Listening first solves problems; in school I did better when I listened fully to the instructions before beginning a task or asked a question.  Maybe Politicians and all the politically minded of us should listen first before forming an opinion.

So Thanks to all of our Elected Officials for coming home to here what we have say.

Now, imagine if someone … document[ed]a day in the life of Senator Ben Nelson, currently in the middle of heated debate about health care legislation. It’s not hard. You check the general schedules of his committees and such beforehand, research powerful, under-the-radar staff and other relevant people on the Washington Post‘s WhoRunsGov.com, go through simple security at the Capitol (far easier than an airport), find Nelson’s office in the Hart building, camp out in his waiting area, maybe ask the person at the front desk some questions, find some press in the hallways and ask some questions (maybe visit the Russell rotunda, where the television crews do their spots), stalk the cafeteria (there’s a great coffee shop called Cups in the basement) and listen for people saying “Nelson,” go back to his office and see him leaving to walk down the hall to a committee hearing, take photos of the staff with him on your Samsung ST-1000 with wi-fi and geo-tagging and upload the pics to Bing Maps and Facebook, go to the sub-committee hearing and tape it from a Flip in your coat pocket while you tweet live notes, upload your Flip video to YouTube while you follow Nelson to his next meeting, and so forth.

I’ve been working on this for a week or so, but for those of you who have no idea what’s going on, let’s catch up:

The Gist:

The County Commission will be “deciding” in the next month or so on a proposal from the County Election Clerk, to include the consolidation of precincts from 102 to 42 and the closing and condensing of 13 polling places, including the polling place on campus and at the courthouse.  Other than the proposed closings and consolidation, there is no plan to research the affect of how the closings will affect voters, or a plan to mitigate any negative effects.

The proposal came to light about 2 1/2 weeks ago.    The only meeting for public comment will be held tomorrow, December 16th 1:30 – right in the middle of finals week – a time when 25% of the voting population will be unavailable.

Just Citizens and Forward Montana teamed up for an OpEd in the Missoulian yesterday and the County officials responded with what sounds like a decision.

We think closing the polling place on  campus is particularly egregious.  It services over 1200 new voters to Missoula,  most of whom are new to the area, let alone the University.  Forcing them to go to a polling place in the city could dissuade them from voting.

Most importantly, this entire process is messed up.  With only two months for people to understand this drastic change to democracy in Missoula, it seems that very little process has been considered for the breadth and depth of the overhaul.

Ultimately, if changes must be shoved down our throats right this very second (never let a serious crisis go to waste, right?) we should be condensing the precincts – which will eliminate a number of costly poll judges, and scrap the part about closing the polling places until enough research, thought and public input is included.

The above quote is from a blog post about the Open Government Initiative on the White House blog.

I guess the concept is only good when a state is following the Administration’s orders.

The break down on Montana's Recovery Act Spending

Hopefully this is just bad book keeping, but as I dive further, I’ll post updates.

edit 4pm: Waiting for comment from Rehberg’s office.

update 4:23pm: Other states are having the same problem.

update 5pm: Missouri project listed as MT project.  University system lists Congressional District as CD00.  Thanks to John Bacino for these ones, more as I have time to go over the reports.

update 10:10pm: Police officer for the Ft. Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes, $0, 1 job? – CD5;  $7500 for gravel delivery from the Dept. of Interior – CD14; Culvert Replacement in Dillon – CD11; $3200 for an energy efficient “office air conditioner” in Malta & 4800 for a Heater – CD04

Young women will not buy abortion coverage because no one plans to have one. We all assume it will never happen to us because we are careful, right?

Let me paint you a picture: young girl just getting by in the world gets pregnant and she can not afford to have a baby. So she has to ask the question pay now or pay later? Does she pay the thousands tomorrow to have an abortion or pay for delivery and child care for the next 18 years. I know what you are thinking – yes, a baby is always an amazing gift.
I just want to make the point that this closet abortion ban is cruel if lawmakers do not make birth control a priority of this bill.

If we are going to sell abortion coverage for young women why not sell child support coverage for the boys? Both are ridiculous.

You won’t have to change any thing with your readers, it’ll just happen through feedburner.

Where are the jobs? I want to see that blog post.

“And it is important to remember what makes the free market work. Is it a desire we all have to do good for others? Do people in New York enjoy fresh steak for dinner at their favorite restaurant because cattle ranchers in Texas love to make New Yorkers happy? Of course not.”

That made me chuckle but this one made me think:

“Imagine what would happen if I wrote a letter to Congress and informed its members that, because I am fully capable of taking care of my own retirement needs, I respectfully request that they stop taking money out of my paycheck for Social Security. Such a letter would be greeted with contempt. But is there any difference between being forced to save for retirement and being forced to save for housing or for my child’s education or for any other perceived good? None whatsoever. Yet for government to force us to do such things is to treat us as children rather than as rational citizens in possession of equal and inalienable natural rights.”

I don’t want to stop paying Social Security(it is the life blood of my Grandparents) but I might write a letter to tell Congress I am not going to need it for retirement. Cause I got that covered.

If people want smaller Government, we must pick up the slack. I have to save for my own retirement and we will have to donate to the food bank and help our neighbors. In order for Government to cut programs, they must become unnecessary. That is only responsible way to its reduce size.