Red State Rebels

Want a choice on the radio? Speak up.

If you are sick of Rush Limbaugh, Zeb Bell and their ilk and you want to hear at least one progressive voice on commercial radio in southern Idaho, you'll want to read this. But be sure to let stations and advertisers know how you feel - starting in the comments on the Statesman piece.

Wayne Hoffman's six cents

Wayne Hoffman, former spokesman for the lamentable Bill Sali, has found a few new ways to occupy his time. He's now director of a supposedly nonpartisan free-market think tank and a columnist for the Idaho Statesman. Here's a snip of a guest commentary I did earlier today at NewWest.net regarding Hoffman's new gigs. (I would've sent this straight to the Statesman except another op-ed of mine has been bottled up there for several weeks.)

Few would disagree with the main point of Hoffman’s first column, published Sunday: We ought to have more transparent government spending. Democrats have been calling for that for years, and President Obama is moving ahead to be sure it happens, both for government in general and his proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan in particular.

I’m sure that all Democrats, Republicans and Independents agree with Hoffman’s premise. But Hoffman’s opening paragraph is worth a second thought since it belies the key difference between the two major parties. He wrote:

“I’m one Idaho taxpayer who is delighted that state government is undergoing major surgery. Every time the state adds 6 percent onto the price of the things I buy, I imagine ways I’d spend that money if I were not giving it to the government.”

Every time he spends money, he thinks about that? Clearly, Wayne Hoffman is obsessed with taxes more than your average Idahoan.

Like most people, I just pay the six cents. But every once in a while, when I’m prompted by someone like Hoffman to think about taxes, I don’t think about how I’d spend my tax pennies if I had them all to myself. Instead, I think about how – as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said - “Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.”

Read it all over at NewWest.net - and let's plan on keeping a very sharp eye on the, ahem, nonpartisan writer who not six months ago accused the Idaho media of being "shrill news lemmings all marching willingly to a sea of liberalism, filth and innuendo.” - JF

Idaho Legislators: not too busy to promote sexist, archaic tradition!

I was suprised to see an email in my inbox today from Idaho Representative McGeachin (Rep. McGeachin is an anti-abortion Republican from Bonneville County, and I'm a pro-choice Democrat from Boise).  Still, I'm always interested in what my legislators have to say.  This particular email had a simple request, really.  It asked me to vote online for a young Idaho woman for Miss America....hold on...MISS AMERICA!? They still have that archaic tradition?! Worse, Rep. McGeachin she sent this from her legislative email address. Of course I found this irresistible.  I had to respond (and please give me props for holding back the snark--it was a challenge).  Her email is below my note. 

Representative McGeachin -

Thanks for your note! I'm not sure how I wound up on your list to support Ms. Davis's quest to be named Miss America, but I felt I should drop you a note in response.

I think it's teriffic that you support Idahoans, especially young Idahoans, in their endeavors. Supporting this particular endeavor, however, I think is a misstep.

Nationally, Idaho is sometimes seen as a backward and behind-the-times place. Likewise, the Miss America Pageant is seen as antiquated and old fashioned. Do we really need this kind of publicity?

While the pageant now calls itself a "scholarship pageant," it still heavily emphasizes physical appearance over actual skills, attributes and knowledge that would help make young women more likely to be successful today. Growing up, I found such events to be at best frivolous, and at worst, another reason to feel physically inadequate.

I don't quibble with your personal support of pageants. However, when you forward emails that support pageants from your legislative address, you imply state, and possibly even party support. As a Democrat and Idaho taxpayer, I surely hope our party and government don't support these outdated, backward-looking, dying traditions. I like to think we support our ambitious young women through scholarships won on the basis of their brains, hard work and skills, and not how good they look on television.

Sincerely,




On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 10:16 AM, Janice McGeachin <JMcgeach (at) house (dot) idaho (dot) gov> wrote:

This is an exciting opportunity to help elect a beautiful, young Idahoan as the next Miss America.

Please take the time to view the pageant and cast your vote for Elise Davis Miss America.

Representative McGeachin


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <<deleted>>
To:
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:38:16 -0700
Subject: FW: Miss America : Countdown to the Crown : Elise Davis

Some of you may have heard that Elise Davis (a graduate from Skyline) will be competing in the Miss America pageant on Saturday. What is cool about this years pagent is that the viewers will have the chance to vote for their top choice. The four girls with the top votes will be included in the top 15 finalists. You can vote via the internet or by text messaging. Try to get the word out, and help one of southeast Idaho's exceptional women become the next Miss America. I have included a link below with more details.



http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/miss-america/about-miss-america.html

TJ Thomson announces run for Boise City Council

In case you haven't heard, TJ Thomson, one of the early leaders of the grassroots Idaho for Obama group, has filed his intent to run for Boise City Council.

You can read the full press release here on 43rd State Blues and below is some of the early coverage by the local media.

The campaign is just getting going so there isn't much to do yet, but if you are interested in volunteering, donating, or just have questions, please contact TJ Thomson at [email protected]  or Matt Compton, Campaign Coordinator at [email protected]

Boise Weekly
http://citydesk.boiseweekly.com/2009/01/obama-spurs-city-council-run.html

Channel 7 News & Video
http://www.ktvb.com/news/legislature/stories2/ktvbn-jan2109-democratic_party.16f291cd.html

Channel 6 News
http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9705964

Idaho Statesman
http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/640437.html