Kevin Richert posted an interesting item about Boise's District 19 on his Idaho Statesman blog yesterday (and it ran in this morning's print edition). Apparently Nicole LeFavour intends to return to the House, and wants Rep. Brian Cronin to run for her Senate seat. However, Anne Pasley-Stuart filed for the seat, catching LeFavour (and perhaps Cronin) off-guard.

I know very little of the relationship between our three legislators here in District 19 (although perhaps one can surmise a thing or two from this situation). But I do know this - I hear a LOT more from LeFavour and Cronin than I ever hear from or about Pasley-Stuart (which is close to nothing). She's never knocked on my door, sent me an email, asked me for money, given me a call, etc. I can't say that I recall any legislation she has carried, or even supported for that matter. Cronin and LeFavour work their butts off. Cronin appears to have ambitions for higher office, and lord knows we could use more young Democrats willing to run.

As such, I'd like to see Brian Cronin have the opportunity to run for Senate, but I'm also interested in hearing more. Any thoughts?

Popkey has an article in the Statesman today on the "revolutionary" efforts of Ron Paul supporters (Ronulans) to take over the Idaho Republican Party and rid it of RINOs. They are led by this man, Challis McAffee, Republican Central Committee member, who "was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in August for pointing a revolver at Robert Lutes in Meridian. McAffee was documenting homes with delinquent mortgages for Wells Fargo & Co.  read more »

Remember this puff piece in the Statesman from two years ago about Otter and his best friend Mike Gwartney? This is the story about these two roping buddies who became fast friends through politics, business and a predilection for trophy wives. Indeed Gwartney toasted Otter at his second marriage with: "It's faster horses, younger women, older whiskey and more money".  read more »

Holy hemorrhage, Batman, there's some major bleeding going on in the Statehouse over the PERSI debacle and Dr. Otter's gonna operate. The Governor, going where no governor has gone before, moseyed on up to the fourth floor and into the private Republican House Caucus apparently to assuage their hurt feelings over the Senate Republicans rat fucking embarrassing the Republican House leadership on a deal to kill the PERSI 1% COLA increase approved by its Board of Directors.  read more »

Governor Otter raised a few eyebrows when he appointed Melinda Smyser (R-Parma) to the Idaho Senate. Not because her wingnut politics would fit more appropriately in the House. But because she is the spouse of a prominent Republican Idaho lobbyist, former legislator and congressional candidate, Skip Smyser. The concern came to a head this week when she changed her vote on legislation to prohibit the sale of tobacco candy sponsored by Senator Elliot Werk (D-Boise) who echoed FDA warnings that these are being marketed to children to get them addicted to tobacco products at an early age. The vote change was outcome determinative killing Werk's legislation.  read more »

While we're toying with dire mystical sevens, this headline on the front page of Reddit made me LOL -- woke up the kids.

IDAHO FALLS, ID—Speaking unto an audience of anti-immigration advocates, global-warming deniers, and members of the Tea Party Nation, former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin gave forth utterances Monday that reportedly opened the sixth seal of the Book of the Apocalypse.  read more »

Last week the House Committee on State Affairs voted to kill legislation which would block the PERSI Board of Directors' recommendation to grant a modest 1% COLA increase to participants in the state's retirement system which would mean about $30 a month to the average recipient. Yet the very next day, without warning or placing the matter on the agenda, and without any inquiry or input at all from any representative of PERSI, Republicans reversed their decision from the day before and voted to block the cost of living increase.  read more »

There is so much bullshit being sold to students, they should issue a pair of waders when you pay your student fees. Here is an outline of concerns.

A. The re organization- Provost Olsen came to the Student Senate meeting and promised students would be involved with the re-org. But no students were on any of the [hand picked by administration] committee. Then even after the committees were selected, they were not allowed to have budget information that could have informed their decisions. THEN even after that, not ONE of the committee's suggestions was included in the final plan.  read more »

So, yes, earlier this month I had another birthday. Not necessarily the greatest thing in the world, but it sure as hell beats the alternative. (Had the usual -- German chocolate cake. Almost bought lemon cake mix and lemon frosting to shake things up, but tradition is a powerful force.) I'm not yet into old fogeydom, but I'm headed that direction. Here's how I know I'm getting old, based on what I remember:  read more »

A short apolitical break to wish Serephin the happiest of birthdays. I hope your birthday was/is/will-be graced with the proper trinity: good food, good people, and a bottle or three of something fitting.  read more »

Listening to The Tea Party Party (tm) rant about corrupt politicos and corporations, I've always been amused to think how sensible 1960 republicans would have sniffed disapprovingly at this motley crowd of reactionaries: If one overlooks the eliminationism, racism, religiosity and a fair helping of definitely-not-christlike 'tude, (and is that REALLY all that much to overlook?) Teabaggers are 21st-century hippies, which makes this all the funnier.

MATTERA: It's always a delight to participate in CPAC. This is like our Woodstock. Except, unlike the left gathering, our women are beautiful, we speak in complete sentences, and our notion of freedom doesn't consist of snorting cocaine.

(...lurved that word as a kid)

Otter's plans for gutting Idaho's state government found relatively easy solutions. For example the Idaho Human Rights Commission was folded into the Department of Labor at no cost. The Parks Department was saved simply because of public outcry in an election year. But one agency, Idaho Public Television, has a sticker price of $1.5 million annually. Ironically, if Idaho doesn't come up with it, the state may have to pay back $4 million received from the feds for upgrades.  read more »

Credit Digby for linking me up with Battachio at Vagabond Scholar. This linky little primer epitomizes the source of a lot of frustration.  read more »

Morgan Spurlock follows up from his documentary Super Size Me to present a probing answer to the question that has seemingly become rhetorical.

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Written by Donna Emert

For 43 years at the University of Idaho, the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival has brought jazz masters together with elementary, junior high, high school and college students to share and celebrate this truly American art form. It has featured hundreds of musicians from around the world, including China, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Peru, as well as students from Canada, Japan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.  read more »

Is that even a greeting? Nevertheless repeat after me:

I'm embarrassed to admit my kids and all their friends have this memorized. I blame youtube.

Check out the reader feedback on this Popkey piece about Vandersloot’s support for small, raw milk producers.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/1077236.html?storylink=omni_popular&pageNum=1&mi_pluck_action=page_nav&commentSort=RecommendationsDescending#Comments_Container

Without taking sides one way or the other (I personally sympathize with the raw milk crowd; although Richard Nixon always attributed 2 of his brothers' young deaths to his father's insistence on serving raw milk), one would think Mr. Vandersloot would keep as low a profile as he could.

Some nice silver-haired lady sharing her opinion...

Yesterday, Bubbles complained about progressives being irrationally obsessed with Sarah Palin. Really this is attacking the wrong target. Progressives aren't obsessed so much as they are responding to the traditional media's inextricable mania with Palin's tightly controlled marketing endeavors and continuing to try and sell her as someone qualified to be the most powerful person on the planet. Witness today's re-print in the Statesman of David Broder's puff piece from the Washington Post fawning all over her like a dirty old man with delusions of adequacy and a pocketful of Viagra.

When the op-ed first ran, Broder lacked the benefit of viewing this poll  read more »