idahopolitics's blog

Human rights violations in Idaho

David Adler — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:44:23 -0400

All I really need to know about life I learned from the gas tax issue

Gary Moncrief — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:04:09 -0400

Medical education for Idaho

David Adler — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:50:47 -0400

Kevin Richert's aptly titled editorial, State Board needs to refocus on higher ed (April 13, 2009), scored a bulls-eye, but his dismissal of Idaho State University President Arthur Vailas's medical education vision for the State of Idaho as ill-conceived, missed the mark altogether.

Redistricting: Part 2

Gary Moncrief — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:01:04 -0400

Redistricting

Gary Moncrief — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:15:16 -0400

Last week a bill (S1184) to amend Idaho’s redistricting law was introduced by Senate Pro Tem Geddes and cosponsored by House Speaker Denney. Whether it will pass this session is problematic, but it heralds the beginning of the decennial dance known as redistricting. Actually, “dance” isn’t really the right analogy; “musical chairs” is more like it. It is an issue that most of the public doesn’t care about but which overtly political interests (parties, interest groups and legislators) care about deeply. A few key points:

A session unlike any other

Gary Moncrief — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:37:58 -0400

State sovereignty

David Adler — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:16:28 -0400

In the course of defending passage by the House of four Joint memorials, essentially telling the federal government to back off, some members unleashed the old rhetoric about "state sovereignty." It's all well and good for state representatives to defend state powers, responsibilities and jurisdiction, while warning federal authorities to adhere to their jurisdictional boundaries, but let's avoid claims that are indefensible.

Emotional stability

Don Holley — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:58:59 -0400

Maybe Nebraska has the right idea

Gary Moncrief — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:26:24 -0400

During the last depression, Nebraska senator George Norris convinced the good people of the Cornhusker State that they could save money and create a more efficient government system if they would eliminate one of the legislative chambers. Thus the “Unicam” came into being—the only unicameral state legislature in the country. Adopted by constitutional amendment in 1934 and implemented in 1937, Nebraska has retained their unicameral now for over 70 years. It seems to work just fine.

Mission Accomplished

Jasper M. LiCalzi — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:55:07 -0400