A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Note, 26 October 2015. Lisa Morrow, leader of the Flathead group for Bernie Sanders, provided up-to-date links for pro-Bernie pages, so ignore the links below.
Updated. No one from the Sanders for President organization asked his supporters in the Flathead to march in Kalispell’s Independence Day parade — but march they did, brandishing homemade signs, smiles as wide as the Big Sky, and a bounce in their step.
Now they’re organizing for next week’s Flathead County Fair, where they’ll have a booth and present quite a contrast to the Republicans, who must contend with Donald Trump.
Lisa Morrow of Kalispell is coordinating pro-Sanders efforts in the Flathead. Her co-coordinator is Alicia Davis of Trego. Morrow reports there are still a few shifts available for the fair booth. The group meets frequently — all supporters of Sanders are welcome and urged to attend — and has a Facebook page.
A separate effort to organize Montana for Sanders is underway. There’s a website, mtforbernie.com, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account, @mtforbernie. So far, there doesn’t appear to be a #mtforbernie hashtag. Although there currently may be some friction between this group and local pro-Sanders groups, relations probably will be smoothed out as people find a way to work together for the greater cause.
Sanders is catching fire at the grassroots level because he's honest, forthright, and doesn't kowtow to, or haul water for, the big banks, private health insurers, or Wall Street bandits. He supports a $15/hour minimum wage, expanded Social Security (today is Social Security’s 80th birthday), universal single-payer health care, opposes the Trans Pacific Partnership, wants to outlaw private prisons, and not put so many people in jail.Revised. Sanders, incidentally, continues to expand his issues pages. But there’s one extremely disquieting development: his position on health care no longer is listed under issues. A Google search uncovered https://berniesanders.com/medicare-for-all/, so it's possible that his health care plank has been hidden by accident. But given the horrible record of the Democratic Party on health care, and the deep antipathy of so many Democrats toward single-payer health care (these are the Democrats who love donations from the health insurance industry more than they love the best possible health care system), I worry.