Steve Daines, along with his right-wing ideologues, has a history of using sloppy and misinformed language. For example, in the Deb Haaland hearing, he spouted, “I’m not convinced the congresswoman can divorce her radical views and represent what’s best for Montana and all stakeholders in the West.” This is despite the evidence establishing that even though Congresswoman Haaland is a freshman legislator, she has had bicameral and bipartisan support for the bills she has introduced (GovTrack 2019). Compare this to Daines’ paltry record. Slop and misinformation, unfortunately, served Daines well in this last election, where 52 out of every 100 Montanans voted for him. If this has a bright side, it’s that he won by a small margin. The question, then, becomes one of how to erase this margin. Game on?
Here’s my plan. Let’s create a game. To play, over the next six years, we all write lots of letters to the editor, slightly rephrasing Daines’ language. For example, I might write, “I’m convinced Senator Daines cannot divorce his radical views and represent what’s best for Montana and all stakeholders in the West.” Of course, we who are offended by the senator’s ’ willy-nilly mouthing of “scary” words like “radical” might feel obliged to provide evidence so we aren’t as logically fallacious as he. But that could be part of the rules, making the game not only fun but educational!
Glen Chamberlain
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle 3/25/21