We can finally put February behind us. If it hadn’t been for the Winter Olympics and the new faces on our Idaho political scene, I might have ran south to Tucson to live with my sister and brother-in-law. Thank goodness for those dear Canadians with their self-depreciating humor and generous hospitality. As I watched the closing ceremonies complete with the giant inflated Canadian Mounties and beavers, I thought how often we tend to take ourselves way too seriously in America. Today one AP headline points to all that went wrong at the “star-crossed” games.
Undoubtedly the horrifying death of luge slider Nodar Kumaritashvili will forever mar the event, but three cheers to a country that can laugh when its Olympic torch technology goes a wry and openly cry when tragedy strikes. I have a theory that the farther north you live, the more humor and pragmatism you have and need. I think that those who can say that -30 is a warm spell and live in places like Banff and Saskatchewan or Cut Bank and Havre have got to laugh.
Speaking of Montana and humor, I had the privilege of hearing Montana’s Senator Jon Tester at the annual Frank Church Banquet in Boise this weekend. Senator Tester, along with Keith Allred, Democratic candidate for governor, and Congressman Walt Minnick were all keynote speakers at the annual Democratic event. Tester was funny, down-to-earth and decidedly upbeat. He told about his Montana wheat farming, family similarities to Congressman Minnick in background, and even noted his missing digits on his left hand as testimony to his Western roots. A guy that can melt this city girl’s heart and make a convincing case for Western values and still end with “git her done” on health care, has my vote.
Of course, I can’t vote in Montana, but I left the banquet and the weekend events even more excited about our gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred. I can cast my vote for this cowboy. You can even go to Pioneer Salon in Ketchum and eat a steak on a plate featuring the A for Allred brand. Yes, Allred’s roots go way back in Idaho and ranching, but better yet Allred has experience fighting the special interests that are ruining politics on the left and the right. He founded The Common Interest five years ago and has over “1,600 members—Democrats, Republicans, and independents from across Idaho.” He calls it a “citizens’ group to put practical solutions ahead of special interest and partisan politics.” They have had success in cutting taxes (what Keith Allred, a Democrat, calls fun) in 2006 and helped protect our property rights.
With a Governor Allred, I can foresee Republicans and Democrats working together again. We need someone with the experience as a mediator and the respect of both parties to fix the mess Otter and his cronies have gotten us into. Keith Allred has both of those because what we have isn’t working. Otter has chosen again and again to ignore the needs of regular Idahoans when he increased our vehicle tags by 138% and only raised the heavy trucking industry by a mere 5%. Then in the most partisan state of the state speech I have ever heard, Otter went on a witch hunt to cut funds for everything that appeared to have ties to anything progressive.
Funny thing happened…it turns out that it is not just the liberals that watch Idaho Public Television and a lot of republicans like our parks, too. Saturday night Allred challenges Otter’s “irrational pessimism” stating that he ignores four different evidence-based projections of more than $80 million in new revenue next year.” This of course translates into massive cuts to education. Instead of putting our heads together and coming up with solutions, Otter’s ear is bent to those who either lobby for prisons or trucking or the just say no group. The republicans and moderates that I respect don’t think like that and neither does Allred. Not only is Keith from Twin Falls, but he has the respect of, not only my Democrat, but many of my Republican friends and neighbors.
No, Keith luckily doesn’t have a haircut like Testor’s, but this city girl has finally found a cure for her winter blues.
Check out Keith Allred’s websites at http://www.allredforidaho.com/www.allredforidaho.com and http://www.facebook.com/allredforidaho
and I was encouraged recently when I overheard one college student say to another, “She’s dumber than Palin.”
I hope the Dems and Repubs can work together as well but, as with any checkbook, we have to balance income with bills to pay. So, if we are not going to increase taxes, what are we to cut? That is the 50 million (or whatever) question. You can rest assured there won’t be a salary cut for any elected official. And which elected official will suggest that we cut any services the public has become accustomed to having? And, of course, there is the ultimate challenge, who is going to cut anything tied to anyone who makes a major contribution to an elected official’s pocketbook? They will be sure to balance their pocketbook when it comes to personal financing, but they seem to have one heck of a time balancing the citizen’s pocketbook when there are always consequences to that end. So, Dixie, while I have some suggestions as to how to get that done, what we really need is a conversation on how to get hired (elected) officials into office that will govern rather than appease those that elect them? Any answers?
Ray Hoem
Ray
Yes, of course. We want to balance the budget, but I want to know why the rumor is even more cuts are being planned to education. We still could repeal good old Risch’s property tax to sales tax shift and save roughly $200 million and spend the9 million to hire more auditors and collect around 60 million. There you have more than the planned cuts without increasing sale tax or suspending grocery income tax credits.
I agreed with you about the raises for executives and state officials. It appears that Luna and Otter both have had raises since 2009. David Cole of Albion notes in the Times News letters to the editors that Luna’s salary was $88,374 on 1/5/09 and then on 1/7/10 it is $93,756. That’s over 5 thousand more and I don’t know of any one that hasn’t had a freeze or a pay cut in my circle or friends.
As Cole points out what makes it even worse is that Luna just stated that “in this economic situation, I don’t know how anyone can justify giving anyone a raise.”
What hypocrisy!!! and of course the Otter just got around a 7 thousand dollar pay increase.
They want to cut the minimum teacher salary to $29, 655 which for a family of four, is at I believe poverty level. I know of teachers that are working two and even three jobs to make it. Then you have school loans to pay…so that 5 or 7 thousand a year raise that Luna and Otter got looks really obscene to them.
Another slap in the face to the little guys!
Did some factrchecking and it sounds like Otter did try to turn down a 3% pay raise but the state constitution bars officials from refusing pay raises…some sort of political protection… Otter reported that he will donate to the 3% to scholarship fund. That is okay, but the whole thing is smoke and mirrors. here is the link http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jan/07/otter-cant-reject-pay-raise/
Thanks for sharing, I found this story while surfing for music events, interesting comments and good points made.