Intelligent Discontent

• Written by: PogieApril 26th, 2006
• Comments:10 Comments
• Category:John Morrison, Montana Politics, Senate Race 2006, Senator for Saginaw Chippewas
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It’s got to be convenient to not be bound by reason or logic. It seems the Burns campaign is worked up about John Morrison ‘politicizing a veteran’s rally at the Capitol yesterday. Sarah Pompei criticized Morrison for issuing a press release that outlined his plans to improve health care for veterans:

“He used the rally to politicize veterans … (and) as a political platform for his campaign,” said Burns’ campaign spokesman, Sarah Pompei.

There are a number of things that are amusing about that claim. I happened to be at the Capitol yesterday, and given that there were more politicians, staffers, and reporters there than people rallying, one might suggest that the event was somewhat political. Given that the event was attended by people who actually have the power to improve for health care for veterans, but chose, instead, to spend the day getting themselves in the paper, one might suggest that the event was political.

But the best part? The Burns staff (you know, the ones who thought that the event shouldn’t be political) might have acted a little bit politically:

In Burns’ statement that was read at the rally, he promised to “continue to fight for travel pay, accessibility (to health care) with clinics in Lewistown and Cut Bank, and education benefits.” He did not mention any other specific health-care provisions.

After the rally, however, the statement sent out by Burns’ campaign office listed seven health care programs for which he’d helped secure money, including rural outpatient clinics, an additional veteran cemetery in Missoula, and a new benefits facility at Fort Harrison.

I guess I am to assume that this information was provided for its factual, not political, value. It’s good to see that Conrad would never put politics ahead of veterans:

Burns voted against making VA funding a mandatory part of the federal budget.
Pompeii said in a statement that mandatory funding for the VA would have raised taxes, and Burns “has never voted for a tax increase.”