I’m so happy to have my tech issues wonderfully and expertly patchwork’d so that I can bring you this long conversation with Doug McKenty, a podcaster and writer hailing (for the time being) from Northern California.
The topic is an unfortunate feud that both Doug and I are saddened by and would like to see MORE dialogue around, and that’s the feud between Derrick Broze and Alison McDowell. I hope this can add to a constructive conversation about the ever-shifting crypto-terrain and the tech that fuels it.
CORRECTION: The “Ms. DiSantis” who publisher Jim Strauss commented on in a tweet is NOT the wife of the Florida Governor, like I implied. My mistake.
If the results weren’t so infuriating, it would almost be humorous watching developers like WGM’s Nick Kaufman and policy prostitutes like MEP’s Grant Kier complain about the lack of housing. Thanks to a recent City Club presentation, that is EXACTLY what we got this week from these enablers of policies, like Tax Increment Financing, which make housing affordability WORSE.
Since these hypocritical fuckers can’t ever speak honestly about their roles in worsening the housing crisis, we get bullshit like this:
In Monday’s City Club Missoula meeting, long-time Missoulians discussed how to keep Missoula great for future generations.
“For many, Missoula is the last best place in the last best place,” said Grant Kier, CEO of Missoula Economic Partnership and moderator of Monday’s meeting. ”At the same time, our community has experienced rapid growth, tremendous change and significant headwinds over the last decade and a half.”
Headwinds? Are you sure that isn’t just hot air blowing from the manpulative mouths of Mayor Engen and his cronies, Grant? And what are the solutions, or did City Club just find some long-time residents to participate in this spectacle to create the ILLUSION of finding solutions by these hypocrite enablers?
The most tone-deaf statement in this NBC Montana article comes from “principal planner” of WGM, Nick Kaufman. While tone-deaf, it’s also VERY insightful, as I’ll explain after the quote. From the link:
“We certainly value our jobs in Missoula, but a lot of us can’t afford to live here,” said panelist Nicholas Kaufman, principal planner with WGM Group. “We chose to live in the Bitterroot because of quality of life, but now people move because of affordability.”
Ah, is THIS why Kaufman is such a BIG supporter of housing density? Because packing people into the sardine can MASTER plan in Missoula will keep residential overflow from filling the Bitterroot?
Moving on, this Friday is the start of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, a major cultural event that brings documentary filmmakers from around the world to showcase their stuff (no, Engen’s Missoula was not finished in time to submit for this year’s festival).
This year’s opening film, which will be showing at a venue owned by a man who tried to use a complicated financial instrument to line his own pockets, is called A Decent Home. If you don’t hear the irony sirens blaring, then here’s a description of the film that should unplug your ears:
Opening Night 2022 brings into focus the importance of home and community amidst rapidly changing economic realities. When housing that’s on the lowest rung of the American Dream is being devoured by the wealthiest of the wealthy, whose dream are we serving?
If that wasn’t enough to get your blood boiling on this cold February morning after Valentines Day, check out this screen shot of a tweet from Jim Strauss, the publisher of the Missoulian.
Why is the publisher of a Montana newspaper focusing on the wife of an elected official in Florida? Is it because Jim Strauss’ wife, Dee Strauss, works for a nursing home corporation with ties to developing high-end real estate in Florida?
I hope people like Nick Kaufman, Grant Kier, and Jim Strauss understand that every time they issue these vacuous virtue signals, more and more commoners are able to wake up and see through this poorly executed charade.
And to help with this process, I’ve composed a new poem about Truckers. Enjoy!
little Castro bastard boy
runs away from trucker horns
whac-a-mole protest joy
awakening latent scorn
GoFundMe thieves steal the loot
while lil Jussie hides in fear
needle zealots jack their boots
and finger-plug their stupid ears
semi-wheeling blocking streets
viral courage starts to spread
my uzi bullhorn brings the heat
to warm the bones of the walking dead
liberal zombies, what the fuck?
how did Pharma buy your brains?
we're coming for the school boards
as your gaslights start to wane
no, not threatening, just the truth
that action-taking will be done
kicking red-lines with your hoof
lights the fuse of my innter sun
