Last night, I'm eating dinner at a truck stop in NW Montana.

[imanamerican63]

I have never been in this part of Montana before yesterday, had a stop in a small town south of here. Roads were pretty slippery after a small but moderate snowfall, I came back to truck stop for the night.

I’m setting at the counter and just began to eat, when a guy walked in and sat a couple of seats down. I usually don’t have a conversation with anyone just in case they want to talk about Trump, guns or the GOBers. But what a shocker, this guy started in about how the GOBers and Trump were tearing down the country and ruining our democracy. He was a former republican, but now he’s views have changed. I ended up talking with him for about an half hour. He was very sensible and I could see he still was a bit conservative, yet he didn’t have anything good to say about the Republican Party. He finishes with, “Trump will never be the president that Joe Biden is or any other president was”.

I walked out of there with a smile on my face.

[SoFlaBro]

1. Brave of you to broach the topic with a stranger.

[niyad]

18. Did you miss the part about the other guy broached the subject?

[SoFlaBro]

44. I saw it. Still have to choose to engage. I ignore political bait all the fucking time.

[niyad]

45. That isn't what your post said, though.

[SoFlaBro]

47. That is what the post said.

[LiberalFighter]

55. You need to reread the post. The other guy started off.

If it had been about supporting Trump the other person would had just ignore him.

[SoFlaBro]

70. My thoughts exactly.

[Beowulf42]

49. Difference of Opinion.

This is the exact opposite of my experience, and I live in NW Montana. I would never attempt to start a political discussion in public around here. Maybe in the Student Union at the University, but not in Kalispell. It's scary around here, and if it isn't a rightwing nutjob, then it's a religious fanatic telling me the earth is 6000 years old. I remember the days when the Honorable Mike Mansfield was our Senator and Montanans were proud of him. It isn't that way anymore.

[montanacowboy]

66. That's exactly right Beowulf42

in Montana never ask the question unless you know the answer. Lots of crazed people there.

[soldierant]

76. Yes. It's so bad that it drove the publisher of Wonkette

to move from Montana to Michigan, where the family is much happier and feel much safer.

I'm veery glad the OP ran into this guy - I suspect it was unusual for both of them, and I hope it encouraged the other guy as much as it did the OP.

[StayAheadOTheWeather]

2. Thanks for sharing

Stories like this give me a small spark of hope

[niyad]

22. Hey, glad you braved the cold and started posting! Hope to see more

from you.

[KS Toronado]

3. You an over the road truck driver like MarineCombatEngineer?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

79. Just got done parking in a truck stop in Seattle, WA. and saw this thread

and I thank you for the shout out.
The majority of truckers I've talked with are disgusted with Benedict Donald and his MAGAt followers and their attempt to over throw our govt. that their going to vote for Pres. Biden in Nov..
I'm very encouraged by this.

[Oopsie Daisy]

4. You're very brave. I don't talk to strangers any more than necessary for obvious reasons *

* and if a polite chat about the weather veers into politics or religion, I play dumb. Just let me outta there. I've seen too many Youtube videos of encounters that took a hard right turn and ended up turning into a shouting match or worse.

[niyad]

23. Since the other trucker broached the subject, it was a fairly safe bet.

[LiberalFighter]

56. Yes it was. Strange some did not see that.

[krkaufman]

67. Dear god, people.

n/t

[Leghorn21]

5. Now we're smiling, too, imanamerican63!!

Thanks for a great start to my morning!!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Conservativism is respectable. Take-no-prisoners maga connedservatives are utterly deplorable

Conservatives who willingly work with liberals, progressives, and Democrats -- together for the sake of the country -- are reasonable and how democracy functions. Joe Biden was able to reach across the aisle for decades and get things done.

maga lunatics are destructive and ultimately self-destructive but they hurt and damage a lot of good people in the process.

[Aristus]

35. I've always said that there's nothing wrong with real, actual, traditional conservatism.

But the right-wing thugs in this country have perverted it into a monster.

Conservatives and liberals could truly work together based on my perception of each respective ideology.

Conservative- Preserve that which is good.
Liberal - Change that which is not.

That may seem hopelessly idealistic, and it probably is. But I’m going to continue to hold on to hope.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. Nice ying-yang meme on Liberal/Conservative. Reminds me of

Conservative- Preserve that which is good.
Liberal - Change that which is not.

reminds of:

A liberal is a conservative who has been mugged.
A conservative is a liberal who has been arrested.

and (less true, was said by a staunch conservative):

If my child is not a communist at age 18 I will think they have no heart.
If they are not a conservative at age 40 I will think they have no brain.

As we know, there are many 40, 60, and 81 year olds who have powerful brains and are liberal / progressive / Democratic.

[Aristus]

39. I'm fifty-five. Liberal until I DIE!

[calimary]

52. Older than you but ALSO Liberal til I die!

[Aristus]

53. ...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

42. I would add that the foundations of liberalism / conservatism are the same

(This is in American context and gets weaker as an analysis when one considers that 50% of people are less intelligent than the median.)

Both groups are founded on Love of Family, Love of State & Country, and the Necessity for Justice.
Both groups, not debased deplorable versions, both groups also have empathy.

People in both groups may add Love of God as they wish, of course, but that love binds the religious person and there must be no binding of people outside of that religion.

Where the two groups diverge is at the application of public funds to help people. Liberals more in favour than Conservatives of it, but both groups want some amount of help to flow from government revenues (taxes).

The divergence is based on moralism. Conservatives think that people who get stuff for free don't value it and strive less. Liberals think that it is rather immoral to not give people stuff that would help them, if it can be afforded.

The divergence can mostly be healed by convincing most people of the fact that helping some helps all. This includes things like infrastructure and protecting "The Commons" (the environment ).

I say that a nation / country / civilization is ideally judged by the level of its lowest classes and not by the splendour of its highest classes.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

51. Condensed from the time of McGovern - Goldwater...

(McGovern once said that the biggest difference between he and Barry was that he admitted the country needed conservatives but Barry would not admit the country needed liberals).

A liberal believes government is obligated to use its resources to improve the lives of the governed.

A conservative believes government must not change things faster than the public can accept those changes.

Changing for the better is at the core of each.

Current "conservatives", as embodied in MAGA and Newtish GOP, believe government should force everyone to fit the MAGA mold.

[LiberalFighter]

57. I agree. We should label Social Security and Medicare as being conservative.

Because it provides stability in ones life.

And most people if with any sense favor something they can rely on.

[mitch96]

62. "Take-no-prisoners maga connedservatives are utterly deplorable"...totally agree. nt

[BlueMTexpat]

7. Thanks for sharing this!

Thiis man seems like the majority of MT Republicans that I knew in my youth growing up on the high plains of north-central MT (40s, 50s, early 60s).

Yes, they were more conservative than my parents - both FDR liberals - but they were good people, intelligent, and thought for themselves. They could carry on a conversation without insults or jeers. As many of them were also veterans (some from WWI, many more from WWII and the Korean War), they had seen the world outside Montana and were more global in their outlook than it seems is the case today.

The GOP in MT began changing and moving more to the right with Nixon's Presidency; it got worse under Reagan.

But it wasn't until the horrible, awful Newt Gingrich and his Contract with America thugs that things truly began going downhill fast. The change has been disastrous for the state.

I hope that there are many more Montanans like this man who are coming to their senses!

[jimfields33]

8. They do seem to like their senator whose democratic.

[BlueMTexpat]

16. From what I hear, people

are not happy about all the $$$$ that is being poured into the state for Tim Sheehy (R-tsf-endorsed) - who is just another wealthy carpetbagger with all the typical MAGAt hypocrisy. Here's one recent article: https://heartlandsignal.com/2024/02/16/montana-republican-senate-candidate-tim-sheehy-wants-more-government-expansion-to-invest-in-companies-like-his/#google_vignette

Senator Jon Tester (D-sane) is the ONLY one of those in the state delegation (the three others are Rs) who actually votes for things that matter to Montanans.

Yet the others, who vote against those measures to please tsf, do NOT hesitate to take credit for Jon's actions when they are back in the state - while not mentioning him, of course.

[AKwannabe]

24. Lived in MT when Tester was running

Voted for him!

[BlueSky3]

48. He could use

your support still. I don’t live there, but send him $.

[jayschool2013]

9. Thompson Falls

A former student of mine is the publisher and editor of the Sanders County Ledger, the weekly in Thompson Falls, Montana, in the northwest part of the state.

She's doing her best as an independent (financially, not politically) publisher to help steer conversations to helping solve Montana's problems in any way possible. She also often has to cover five high school basketball games in a single day, but she does what she can.

Not an enemy of the people. Not a "lamestream" media owner. Just a journalist trying to build a better hometown.

Montanans are good people.

[niyad]

21. Wishing her all possible success.

[DFW]

10. Sometimes, working people realize from whose ranks Biden comes, and from whose ranks Trump doesn't come.

Biden grew up as one of them. Trump never did, and will never be one of them.

[LiberalFighter]

59. That is a point that needs to be stressed more. Trump was never part of the ranks.

[True Dough]

11. Great story!

I was hoping for an appearance by the DU's own MontanaMama to top it off. Maybe next time!

[BradBo]

12. That's a big deal right there. Maybe it will start a fire of reason. We can only hope.

[ecstatic]

13. that's refreshing to hear. Thanks. nt

[twodogsbarking]

14. There is hope. Thanks for sharing. How was dinner?

[spanone]

15. K&R

[PatSeg]

17. Thanks for that

We can all use such positive stories these days.

[niyad]

19. Wow, thanks for sharing that very encouraging news!

[czarjak]

20. Meanwhile, the rest are mired in delusions.

[mopinko]

25. 25% of the party now agrees w him. the ground has shifted.

[patphil]

26. He woke up!

We just need a few million more like him.

[2naSalit]

27. See?

Not everyone in Montana is a raging rumpist.

[MontanaMama]

33. As I noted below, this is very encouraging.

NW Montana can be as deeply red as it comes. It’s a good sign.

[2naSalit]

36. True.

Not much better down this way.

Did you get much snow?

[MontanaMama]

37. Just a dusting

and I’m relieved about that. NOAA was calling for two feet of snow in the Bitterroots and surrounding areas. If we are going to get slammed with snow,mits almost always the end of Feb so I guess we dodged a bullet. How about your part of the state?

[2naSalit]

40. The same...

It was in the high 40s and into the 50s the past few days then at about 1:30 yesterday a blizzard moved in from the north and I had snow sticking to windows on all four sides of my little cardboard box. I had just come home from errands and saw it coming over the pass. I was in the house for maybe two minutes before it started coming down. Now it's single digits and back to warm again in a day or two.

We usually have a big snow around the end of Feb too but we might not see that this year. I'm concerned about the fires we'll be having soon.

[MontanaMama]

41. I know. Seems that we pay now

or pay later.

[2naSalit]

58. Pretty soon...

I expect it will be pay now and later.

[Firestorm49]

28. It sounds like you lucked out on that one. It could have been quite trying.

[Martin68]

29. Thanks for sharing. It's good to know this is happening.

[underpants]

30. My folks are done with Trump too

My stepfather at least has voted Republican since the 60’s. My brother tells me they are sick of Trump. Tired of his act and he’s gone over the edge.

[LiberalFighter]

60. Stories like the post and yours need to be more out in public.

It might encourage others to switch.

We also need to get the House back in control by the Democrats. And with any luck gain a seat or two more in the Senate.

[MontanaMama]

31. Wow. In NW Montana to boot.

That’s a red red red part of my state and it kisses North Idaho which is nazi central. This is encouraging to me

Welcome to the Big Sky!

[GusBob]

32. Northern MT here. There are quite a few vocal Dems around here

Haven't witnessed much hostility or any of this "Rural White Rage" business. I did once make the mistake of talking about living/working on the Rez in the wrong bar, but that was my mistake being in that place in the first place.

Jon Testers hometown is very red but never 'in your face" red. All the establishments there are friendly

Folks on this frontier are too busy living I reckon.

[Ohioboy]

34. This gives me hope

Thanks for posting this. I am cautiously optimistic that more people will start seeing through Trump.

[CaptainTruth]

43. The media will be going to truck stops & talking to folks like him, right?

Right?

Right?

[LiberalFighter]

61. When the media doesn't go to those places. The people need to put it out in the public.

[Evolve Dammit]

46. encouraging. Thanks for sharing it.

[mountain grammy]

50. This is good.

I need to hear this once in a while.

[LiberalFighter]

54. There will be plenty more like him.

Keep in mind that if he voted for Trump in 2020 and votes for Biden in 2024. It will be a two vote turnaround favoring Biden.

[PortTack]

63. Good to hear!!

[appleannie1]

64. That would be better with a meal than dessert

[msongs]

65. shades of 24 hours from tulsa lol nt

[flying_wahini]

68. Did he say anything about Taylor Swift?

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/02/business/taylor-swift-100000-life-changing-bonus-truck-crew/index.html
“ LOS ANGELES -- Crew members of the Taylor Swift "Eras" tour are seeing their "Wildest Dreams" come true.

The superstar paid more than $50 million of her own money in bonuses to hundreds of support staff for her record-breaking tour, along with handwritten notes.

Many crew members thought they were about to attend a routine production meeting Monday when Swift's father, Scott Swift, made a surprise visit. He gave a speech and handed everyone envelopes, Michael Scherkenbach, founder and CEO of Shomotion trucking company, told CNN.”

And also stage, lighting, and person staff members. She is a good egg.

[barbtries]

69. his primary results and the size of his incessant rallies

are a good indication imo that more people are waking up than joining up to the MAGA cult. It was never the majority. As long as people vote in great big huge numbers, we will win. We could possibly even win both houses. I'm not saying we will, but it's possible. The media is the biggest obstacle Democrats are facing. They have failed our country.

[Attilatheblond]

71. Sounds like the Montana I was familiar with, in the western part of the state

While the NW corner can be very right wing, most Montanans in the west of the state are pretty rational people, a lot like Jon Tester, in fact. Glad you got a first hand encounter with the real deal.

[Demovictory9]

72. Stoey ended differently than i expected

[SayItLoud]

73. My question: Where was the guy from? Montana or passing through? NT

[NGeorgian]

74. what is a GOBers. ?

?

[TwilightZone]

75. Biden got 40% in Montana.

It's not the monolithic bloc that many insist it to be.

[bdamomma]

77. Could it be

they are waking "the Sleeping Giant" up?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

78. Hey there fellow road warrior,

I'm hearing the same thing up and down the I-5 corridor and beyond, most truck drivers, company and independent drivers, are just as disgusted with Benedict Donald and his MAGAt followers that they're going to vote for Pres. Biden this Nov.

[cannabis_flower]

80. I live in a condo community

It’s on the edge of a neighborhood (Houston ) there’s a guy that lives on the corner who used to have a Trump bumper sticker and now he doesn’t. He still has an Abbot sticker. Used to have Trump lawn signs too.