WHERE IS THE HOUSE BILL?
Congress Needs to Walk the Talk on Recreation Fees
On June 18, finally, Congress started seriously looking into the runaway recreational fee charging policy of federal agencies, primarily the U.S. Forest Service (FS), but it's still just talk. We've had enough of that, so let's just spike this pay-for-play policy, which is at best an extreme stretch of the legal authority given agencies by Congress--"given," sort of, I should say, since our elected leaders never even debated it or voted on it.
Even though it's moving at glacier speed, we at least have the Baucus-Crapo Bill, S. 2438, introduced in the Senate to spike the Recreation Access Tax. This is clearly a bipartisan issue, ripe for election-year politics. Now, we need a sponsor for a similar bill in the House.
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From The New West Blog
NRA to Unload $40M Against Obama
The National Rifle Association plans to spend about $40 million on this year's presidential campaign, with $15 million of that devoted to portraying Barack Obama as a threat to the Second Amendment rights upheld last week by the Supreme Court, Jonathan Martin at Politico.com reports.
"Our members understand that if Barack Obama is elected president, and he has support in the Senate to confirm anti-gun Supreme Court nominees, [the District of Columbia v. Heller decision] could be taken away from us in the future,” Chris Cox, head of the NRA’s political arm, told Politico.
Ben Smith, a Politico.com blogger, says the consequences might be "tougher going in some of those long-shot states, notably Montana and Alaska, where gun rights are big but where Obama may out-organize McCain."
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Column: U.S. Senate Race
LaRocco Releases Poll
Internal polling for former congressman Larry LaRocco, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, shows he trails opponent Lt. Gov. Jim Risch by 15 percentage points, plus or minus 4.5%. Risch had 43%, LaRocco 28%, Rammell 6%, Other 6%, and Undecided 18%.
But when voters were read LaRocco and Risch’s stance on issues, LaRocco took the lead at 40 to 37 percent, with the same margin of error. Rammell was 5%, Other 5% and Undecideds dropped to 13%.
The poll was conducted between May 20 and 25 by Celinda Lake of Lake Research Partners. 500 likely Idaho voters were questioned.
As I wrote yesterday, President Bush’s disapproval rating came in at 54% in LaRocco’s poll – the first time a majority of Idahoans disapproved of the job Bush is doing. With a 4.5 margin of error, that could be as high as 59.50% or as low as 49.5%.
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New edition of Idaho travel guide
Idaho Off the Beaten Path
Idaho Off the Beaten Path by Boise author Julie Fanselow is part of a national guidebook series published by The Globe Pequot Press. Fanselow has written and updated the Idaho book since the first edition appeared in 1995.
The new edition’s Southwestern Idaho chapter features such additions as Boise’s Linen District, Nampa’s Belle District, Eagle Island State Park and a growing collection of murals in Mountain Home.
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newwest.net's summer photo contest
H2Ography - Give Us Your Best Western Water Shot!
Whether it's whitewater rafting or a tranquil float in a tube, dousing flames or farming, fly-fishing or camping at an alpine lake, summer in the West is all about water. And so NewWest.Net presents H2Ography, our 2008 summer photo contest. Give us your best water shot and win cool prizes.
The online contest, hosted by Flickr, is sponsored by the Rocky Mountain School of Photography and Missoula-area businesses The Dark Room, The Canoe Rack, and Big Dipper Ice Cream. It's open to pro and amateur photographers alike, shooting in the Rocky Mountain region.
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from the new west blog: 2008 elections
New Poll: Majority of Reddest-State Idahoans Disapprove of Bush
New West has some preliminary numbers from an Idaho Democratic Senate campaign poll. Full results of the poll will be released Tuesday.
The Larry LaRocco for Senate poll surveyed 500 likely Idaho voters and was conducted from May 20 to May 25 by Celinda Lake of Lake Research Partners.
Idaho has the most Republican-dominated state legislature of all the 50 states, and the GOP holds all the top-level statewide offices. So it's more than surprising that 54% of those polled said they disapproved of the job President Bush is doing - it could be telling.
The closest Idaho poll readily available for comparison is a Survey USA poll done in August 2007 which had a 49% disapproval rating for Bush. So LaRocco's poll could signal a five percent jump in disapproval for Bush, and the first time a majority of likely-voting Idahoans disapprove of the president.
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Column: Politics
Sen. Larry Craig Co-Sponsors Defense of Marriage Amendment
Sens. Larry Craig (R-ID) and David Vitter (R-LA) have signed on as co-sponsors of S.J. Res. 43, the Marriage Protection Amendment - a bill that would amend the Constitution to declare that marriage “shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.”
Sen. Craig was arrested June 11, 2007 on charges of lewd conduct in a Minneapolis airport terminal and pled guilty.
Sen. Vitter was on a list of clients of a prostitution firm owned by “The DC Madam,” Deborah Jeane Palfrey.
This is the fourth attempt by Republicans during this Congress to legislate what they call “family values" with similar bills.
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From the new west blog: Cook thoroughly while sober
Morel Mushroom Poisonings Up in Montana, Idaho
Morel mushroom poisonings have recently increased in Idaho and Montana, according to the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.
The Center wants us all to know that it’s dangerous to eat raw, dried, or partially cooked morels, and it’s also unsafe to drink wine or other alcohol with any morels, cooked or not.
Morel poisoning causes impressive, repeated vomiting, usually right after you eat those bad boys.
From the Center’s press release, it’s easy to tell that this is more than a dodgy situation – it’s serious.
Do not drink and eat morels, cook them to death, and reject the dried kind.
“Impressive vomiting” is enough for me.
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From the new west blog: U.S. Senate Race
Sen. Jon Tester Wants Friends in the “Tractor Caucus”
Nebraska Democratic Senate candidate Scott Kleeb might be a shoe-in if only women in Nebraska were allowed to vote (see photos.)
But Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) wasn’t counting on the hottie vote when he sent a “money letter” to his email list endorsing Kleeb:
“There's just something different about farmers. They have a unique connection to the land and their fellow worker that doesn't go away, even after some move on to public office.
Unfortunately, the Senate "Tractor Caucus" is looking pretty bare lately. Fortunately, we have a promising new candidate we'd like to have join our ranks: Scott Kleeb of Nebraska.”
Kleeb (pronounced Klebb) grew up on military bases, with summers home in Nebraska. He worked as a ranch hand in Colorado and in Nebraska’s Sandhills during and after college.
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COMMENTS WORTH REPEATING
Guns and the Most Controversial Nonprofit of Them All
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. What is the Most Controversial Nonprofit Organization of Them All?
Can we agree that it is the National Rifle Association?
Fervently supported by millions of gun owners, but bitterly criticized by its detractors, including many hunters who feel the gun group elects anti-hunting politicians who vote consistently against the protecting wildlife habitat. Critics think the NRA stands for Not Really an Ally or National Republican Army.
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