunting rifles needs silencers?

It’s much more fun to hunt when you don’t know where the other hunters are.

People who show up at political rallies with guns should be picked up and subjected to an extremely thorough mental health evaluation. Seriously.

If you want to keep a rifle over your fireplace to take potshots at Bambi, fine. But to show up at a political event heavily armed in a country with an awful history of politically themed violence, well, fuck you. You have a problem. And it’s not just your problem.

You know, there is a law against armed insurrection, which is exactly what this guy is promoting.

You know how I know these guys aren’t serious?  No powered wig. You’re going to wear a tricorner hat, you wear a powered wig, knee breeches and stockings.

Where’s your damned powered wig, ya fucking poser!?

I think you mean powdered wig, but there’s a very pre-steampunk retroVoltron sort of vibe to “powered wig.”

I prefer the old analog “passive wig” technology, because the mid-ranges are warmer and there’s no risk of overheating in a tight enclosure. But that’s just me.

A few points from Big Sky Country.

Thanks for the view from the ground, Rob. It’s comforting to hear that it wasn’t a well-attended rally. Schweitzer seems like a good guy (from my admittedly limited exposure to him).

@Rob Kailey—I read a lousy novel in junior high school about a Cro-Magnon hunter who discovered the atlatl and used it to wipe out the Neanderthals. While I admired the technology, I felt terrible for the Neanderthals—especially since, in the story, they weren’t altogether unsympathetic characters, and were in fact only six weeks away from perfecting the Gatling Spear, which would doubtless have evened the playing field.

The bad news for Montana is that it is presently being governed by the Lost Boys from Peter Pan. The good news, possibly, is that—as is happening (at least anecdotally) in some of the other TP-captured states—victory at the polls has dissipated the rage and enervated the Movement somewhat…since it’s hard to feel repressed by your own favored majority.

I’d like to think that the spectacle of TPers proposing and passing a slew of bizarre, reckless and unpopular bills with potentially horrifying consequences might work against them in the next cycle, but I may be too much of an optimist.

People who show up at political rallies with guns should be picked up and subjected to an extremely thorough mental health evaluation. Seriously.

What would happen if the protesters in WI had insisted on showing off their guns at the rally? I bet it’d be a massacre. But again, IOIYAR…

@StrangeAppar8us, in Montana it’s hard to say.  A little more than a week ago, I had a nice long conversation with the mayor of Bozeman.  He’s a really great guy, and old school Republican.  He believes in conservative fiscal values and social justice.  He is actually responsible more than many for Bozeman’s non-discrimination ordinance, the one that may be struck down because the legislature hates teh Gay.  So far he’s addressed the legislature 5 times, with little satisfaction.

What he told me is the most disheartening thing of all.  The sense he gets from the Capital is that these Teapublicans have the full support and agreement of the people who put them there, and that we could be dealing with them for a long time to come.

My friends in the progressive camp are holding to the idea that there will be a liberal and independent backlash.  I’m more pessimistic, in part because of the attitudes and opinions coming from the progressive camp itself.  Next year, our junior Senator is facing a challenge from our Teapublican House Rep, Dennis Rehberg.  That junior Senator is Jon Tester.  If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because of Markos’ well publicized tweet concerning Tester’s vote on the DREAM act.  I believe it went something along the lines of “good luck getting reelected, asshole”.  Because many of our Democratic politicians are center-left at best, they face as much challenge from the left as they do from the Teahadists.

So as much as I’d like to think that the crazy will be exposed for what it is, confidence is not high.

Sorry to hear that, Rob. I get the impression that—had there been a clear water route to the Pacific—Montana would be a sovereign nation already.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. PS: Much obliged for the way-too-nice write-up and link!

It’s a sad day when a Tea Party patriot straps a Russian shotgun* to a Tea Party rally. Why does he hate American shotgun manufacturers?

*that’s a Izhmash Saiga-12 he’s got strapped to his chest