I think I need to give the dude at Black Diamond Equipment some free advertising on this site. He is calling out the spades as he sees them. I kind of like a guy such as that.
Unfortunately, the same ideas always get bantered around in Helena when we have our bi-annual convention of the "Self-appointed experts of nothing worth discussing." Some call it a legislative session. Those of sanity, or those not employed in the world of drama pawned off as news, call it a circus act. Filled with all kinds of tricks, costume changes behind the scenes, some sword swallowers and back stabbers make appearances, artists in the act of deception and other slights of hand and tounge abound, and I am sure if you look hard enough, you could find other stunts commonly found in a circus.
Yet, occassionally, some sane people attend the convention to actually represent their constituents. They are not the majority, for sure.
The show usually starts as just one ring acts, but by the end of their convention, all three rings are abuzz with deal making, paying off political favors with public resources, and ticket criers walk around with lobbyist badges offering you the deals you cannot afford to miss.
Really, if a time machine could bring someone forward from the heyday of Barnum and Bailey, I am afraid he may think P.T, and his band of hooligans took up temporary residency in Helena for three months in the odd years following elections.
That convention serves as living proof to P.T.'s statement, "There's a sucker born every minute."
Appears that the circus is now stranded in Utah. My condolences to those in the Beehive state.
