Republican maga took an oath to support and uphold the U.S. Constitution but instead they obey Donald Trump

Montana leaders need to remember their oath to Constitution

Echo opinion letter published in the Montana Bozeman Daily Chronical newspaper:

Republicans Sen. Daines, Sen. Sheehy, Rep. Zinke, Rep. Downing and Governot Gianforte:

We Montanans are gravely concerned with your support for Donald Trump's authoritarianism, rejection of our U.S. Constitution, rule of law, and due process. The U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 3, Clause 1 (1789) states: "Treason against the U.S. shall consist only in lobbying War against them ..."

Trump's "Chipocalypse Now" threat against an American city Chicago is an act of treason, an act of a tyrant, an act of a dictator.

Two: Support the release of the full Epstein files. By not supporting the release of the Epstein files, you support sexual predators of young girls and women who deserve truth, justice, accountability, and closure.

Three: Stop supporting the economic destruction of Montana and America by supporting Trump's illegal tariff taxes on all Americans.

Four: Stop supporting Trump's/DOGE's/ (incompetent❗) Robert Kennedy Jr.'s (RFKjr) destruction of our American healthcare system. Today we could not get COVID vaccines because of Kennedy's policies.

You took an oath of office to uphold the U.S. Constitution and were elected to help Montanans not harm Montanans and destroy America.

From Catherine Legge in Bozeman Montana

Republican maga abandon their constitutional repsponsibility to provide executive branch oversight

Echo opinion letter publised in the Montana Bozeman Daily Chronicle: 

I’m angry about the half-truth responses our Montana senators send me (but GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke sends nothing- although his website has a pominent "contact us" icon).

Take the unconstitutional move sending federal troops into Washington, D.C. Sen. Sheehy wrote, Washington, D.C., is “riddled with crime” and has a homicide rate "six times higher than NYC”.

But it is a lie❗🤥 In fact, the crime rate in D.C. dropped over the last three years with 2024’s, crime rate the lowest in 30 years. 

Top 10 cities with highest murder rates include Jackson, Michigan; Birmingham, Alabama; St Louis, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky — but NOT Washington, D.C. (or Chicago). Why not send troops there first (too Republican?)

Sheehy wrote further that D.C. Mayor Bowser in a MSNBC Aug 28, interview said she “greatly appreciates” the deployment of federal authorities — true. BUT, he did NOT say, she clarified further, that “having masked ICE agents in the streets has not worked,” “there has been a “break in trust between police and community”, the "use of national guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources” (like cleaning up national monuments?), and D.C. people are “devastated about people living in fear”.


Finally, both senators wrote me that cuts to Medicaid and SNAP only "cut out waste, fraud and abuse”, BUT with estimated cuts in Medicaid spending at $800 billion-plus over the next 10 years and SNAP funding by over $1 billion, this is hardly just “waste, fraud and abuse”.


Thousands of Montanans will suffer losing health insurance coverage, SNAP benefits, and even their rural hospitals — all to fund tax breaks for billionaire friends & donors!


Two points; 1) It’s on us to discover the truth — read widely. And 2), sadly, our current congressional delegation won’t stand up for most Montanans, instead they rubber stamp what Trump wants and gave up congressional oversight.

Well, folks, I guess "we the people" are the posse.

From Louise Davis in  Bozeman Montana

Donald Trump list of failed accomplishments in just 100 days has dismantled democracy as we know it

Echo opinion letter published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, a Montana newspaper:

OK, 100 days into the horror of the Trumpzi administration so, let’s take a look at some numbers for Trump’s “accomplishments,” shall we?
• 39% approval rating – lowest of any new president ... ever.$6,400 expected increase in new car prices (tariffs).
• 60% rise in egg prices.
• $5.9B expected losses (annually!) in soybean farmers’ sales (tariffs)❗

• $81.65 billion in first-term farm bailouts. This will be worse!
• 200 “trade deals” he claims he has made- without any proof.
• Zero trade deals actually confirmed by any evidence.
• Zero plans to actually lower grocery prices.
• 121,000 fired dedicated federal workers – including 70,000 VA employees.
• $500B of lost tax revenue due to fired IRS workers, especially those who were working on the richest tax cheats (imagine that, huh!).

• $500 million funneled into Trump’s pockets from crypto schemes (Forbes). 24 days spent golfing (25% of his first 100 days!) costing the taxpayers $26 million.

• $6 billion cut from NIH medical research grants for cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc.

• $12 billion cut from state health services.
• $90 billion loss in tourism this year (Goldman Sachs estimate). Montana expected to be the No. 1 biggest loser.
• At least 288 people trafficked to El Salvador without due process, in defiance of court orders (and the Constitution!).
• 1,600 pardons for violent January 6th criminals, plus convicted fraudsters (hey, birds of a feather, right?).
• 21 Faux News personalities and six billionaires in his administration.
• 293 times Trump has with cruelty complained about Joe Biden (more than times a day!).
• Four threatened annexations of other countries: Greenland, Gaza, Panama, and ... Canada?!
• One commercial for Tesla on the White House lawn.

Well done, Trump MAGA cult Republican voters! 

Are you “tired of winning” yet❓ 

Enjoy your increased prices on pretty much everything, income losses, and maybe even your farms and tourism businesses.

Unfortunately, the rest of us will also suffer for your voting folly.

From Kevin Crawford in Bozeman, Montana

Donald John Trump is already violating his oath to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution

 Letter to the editor of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, in Montana : Trump inauguration (has already) made a mockery of our Constitution.

Our nation's Constitution will be grossly violated, rendered inconsequential on Inauguration Day, Monday, Jan. 20, which, ironically, is also Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Rev. King, in the 1960s, led the fight for Black citizens' constitutional rights. President Trump, in 2021, called for a violent insurrection against the Constitution.

The mandate in the heart of Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is abundantly clear:


No person shall ... hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, ... who, having previously taken an oath ... as an officer of the United States...to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."

In 2021, President Trump called together thousands of supporters for a Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington. We all know what happened. Now, President-elect Trump has said, as again president, he will pardon those he sent to storm the Capitol and "fight like hell."


In 2021, President Trump called together thousands of supporters for a Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington. We all know what happened. Now, President-elect Trump has said, as again president, he will pardon those he sent to storm the Capitol and "fight like hell."


Trump is an insurrectionist. He may not not "hold any office, civil or military, under the United States" without being in violation of the Constitution, but the Constitution be damned.


At noon on January 20, Donald John Trump, once again, will place his left hand upon a Holy Bible, raise his right hand, and swear before God and the nation to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution of the United States of America, and render the Constitution inconsequential in a ceremony that will make historic mockery of that sacred document.


From Kenneth Allen in Bozeman Montana

We the jury find the defendent Donald Trump guilty but Republicans cannot accept the rule of law

The Columbus Dispatch:  "After seven weeks and a heap of evidence, the verdict in the Donald Trump trial came down to fewer than 12 hours of deliberation and a single word uttered 34 times.
"Guilty❗", Amelia Robinson.

Echo opinion letter published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle newspaper, in Bozeman Montana.

Republican reaction to Trump conviction is dangerous and sad.

Sadly.😙😢...no surprise that all Republicans currently running for state-wide offices in Montana have declared the conviction of Donald Trump in New York STATE court a “sham” orchestrated by the Biden administration. Hilarious — since they have no knowledge of, and cite no evidence of (1) any errors by the judge in conducting the trial; (2) any irregularities by the jury in deliberating or reaching its verdict; (3) any control or influence of President Biden or any other US official over a proceeding in NY STATE court brought by NY STATE prosecutors.

The only basis for their wrongminded, false and totally unsupported statements is their desire to show their loyalty to Trump and his “base” (voters who will support him to the end, no matter what misdeeds, misstatements, and outright lies he has been proven to have done or stated). Ignore the fact that the justice system grants everyone the right to a fair trial, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt (which the judge would have told the jury before they began their deliberations), and the right to an appeal to the STATE Supreme Court (and SCOTUS). However, since such appeals will not be filed and decided until long after the 2024, elections, the political calculus is to show blind allegiance to The Boss in the meantime, in order to guarantee election by those demonstrating allegiance.

When are Trump’s voting supporters going to wake up and realize that the only “FACTS” supporting Donald Trump are his continuous lies and misstatements, which are blindly re-stated by his supporters and political minions only out of their own self interest? Wake up and do your own research using unbiased sources of information. Rely on real FACTS to make up your minds — not biased statements of blind loyalty. 😠

From Mickey Smotherman, in Bozeman Montana

Republicans are dismantling our Republic

An echo letter opinion writer is describing a political process going on in Montana to replace the experienced Justice Gustafson, appointed to the Montana Supreme Court, with an inexperienced lobbyist!  Is this trend indicating a trend to destroy our Republic? Letter published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

No one can argue democracy is perfect. Those who study history argue it is better than dictatorships like Putin’s and Hungary’s Orban.

For two hundred years Americans have expanded democracy. Now we have a #Republican political party working to limit voting by passing laws making it harder to vote and by putting extremists in charge of state and local elections who are not committed to fair elections.

These same extremists are even working to subvert Montana’s Supreme Court by supporting an industry lobbyist, James Brown. The fact he has no judicial experience is unimportant. 

What matters is he’s willing to ignore the Constitution and do the bidding of special interests in making judicial rulings and who could care less about hard working Montanans. 

Their target is Ingrid Gustafson an intelligent and hardworking incumbent justice who has a record of deciding cases without bias or a political agenda.

From Sue Beland in Bozeman Montana

Trump is a criminal who must be in prison

It’s difficult understanding why all the Trump people, and Trump himself, have not been taken to court. We’ve been told and shown for months, how Trump people lied in their attacking of the building, injuring 140-plus workers, terrifying thousands.

Echo opinion letter published in the Bozeman Montana in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle newspaper:

So, dear Merrick Garland, why do we wait? We’re hearing often about various law firms spending months being certain about ultimately hostile actions of Trump’s “army.”

Why, therefore, isn’t Trump in jail? Didn’t we think, and for some time, see, that it wouldn't take this long? He is, for starters, defendant in 29 lawsuits. Many investors did criminal investigations in addition to those attorneys obtaining his tax returns. At the very least, there’s often mention of his own understanding that prison awaits him.

“Why is Trump, the seditionist, still on the loose, instead of in prison, where he belongs? The Justice Department (Attorney General Merrick Garland!) should have indicted him months ago! 

Just look at the massive crimes committed by the former guy #dRump. What he’s doing to his Republican Party, is fascism!”

Reference Bill Kennedy: “Our then supposed National Leader presided over, aided and abetted, the worst violent attack on...our government in more than 150 years, thus recommending Trump as President is quality of both Treason and Sedition!”

Jamelle Bouie: “As with the entire effort to overturn the result of the election, Trump’s behavior was as clumsy as it was in earnest.”

Trump to Justice Department: “Just say the election was corrupt, and leave the rest to me.”

Trump being — as he was — an absurd figure, doesn’t mean we should treat his drives and desires as non-threatening; True when in office, and true now!

This Democrat in Montana, as I deal with (#SIASD!) Republican friends and strangers — will still delight in Trump’s knowingly eventual demise.

Dan Lourie, in Bozeman Montana

Trump is the root of the national emergency- Lock Him Up!

It’s difficult understanding why all the Trump people, and Trump himself, have not been taken to court. We’ve been told and shown for months, how Trump people lied in their attacking of the building, injuring 140-plus workers, terrifying thousands.

Why do we wait? We’re hearing often about various law firms spending months being certain about ultimately hostile actions of Trump’s “army.”

"Former President Donald Trump the seditionist is still on the loose instead of being in jail where he belongs. The Justice Department should have indicted him months ago...."  Richer Striner in The Capital Gazette.

Echo opinion letter published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, a newspaper in Montana. 

Why, therefore, isn’t Trump in jail? Didn’t we think, and for some time, see, that it wouldn’t take this long? He is, for starters, the  defendant in 29 lawsuits. Many investors did criminal investigations in addition to those attorneys, obtaining the Trump tax returns. 

At the very least, there’s often mention of his own understanding that prison awaits him.

Richer Striner asks the question, disturbing many of us — plus millions all over the country: “Why is Trump, the seditionist, still on the loose, instead of in jail where he belongs? The Justice Department should have indicted him months ago! Look at the massive crimes Trump committed. What he’s doing to his Republican Party, is fascism!”

Bill Kennedy: “Our then supposed National Leader presided over, aided and abetted, the worst violent attack on...our government in more than 150 years, thus recommending Trump as President is quality of both Treason and Sedition!”

Jamelle Bouie: “As with the entire effort to overturn the result of the election, Trump’s behavior was as clumsy as it was in earnest.”

 Trump to Justice Department: “Just say the election was corrupt, and leave the rest to me.”

Trump being — as he was — an absurd figure, doesn’t mean we should treat his drives and desires as non-threatening; True when in office, and true now!

This Democrat in Montana, as I deal with Republican friends and strangers — will still delight in Trump’s knowingly eventual demise.

From Dan Lourie in Bozeman, Montana

Donald Trump is a swamp enabler - echo opinion

Echo opinion letter published in the Bozeman Montana, in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle: 

Donald Trump knew about the dangers of Covid and lied to the American people to protect the stock market, leading to the deaths of over 225,000 Americans.

He called military personnel and veterans “suckers” and “losers.” He’s a tax cheat and owes hundreds of millions to unknown entities. He’s trying to steal another term by making us doubt our election process. He’s a liar. He’s a fraud. He’s a racist. He belongs in jail, not in the White House.

Trump and all of his swamp enablers must go, including all the GOP incumbents who supported his illegal, racist administration, like Steve Daines and Greg Gianforte.  (Add Senator Susan Collins to this GOP mix.)

Let’s put an end to this nonsense once and for all. Vote Biden, Bullock, Cooney and Williams.  Cara Wilder, from Bozeman, Montana

Echo opinion from Montana ~ Coal is a dying fossil fuel energy

An opinion letter to the editor published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, a Montana newspaper, written by Bob Roughton

Montana Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte supports tax credits for coal ~ a dying industry

In the past, coal has been a major benefit to Montanans, for decades. 

In the past, coal created good-paying jobs and paid tens of millions in taxes to state and local government. 

Nevertheless, now coal, nationwide, is a fading industry, not because of regulation but because of market forces.

At the same time, renewable energy has been growing at double-digit rates, now accounting for over ten million jobs, one hundred times the total employment in the coal industry!

The real treasures in our "treasure state" are wind and sun, the two leading drivers of rapid growth in the renewable energy industry. But do Representative Gianforte (Republican), and his mentor Senator Steve Daines (Republican), support renewable energy? No! Why don’t they advocate for the same levels of tax subsidies for renewables that coal and oil enjoy? The answer is found in the lopsided campaign contributions they receive from the mining and energy industries.

Republican Gianforte’s blind eye to what could be a major economic boon to Montana, by investing in renewable energy, comes from either avarice or negligence, and both are politics at it’s worst. It’s one more reason that Gianforte deserves defeat in November. 

We need someone in Congress who will put Montanans energy needs first.

Echo from Bozeman MT - proof of failed trickle down

This letter from Bozeman Montana offers evidence of how the "trickle down" economic theory doesn't work.  In other words, "tax cuts for the rich" won't help the middle class. Corporations will get richer while the middle class will pay for the growing national deficit.

An "Echo" letter to the editor from Ken Busch from Livingston, Montana published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Republican orthodoxy contends that throwing billions at the Ivankas and Paris Hiltons among us leads to economic growth. 

This despite convincing evidence that the 

• Bush tax cuts led to the Great Recession, 
• Reagan’s second big tax cut to the Reagan recession, and 
• Coolidge’s cuts to the Great Depression 

If trickle down works, why does the Walton family (WalMart) own so much of the country while their workers collect Medicaid and run food drives for themselves? Walmart workers collected $6.2 billion in government aid in 2014.

Very recently Kansas passed massive tax cuts, and their education system suffered and surrounding states sprinted past it in economic growth. For this disaster red-state Kansas voters gave GOP Gov. Sam Brownback a swift kick out of the statehouse.

Only a tiny fraction of CEOs claim they will hire more or raise wages because of the corporate giveaways. Most say they will engage in stock buy backs, which benefits their personal bottom lines. Businesses need customers, not tax cuts. What else do the .01 percent, who have as much wealth as the bottom 22 percent of us, buy except more industrial robots and politicians? Broadly based cuts would help economic growth more these policies that send 82 percent of cuts to the richest people in history while lining the pockets of the Trumps and the “Corker kickback” crowd, i.e. Congress.

Regular taxpayers now get attacks on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, increases in local government fees and taxes and a small tax cut that expires in a few years!

However, Republicans gave the Pentagon 21 fighter jets it doesn’t even want but can’t bring itself to extend the CHIP program for kid’s health care. Sen. Daines and Rep. Gianforte should join Brownback in political exile.

Ken Busch, Livingston Montana, letter published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Montana: Bozeman Daily Chronicla letter- Disgraceful president

Montana resident writes with visceral passion about Donald Trump.  This "echo" from Bozeman Daily Chronicle, letter to the editor, is posted here because of the depth of emotion emanating from such a beautiful place in America.  I've been to the Yellowstone Gateway region. This letter rises out of what appears to be a natural haven, where the beauty of God's creation rests.

How can I forgive this disgrace of a president?

By Mirna Osterberg  Jul 6, 2017
Gallatin Gateway, Montana*- How am I supposed to forgive this, this—I won’t say “man”—this gross thing disgracing the White House, humiliating our nation, pointing his little fingers, making foul sounds at everybody and everything?

Can you forgive a criminal who feels no remorse—and actually believes himself to be good?

How can I forgive someone who wants the rich to get richer—as usual, by making the poor suffer more? Who wants to take away my Medicaid? Who wants public lands to be given over to private developers—like himself?

This foul-mouthed bully, who wants more pollution to fill our air and soils and waterways? Why should I forgive him? I know I will never ever support him. How do I forgive the people who voted for him?

This fiend who gives moral and military support to repressive foreign powers? Who makes women suffer and wants to take away their right to abortion? Who doesn’t believe in global warming?

This traitor to democracy who wants to suppress voting among poor and colored people? Remember, we’re all frauds and losers in his mind—we, the people who oppose his viciousness to our cores!

How can I forgive a person who spends his time pressing keypads with his thumbs to make vile digital blurts that belittle, berate, harass and harangue anyone who dares oppose his noxious policy ideas? Instead of doing his job?

How can I show compassion for someone who claims anything said, written or broadcast in opposition to his sociopathic purposes is fake news?

This tyrant, this hateful usurper with no regard for democracy!

May Jesus forgive him and you who voted for him. Because I can’t forgive him or you.

*Gallatin Gateway is twelve miles southwest of Bozeman on the Gallatin River. It is located at the mouth of the canyon on the road leading to Yellowstone National Park.