Montana GOP February caucus is a good idea

While attempts to move Montana's presidential primary from June to February failed (and rightly so, given the price tag,) the Montana GOP's idea of having a caucus in February is a good idea.

Instead of a meaningless primary in June, when the Presidential nominee will have long been decided, a caucus would be a good middle-ground. The state GOP would foot the (very small) bill, and Montana Republicans would have more of a say in who gets the nomination.

Yes, there are those who will grouse about the fact that the rules changes propose limiting participation to those active in party politics, but keep in mind that those active in party politics all have many people that they are answerable to in the party rank-and-file.

In days of yore, these things were decided at party conventions -- which were even more limited affairs, since delegates had to travel to a central location to vote. And somehow, our democratic republic survived.

There are other good reasons for holding such caucuses -- it will give even greater meaning and import to being a "precinct person" in the GOP. All too many precincts either don't have precinct people assigned, or the people who hold those positions don't take them seriously and don't do the work that the job demands.

Bottom line -- this is an internal matter for the Montana GOP. Let's hear the input and complaining, but pay attention only when it comes from Republicans.

Let's hope that Erik Iverson makes this happen.

What to investigate -- shooting cats, or false testimony?

It was fascinating that in the Gazette piece about Police Chief St. John and his news conference, there was more discussion about Sgt. Mark Kirkpatrick's habit of shooting cats while driving to and from work than there was about perjury.

Shooting cats may be a sort of a sociopathic thing to do, but since when have police departments been completely free of officers with sociopathy?

The most important item was addressed with the utmost brevity:

It also was alleged at trial that two officers gave false testimony. Officer Terry Bechtold told jurors at Feuerstein's trial that the false testimony was made by Kirkpatrick, a command officer in the agency's detective division, and Detective Blake Richardson.

Given that the jurors' decision rested in no small part on the fact that they didn't find the witnesses for the defense to be credible (if they had believed them to be telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, then the decision would have gone very differently) -- well, given that, then step one needs to be to investigate the lies and half-truths told at the trial.

That needs to start from the top and work its way down.

There was no bombshell at the news conference, such as any high-profile resignations.

Maybe there will be one at the next City Council meeting. Hope springs eternal.