Thinking is hard for Montana Republicans. . .

 Montana AG Knudsen's Police State

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has slipped a brand new department into the Montana Republican Party's playbook when no one was looking. Apparently, we are now under the control of the MSP (Montana State Police).

We have all read about the Republican dream of "big brother" pounding on some hapless resident's front door late at night with handcuffs ready and no explanation as to why they are being rousted out of bed. That, my friends, is how a police state operates. 

That is not, however, how Montana operates - under normal times.

A patient in St. Peter's hospital in Helena was denied an unapproved and deemed unethical medication (Ivermectin - a de-wormer for horses) for Covid-19, and a call went out to Republican Headquarters for help. It is reported that the patient was on the "A-List" of the Republican Party of Montana. Attorney General Knudsen sprang into action and dispatched a State Trooper and others to the hospital for some arm twisting.  Doctors and nurses were "hassled and threatened" to give the patient what she wanted. The doctors prevailed, however, stating it would be against hospital protocol to give the medication.

This is but one more strong-armed tactic by the state's Republican takeover. The 2021 Legislature's slash and burn of normal governing in Montana is still smoldering from the GOP's horrendous laws that were passed in the dead of night.

We can assume Knudsen's high-handed march on St. Peter's hospital came from higher up. We're guessing the call from the patient's family member probably went to State Republican headquarters first and the governor second.  That probably triggered the call that unleashed the Attorney General.

Montana is not ready for a "Police State."  Such a move would certainly come from the people first.

But these days, Republicans assume they can decide, act, and rule for all of us. It's just how they think.

And most times, they think wrong!