Posted: April 17, 2012 at 12:53 pm

Political Quick Hits

Smart

The list of things that the Flathead Democrats do well is long. Today, they added innovative online fundraising to that list. The group is using eBay to auction off a “Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer Commemorative VETO Branding Shadow Box.” The auction starts today and continues until Apr 27 at 10 AM MST. Click here to bid on eBay, or go to the web site at www.flatheaddemocrats.com

The Flathead dems describe the piece as “a unique and artistic item telling the story of Schweitzer branding a veto on what he called “bat crap crazy” legislation on Montana’s capitol steps.” Bidders are invited to “Be not only the first, but the ONLY one to proudly display Gov. Schweitzer giving the Montana Tea Party a red hot spanking!” (Well, only you and Rachal Maddow anyway.)

Not Smart

The Yellowstone County “Montana Shrugged” TEA Party sent out a blast email inviting their incredible shrinking membership to a “Tax Day” TEA Party last Sunday. I’m sure the event was awesome and all, but Tax Day is actually today.

The Billings Gazette reported this week on the extend to which the TEA Party has been, as one le taken over the Republican party. Says one leader: “we’re changing the Republican Party.”

Explaining the changes, AJ Otjen, former Republican candidate for the Montana House seat wrote in Saturday’s Billings Gazette that the Montana GOP has left mainstream reality:

”The [Montana Republican Party] has painted itself into a corner on cultural issues. Ideologues have closed the door and hung out “Not Welcome” signs blocking centrist or center-right candidates who can’t pass narrow litmus tests on cultural issues.”