Treasured Valley

Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Post Primary Roundup:

• Labrador wins. State Rep. Raul Labrador held off party establishment favorite Vaughn Ward Tuesday to capture the GOP 1st Congressional District nomination in Idaho.
• Labrador upsets Ward, eyes Minnick. In a rebuke to the Republican establishment, state Rep. Raul Labrador defeated Vaughn Ward in western Idaho’s 1st Congressional District and punched his ticket to face incumbent Democrat Walt Minnick in November.
• Labrador claims GOP nomination in upset. He’ll face another difficult challenge against first-term Democrat Walt Minnick, who has more than $1 million cash on hand heading into the general election campaign season.
• Raul Labrador talks with KTVB about his GOP House race.

• Otter will face Allred in November. Gov. Butch Otter has won his race for the Republican nomination against his five Republican challengers in Tuesday’s primary. He will face Democrat Keith Allred in November.
• Idaho Reporter: Otter’s acceptance speech hints at economic turnaround (w/ acceptance speech).
• Gov. Butch Otter will face off with Keith Allred. The Otter-Allred matchup for governor is already off to a rancorous start.
• Allred talks about facing Gov. Otter.

• Ridenbaugh Press: Blow up. For the better part of the year or so Vaughn Ward has been running for the U.S. House, he has been the front runner – much of that time, a seemingly prohibitive front runne
• Ridenbaugh Press: A revised state Senate. In Oregon’s primary last week not a single incumbent legislator lost. Not so this week in Idaho – a number are biting the dust, all on the Republican side. Notably in the Senate (though some House members are losing too).
• Dennis Mansfield: Raul Labrador’s Upset Victory – And the Straw Hat I always wanted to punch (w/ acceptance speech).
• IdaBlue: Ward’s final woe.
• The Johnson Post: Now…That Was a Primary.
• Southwest Idaho voters oust two legislative incumbents, keep McKague. Shirley McKague said no one wanted her but the voters. The voters Tuesday proved her right.
• U.S. Rep. Simpson takes step toward 7th term. U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson was the front runner in the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary, beating rivals who attempted to capitalize on voter anger linked to his 2008 vote for federal bank bailouts.
• Kevin Richert: Primary day (and night) blog.
• Perry upsets Kren. Political newcomer Christy Perry said she was “a little speechless” Tuesday night as she defeated two-term Canyon County Rep. Steve Kren by garnering nearly 57 percent of the primary vote.
• Voters put rivals on the Ada County Commission. Voters didn’t adhere to Vern Bisterfeldt and Roger Simmons’ carefully laid joint campaign plan to reclaim their Ada County Commission seats and then wield their power to bring change to county government.
• Eye On Boise: Semanko: Low turnout a disappointment.
• Eye On Boise: Jay Leno mocks Ward in monologue.
• Leno cracks jokes about Vaughn Ward.

• Incumbents keep seats in Gem County. Thirty-three percent of registered Gem County voters turned out to cast their ballots in the 2010 primary election on Tuesday, and in the two contested county contests, both incumbents prevailed.
• Yamamoto ousts Hurst in clerk race. Chris Yamamoto took about 57 percent of the vote to unseat incumbent Canyon County Clerk Bill Hurst in Tuesday’s primary election.
• Voters oust Canyon County clerk. Challenger Chris Yamamoto, armed with a slew of endorsements from Canyon County Republican leaders, won the voters to his side Tuesday to unseat incumbent Bill Hurst as county clerk.
• Labrador Wins. Boise State Public Radio’s Adam Cotterell takes us to Labrador’s Victory celebration.
• FULL PRIMARY RESULTS HERE.

And sad news in Food & Drink:

• Mundovore: Sweetwater’s Tropic Zone Closed.

Your normally scheduled link roundup will return tomorrow — today is for the politics junkies.

This morning I caught this interesting story on ABC’s “Nightline” website about the growing presence of militias in Northern Idaho. You can check out the lengthy story here.

According to the article it was supposed to air last night but I didn’t see it on Hulu this morning, so maybe it’ll be on tonight — if so I’ll link to it tomorrow.

You can see the website for the 21st Battalion of North Idaho’s Lightfoot Militia here.

In short…not anytime soon, but it is something that is being looked at finally.

The state’s liquor dispensary was one of three areas that the Idaho Legislature’s Office of Performance Evaluation will look into next year after a recommendation from The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee – JLOC being the only evenly split legislative committee.

From the Idaho Statesman’s Idaho Politics Blog:

[...]

The audit of the state’s liquor monopoly was suggested by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Maxine Bell, R-Jerome. Bell said she wants auditors to review the expansion of the Idaho State Liquor Division’s infrastructure, its management and operations. The review also would consider privatization of state liquor sales.

Werk said ISLD welcomes the review, including an opportunity to put to rest, one way or another, talk of privatization.

[...]

Idaho Reporter also had a story on the development:

[...]

Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, said the state liquor division should be studied due to its recent expansion. “The growth continues, and there doesn’t seem to be any policy in this area,” she said. The $15 million in yearly funding for the liquor division comes from the profits on liquor sales, though the division’s budget is approved by lawmakers. Bell said the study would answer a key question: “Are we continuing to build this behemoth, and does this building outpace the funding?” she asked.

Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d’Alene, said he hopes OPE will examine whether Idaho should stop having state liquor stores. “Government is here to provide things that private enterprise can’t provide by itself,” Hammond said, also saying that other states allow private companies to distribute and sell liquor.

[...]

Should the audit recommend that the state should relinquish government control over a decidedly private enterprise it should set up an interesting battle between Idaho’s Conservative legislators and legislators who favor the free-market. Whatever the outcome they need to rectify the fact that one can go to Costco in California and buy a half-gallon of Crown Royal for around $26, but the same half-gallon costs upwards of $54 in Idaho, which must be purchased at a state-run store.

Privatizing the the state’s liquor program would be an interesting and lengthy procedure. (If I’m wrong here, someone please correct me) Idaho’s Constitution would need to be amended, namely Section III Article 24 which states:

PROMOTION OF TEMPERANCE AND MORALITY. The first concern of all good government is the virtue and sobriety of the people, and the purity of the home. The legislature should further all wise and well directed efforts for the promotion of temperance and morality.

It’s an issue to keep your eye on, if you’re into that sorta thing.

Last night’s passage of the landmark health care bill has elicited reactions from across the Idaho political spectrum, from Idaho Republicans who remain in opposition to Idaho Democrats who are disillusioned by Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick’s “no” vote.

From editor’s pages, to news accounts to individual bloggers you will find all the reactions to this story and many others here on TREASURED VALLEY.

• Idaho blogs The MountainGoat Report and The Political Game put together a lengthy post about Congressman Walt Minnick: The Walt Minnick You Don’t Know.
• Kevin Richert from the Idaho Statesman has a great roundup of Idaho politicians reacting to the passage of the health care bill.
• Minnick bashed for backing health legislation – but he doesn’t. Conservatives later back off the claim against the Democratic congressman from Idaho.
• Comment section from north Idaho’s Huckleberries Online regarding the health care bill.
• 43rd State Blues: Walt’s Health Care Vote.
• Fort Boise: Something for everybody.
• NewWest Boise: Western Pols Quick to Denounce Passage of Health Care Bill. And within the expected negative statements from western politicians are embedded political codes designed to shape how voters think.
• Comment section from Coeur d’ Alene Press.
• Dennis Mansfield: On the successful passing of ObamaCare: A new National Anthem?
• Gov. Otter responds to health care reform. In response to the passage of the Health Care Reform Bill in Congress, Governor Butch Otter issued the following statement…
• Gov. Otter reacts to passage of health care bill.

• Idaho Freedom Foundation: Taking a stand against mandatory health insurance.
• Idaho Reporter: Otter: federal health care reform isn’t the answer.
• Idaho Press-Tribune editorial: Idaho right to fight mandate.
• Obama achieves health law success that eluded past. Rarely does the government, that big, clumsy, poorly regarded oaf, pull off anything short of war that touches all lives with one act, one stroke of a president’s pen. Such a moment has come (w/ comments from Idaho Statesman readers).
• Legal Newsline: Idaho braces for lawsuit over insurance mandate.
• Uncle Boise: Rich People with Health Care Don’t Think Non-Rich People Need Health Care.
• All I’m Saying: Cue “Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)”.
• 670 KBOI: Idaho democrats are pleased. A leading democrat in the Idaho Legislature says democrats are happy Congress passed the health care reform bill. But Representative James Ruchti of Pocatello tells 670 KBOI News it’s debatable whether the measure is the right approach, “But it needed to be done, we got it done. And now if there are modifications can be made moving forward, great. At least we’ve taken care of the worst excesses from insurance companies.”

Idaho’s Congressmen:

• Rep. Mike Simpson (R): Simpson Votes Against National Health Care Takeover.
• Rep. Walt Minnick (D): Responsibility to Start Working Together.
• Sen. Jim Risch (R): No statement on website.
• Sen. Mike Crapo (R): No statement on website.

Candidates:

• Vaughn Ward, Republican primary candidate for the 1st Congressional District: Health Care Statement.
• Raul Labrador, Republican primary candidate for the 1st Congressional District: Raul Labrador’s statement on passage of Democrat health care bills (PDF).

The New York Times:

Whether you agree with it or not, it was landmark legislation.

Both of Idaho’s Congressmen in the House, Walt Minnick (D) and Mike Simpson (R) voted against the legislation. Here are some immediate effects that the law will have as soon as President Obama signs the legislation.

via Getty Images on the NY Times website

Rep. Mike Simpson holding a “Kill” sign earlier today — why does it always seem that Idaho politicians go out of their way to embarrass our state?

What are your thoughts on the health care legislation that was passed tonight?

One of the big bills coming out of the legislature this year is the ban on texting while driving, a bill that some say is pretty much unenforceable*. Some commentators say that this bill is just political posturing, as we’re sure to see this all over campaign literature come this fall and others say it’s like putting a band-aid on a gushing bullet wound — a feel-good law that doesn’t have any real bite.

When I was reading my latest Wired magazine I came across a commentary piece from Clive Thompson on texting while driving and the need for public transportation — and all I could think about was how this applies to what is going on in the Treasure Valley…right now.

To sum it up (but please, read the whole thing): texting is a part of our daily lives now, nothing can change this, but what we can do to cut back on traffic fatalities due to inattentive driving is to beef up our public transportation system — in theory this would also cut back on DUI offenses as well. You’d think by now that government would know it is smarter to try to control the flow of its people, instead of trying to dam them up at every point. Of course, this doesn’t hold much weight in our uncontrollable urge to lock people up (at a profit mind you) for every conceivable thing we don’t agree with. Society is going to do what society is going to do, no government can control that.

Now, I’ll give you that this is nothing new. I think the vast majority of Treasure Valley residents realize that our public transportation system is woefully inadequate. But perhaps when talking about texting and driving you can just add it as another bullet point in the fight for a real public transportation system for the Treasure Valley.

The Treasure Valley is in a unique spot in all of this because of our small size and mix of urban cores with suburban sprawl, we are the perfect incubator for exactly this type of urban experimentation. Can we cut back on inattentive driving and DUI accidents by developing a working public transportation system? I don’t know about you but I’d rather spend our limited tax dollars on light rail and buses than more prisons and judges. This of course would require local government bodies and our state government to work together to plan for the Valley’s future, something that probably won’t be happening anytime soon.

*For the record, I support amending the current inattentive driving laws to explicitly describe texting, Twittering, Facebooking or whatever — beyond that we don’t need a new law with all of this grandstanding. If you’re caught reading the paper, putting makeup on, watching a movie while you’re driving you’re putting others at risk, but these things don’t need their own laws, they just need to be clarified under existing laws.

Hey, I guess at least you can say they were against government control of industry before they were for it.

KTRV Fox 12:

Value Liquor

It is not a secret; times are tough, and people are cutting back everywhere. However, there is one buy that isn’t being sacrificed: liquor. Idaho has now caught on to a new booze buying trend, and is making some changes. The bottom line is bottom shelf liquor, which is also known as value liquor.

We’ve all seen it: the 750 milliliter bottles of Popov, or good old Evan Williams. Some changes by the state Liquor Division mean those value bottles will now cost you 5% more.

[...]

This comes after Dyke Nally of the Idaho State Liquor Division said yesterday that he opposes privatizing the state’s control over liquor. I guess that whole tedious capitalism thingy-idea-ma-jig… it’s bad thing after all.

Quick fact for you: in California you can go to Costco and buy a half-gallon of Crown Royal for around $26 (give or take a few bucks, it’s been a while), here in Idaho, it’ll run you $57 and you have to buy it at a state-run liquor store. One state has a state controlled liquor system and one has a privatized system, I’ll let you guess which is which.

What irritates me is the hypocrisy of it, on one hand you have the legislature voting for a useless bill decrying government run health care (a bill which will needlessly cost the state money) and on the other hand the state is raising prices on a good that they won’t allow to be privatized and allow the free-market to dictate the price.

Just something to mull over when you’re sipping that Scotch at happy hour tonight.

Watch Peter Morrill, IPTV General Manager this morning when he talks to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) about the survival of Idaho Public Television.

You can watch it online at Idaho Legislature Live from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. this morning.

Read more: Saving Idaho Public Television.

Click here to contact members of JFAC and let them know how you feel about IPTV.

Read the rest of this entry »