So, what happens if Hillary drops out of the 2016 presidential race? Politico mentions Schweitzer. Speaking of Schweitzer, Americans for Prosperity just cited the former Democratic Governor in a call-to-action targeting Republican legislators looking to pass Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion in Montana. Will Daines help launch the “Congressional Scientists Caucus?” ICYMI: Montana gets a shout out during Bibi’s AIPAC speech. Plus, “Smoke Weed Everyday”…that’s what an actual road sign read on The University of Montana campus. And, $2,700 in damages after a bison rammed a car in Yellowstone- imagine if it wasn’t parked. Meanwhile, donations reach nearly a quarter million dollars for a Montana ranch family.
Those stories and much more are in today’s Weekend Wrap.
VIDEO: AFP Targeting Republicans on Obamacare Medicaid Expansion
@Matthew_McGov if Montana wanted the Obamacare expansion, wouldn’t they have placed your party in control of #MTLeg in 10,12,14? #MTPol
— Aaron Flint (@aaronflint) March 6, 2015
The Hill: CONGRESSIONAL SCIENTISTS CAUCUS?
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who has an undergraduate degree in chemistry, joked about starting a broader scientists caucus now that Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), a former chemical engineer, has joined the Senate. Coons made the remarks Tuesday during a speech urging Congress to pump the brakes on large-scale patent reform — a call supported by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is one of the few other senators with a science or engineering degree.
“There is now in the Senate of the United States a real living breathing chemical engineer in Steve Daines of Montana,” Coons said. “So negotiations have to begin about whether he will join Sen. Heinrich’s engineering caucus or my chemistry caucus. And you know, chemical engineers really, they just want to be their own thing. Somehow, hopefully this will catalyze a broader conversation about an interdisciplinary scientist caucus,” he said.
Jim Geraghty’s Morning Jolt: Priorities
The federal government removed 438,421 unauthorized immigrants in fiscal 2013.
In fiscal 2012, the IRS audited 1,481,966 people.
NY Times: Fate of Obama’s Trade Agenda May Rest on Oregon Senator
When he’s not legislating, Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat, is a wheat, barley and alfalfa farmer in Big Sandy, Mont. That makes him a good bet to support President Obama’s trade agenda, which is generally backed by agriculture interests.
But before he signs on to anything, Mr. Tester said Tuesday, he wants to see what Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, can come up with in arduous negotiations with Republicans.
The trade deal sought by the Obama administration, the Trans Pacific Partnership, would be the largest accord since the North American Free Trade Agreement went into force in 1994. It would bind 12 nations along the Pacific Rim to a new economic regime with lower trade barriers; fortified protections for workers, the environment and corporate secrets; and new rules to govern the integration of state-owned companies into the global economy.
ICYMI: Montana gets a shout uut during Bibis AIPAC speech…video can be seen by clicking here.
Still, the Democratic bench is hardly shallow. Among other possible candidates who might suddenly find a fire in their belly: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former Gov. Deval Patrick, former Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sens. Sanders, Mark Warner and Kirsten Gillibrand. Lapetina believes pressure would build for a few really big names to enter, such as Al Gore.
And then there’s Elizabeth.
If the Democratic establishment doesn’t have a contingency plan drawn up, progressive activists certainly do, and it amounts to the drafting of the reluctant Elizabeth Warren. Would a Warren candidacy spark a pitched battle between the populists and centrists in the party? Not necessarily. MoveOn.org Executive Director Ilya Sheyman, one of the leaders of the Draft Warren movement, believes that rather than “all-out war,” the party would see just a “vigorous, contested primary,” with Warren in the catbird seat. And many big Democratic donors are ideological true believers who would give to Warren in a heartbeat.
So – what do you @SenWarren & @brianschweitzer fans think: is @HillaryClinton done? #MTPol #MTNews #MTLeg
— Aaron Flint (@aaronflint) March 5, 2015
Are they going to crown another Clinton or Bush to the throne? I don’t know…but here’s Montana’s newest Cherry Blossom Princess:
The Hill: Capitol Hill is full of royalty as cherry blossom season nears
This year’s Cherry Blossom Princesses are being revealed, and ITK has the exclusive scoop on the team, who all double as congressional staffers.
Among the 2015 princesses is Genny Beltrone, an assistant to the chief of staff for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.); Adrienne Cornelius, a scheduler in Rep. Vicky Hartzler’s (R-Mo.) office — whose hidden talent is being able to throw a javelin; and Sen. Pat Roberts’s (R-Kan.) legislative correspondent, Laura Schlapp, who boasts she can name 200 characters in “Harry Potter.”
Speaking of Schweitzer…Zach Lahn with Americans for Prosperity-Montana just sent out this call-to-action via e-mail:
You wouldn’t believe it. Former Governor Brian Schweitzer just attacked Americans for Prosperity for trying to stop Obama’s Medicaid Expansion.
What he didn’t mention? That as Governor, Schweitzer also opposed Medicaid expansion. Admitting that it would “run the risk of bankrupting Montana.”
Montanans from both parties know that expanding Medicaid is a huge risk — but the legislature wants to do it anyway.
Smoke Weed Everyday? An actual traffic sign spotted on The University of Montana campus. They say they were hacked, but the rest of us just assumed it was the latest ordinance passed by the Missoula City Council.
And the car was parked! Imagine if the vehicle was moving. Earlier this week, I posted video of a bison ramming a car in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley…now this from LastBestNews.com: $2,700 in Damages from Bison Ramming Car
Even though the car was parked, the impact is intense, and ended up causing damages estimated at more than $2,700, Carter said.
Despite the bone-jarring smack, the bison seemed unhurt.
“After the collision, he passed the car on the passenger-side and continued walking down the road,” Carter said.
Also from Ed Kemmick’s site: Donations for Jordan ranch family rise to nearly $225,000
Anne Miller, a family friend who helped organize an online fundraiser for the family of Owen Murnion, 38, who was crushed to death while unloading farm equipment in Jordan on Feb. 12, said donations had reached almost $225,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
The total was an estimate because a benefit auction for the Murnion family at the Miles City Livestock Commission had just concluded a little before 4 p.m., and receipts were still being tallied. Miller said the rough total from the Miles City benefit was $45,000.