Welcome to the Thursday edition of your open thread. We’re finally getting a little break from the insane heat, it’s merely hellish today.
Joan McCarter at Daily Kos asks a great question: Why do Montana’s Republicans hate firefighters?
Multi-millionaire congressman Denny Rehberg is the latest Montana Republican to take on firefighters, a move that didn’t work out so well for former Sen. Conrad Burns. But where Burns just embarrassed himself by cussing out some smoke jumpers in public, Rehberg is going nuclear, taking the Billings fire department to court.
Rehberg Ranch LLC contends property and equipment was damaged at Rehberg Ranch Estates because the fire department breached its duty during a wildfire that burned more than 1,100 acres in the subdivision west of Billings Logan International Airport in July of 2008.
The company in court documents filed Friday in Yellowstone County District Court says the fire scorched trees and ground cover causing irreparable damage on a large section of land intended for development.
One would think, since that land was “intended for development” that that the wildfire just did the job that Rehberg’s bulldozers were going to eventually get around to, anyway. But that’s not going to stop this Sagebrush Rebel from trying to make a dime off the government–even if it’s just the city of Billings–with a bullshit lawsuit. It’s the Republican way out West, take advantage of cheap grazing, cheap mining, cheap water, every kind of subsidy for resource development imaginable, all the while bitching about government interference and forcing lawsuits to ensure that “development” isn’t hindered.
Rehberg does have a Democratic opponent, Dennis McDonald.
Kentucky is a state to watch this election season. Tuesday, a PPP poll showed Rand Paul and Jack Conway were tied at 43% each. Yesterday PPP released more poll data from Kentucky showing Mitch McConnell had a huge dive in popularity in Kentucky. I think it’s proving pandora’s thesis from yesterday – voters don’t like Democrats and they really don’t like Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell backed the wrong horse in the Senate primary back home in Kentucky and now he’s paying the price with state Republicans. A new PPP (D) poll out today shows McConnell’s approval rating has fallen to a record low 34% in his home state.
Even worse for McConnell is that only 38% of voters surveyed said that they want McConnell to remain the head of his party’s caucus in the Senate. Almost half — 49% — said they don’t think McConnell should keep his job as Republican leader.
The decay in McConnell’s numbers comes completely from Republicans. His numbers with Democrats and Independents is unchanged.