When it comes to the right and wrong side of history, the vote on the infrastructure bill comes to top of mind. The infrastructure bill brings billions of dollars into North Dakota for public works: roads, bridges, water, sewer, and curb just to name a few. It’s easy to see why our Congressman would want to vote yes, as the federal government sends back $2.02 for every $1.00 sent it.
But Congressman Kelly Armstrong didn’t vote for it.
The bill for aid to Ukraine was voted on this last Saturday. It was a $95 billion package providing security assistance to Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. Of that $95 billion, close to $61 billion goes to Ukraine in the form of weapons. Weapons that are made right here in the United States.
Kelly Armstrong voted against that too.
Both of those votes will continue to judge his time in office. And the one thing they both have in common is that Donald Trump told him to vote against them. In Trump’s eyes, the bills would hurt any chance he has of winning in the fall.
So maybe it’s time to ask why Armstrong voted against these bills. I don’t think that’s hard to see. It’s from a fear of Donald Trump, and what he could do as repercussion. Armstrong is in the toughest political race of his career, and for the first time, he’s running against someone with money. The type of money that can tell a story. The type of story he doesn’t want to hear. A story not of what you’ll do with the office, but one of who likes Donald Trump more. So, in his eyes, the way to win is to do what Trump says and when he tells you to do it.
The upside to this is that his opponent, Tammy Miller, can’t say she would have voted any different. She can’t make it through one commercial without professing her love to her orange God and promising that she too will do anything he says. While both of them continue to do anything they can to earn his love.
I just wish for the sake of those people being butchered in Ukraine, and for those of us that won’t leave better roads to our kids than our parents did, it was the people of North Dakota’s love that was valued most.
Good riding with you,
Joel
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