Much Ado About Nothing/Something

<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/10/31/news/state/65-tester.txt">Unlicensed Tester butchered neighbor's animals, wasn't cited</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jon Tester never had a state-required license for the butchering business he ran at his Big Sandy-area farm, but state records show an inspector visited the shop, but did not cite Tester for breaking the law.<br />n<br />nTester cut meat on an outbuilding on his family farm beginning in the late 1970s. He took the butcher business over from his father, Tester said, who first started cutting meat in the family's basement in the 1950s to make extra money. Tester took the business over after he and his wife assumed the family farm, he said, and realized they couldn't make enough money farming.</blockquote><br />n<br />nSorry, I might not be a fan of Tester but this is nothing. One Neighbor helping out others, even if money changed hands, is the Montana way of doing things and is no big deal. Being visited by inspectors and never being ticketed again is not a surprise. Sounds like the way I am used to things being done in Montana. The only weird thing here is Jon's decision to close down the business when he ran for State Senate. Being as a Montana legislator is a part time job, they meet for 90 days every other year and get paid peanuts, you would think he could be able to keep it open. Did he know he was breaking the law and that was the reason for getting out of the buisness? I doubt it, but it's still curious.<br />n<br />nYou want much ado about something, here it is.<br />n<br />n<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/10/31/news/state/50-abramoff.txt" >Abramoff friend describes Burns staff's ties to lobbyist</a> <br />n<br />n<blockquote>A Republican media consultant and friend of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff recently wrote a letter to a Montana newspaper saying Burns' staff ate so many free meals at Abramoff's restaurant, people joked they would have "starved to death" without the lobbyist.<br />n<br />n"Frankly, it was widely viewed in D.C. that Mr. Abramoff effectively exerted implicit control over Mr. Burns whenever he and his team needed to get something accomplished," reads the letter, which was sent to the Whitefish Pilot last week.</blockquote><br />n<br />nNow this is a lot more damning than the claims against Tester. I will point out that just because Burns's staff cozied up to Abramoff doesn't mean Burns himself did. The implication is there and the appearance of impropriety is there which really makes it hard to doubt, but a does not always equal b so who knows. This is something of significance though where the Tester claims are smoke.<br />n<br />nPolitics, much ado about nothing.<br />n<br />n<strong>Take our politicians: they're a bunch of yo-yos. The presidency is now a cross between a popularity contest and a high school debate, with an encyclopedia of cliches the first prize. Saul Bellow</strong>