Politics News

“Drought, extreme weather events, catastrophic wildfires, disruption of natural systems” –combined with “longer periods when streams are dry, with serious consequences for wildlife, natural habitats, and water supplies.” That’s the scenario for my region of America in a provocative recent Lincoln Institute of Land Policy report, “Planning for Climate Change in the West.”

And political will to address these challenges? The report notes that the Mountain West “has lagged behind other regions in pursuing aggressive planning strategies to reduce [greenhouse gases],” largely because of a conservative political culture and insufficient political will.

It is true that the region has tended to be politically conservative, and there may well be an above-average level of climate change denial among westerners. But there are also significant historical vectors at work here that could supply the political will this historic challenge demands.

Opinion

A revamped bill requiring people to show a photo ID before voting—but which allows people without such IDs to vote by signing an affidavit—passed the Idaho House yesterday, 64-6. A similar bill last year was withdrawn at the request of the Secretary of State, and worked on over the summer.

In addition to the affidavit provision, the revamped bill now also doesn’t include vote-by-mail or absentee voting, which sponsor House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, said he planned to address in a separate bill, as well as another bill requiring photo ID to register to vote."It doesn’t go as far I’d like it to go,” he said. He didn’t say whether he planned to do either of those additional bills this session.

A number of other states have implemented or are working on implementing similar provisions, which are said to be intended to combat voter fraud but which some feel are intended to discourage people from voting who are seen as more likely to vote Democratic: the young, the old, the disabled, and minorities.

Column

Despite bipartisan opposition primarily focusing on end-of-life services, the health care workers “conscience bill,” which purportedly lets professionals deny making certain medications and services available based on their personal moral beliefs—but which critics say is an attack against birth control for women—passed the Senate on a 21-13 vote.

“The intent of this legislation is not to restrict or limit in any way health care services to women or men in Idaho,” said sponsor Senator Chuck Winder, R-Eagle.

When opponents brought up the fact that rural areas might already have a limited number of health care professionals to choose from, Winder responded that a survey supporters had performed of rural health care providers found that some of them didn’t provide those medications and services anyway.

Press Release from Idaho Rep. Walt Minnick

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick promised to fight for Idahoans when he took office, making it his top priority to hold federal government accountable. He fought to get Idahoans all they were owed from their government. He directed his staff to work hard for constituents and to get results.

Minnick keeps promises.

In 2009, Minnick’s offices put more than $2.5 million back into the pockets of individual Idahoans. That was money the federal government owed or was trying to take from businesses, seniors, veterans, and families. On top of that, Minnick’s offices ran lean enough to return $100,000 from his $1.5 million congressional budget to taxpayers. That budget covers the costs of staffing and running four offices in Idaho and one in Washington, DC.

“Fighting for constituents is the most important work that a Congressional office should do,” said Minnick. “I am proud that my staff has been able to cut through red tape to help Idahoans obtain money that was owed to them from our federal agencies.”

Minnick helped Bill Martin of Boise, owner of Metro Express Car Wash, get back money unjustly taken by the IRS. As a businessman, Martin is impressed with how efficiently Minnick runs his offices, calling $2.5 million a “great” return on investment.

DRILLING DEBATE

A new report by The Wilderness Society seeks to debunk energy industry claims that the Obama administration’s land policies have resulted in fewer rigs across the West.

The real culprit is a decline in natural gas prices, the report says, outlining a decline that began months before President Barack Obama took office.

“The decline in price is the leading cause behind the decline in natural gas development activities,” the report says, “whether their operations are on federal or non-federal land. To attribute their production cutbacks and subsequent job losses to the Obama administration’s policies on drilling on federal lands is a baseless argument that contradicts the companies’ own internal strategies documents.”

idaho legislature

Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter feels misunderstood, wishes people would have more compassion for him, and if the economy would let him, he would like to make people happy.

That’s the impression he wanted to leave with the Idaho Press Club during its annual breakfast with the governor this morning.

When newspapers describe budget cuts he’s making, which he said are required to maintain a balanced budget, “there’s always an assignment of some personal philosophy,” Otter said, who added that he “bristles” when an article assigns motivation to him without asking him why. “And then when I explain them I’m ‘covering up,’” he said.

This year, with the repeated holdbacks, has been particularly tough, Otter said. “Holdbacks are never fun.” Being able to give money to a program, or to tell an agency to go ahead and spend the money and it would be paid for out of a supplemental is a lot easier to deal with, he said. “I used to think it was the other way around, but I don’t any more,” he said, saying later, “I would like to see some compassion that this is a tough, tough position to be in, and it’s not fun.”

“Just once, I’d like to see a headline that says, instead of ‘Otter Cuts Grade School,’ ‘Otter Obeys the Constitution,’” he said.

(There you go, Governor.)

RMEF, NRA OPPOSE 1-161

UPDATED: 7 pm, February 25: I just received a press release from Safari Club International, also in opposition to I-161.

A proposed ballot measure in Montana to eliminate guaranteed big game licenses for commercial outfitters, I-161, just picked up some serious opposition.

Proponents of I-161 are currently gathering signatures, so it’s still uncertain whether it will actually be on the ballot this November 2. Nonetheless, in separate press releases, the Missoula-based Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) strongly opposed the ballot initiative. 

Commentary

Before the 2010 Idaho legislative session had even started, both leadership and Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter had called for a short session, likely ending by April 1. Not only is the legislature said to cost $30,000 a day when it’s in session—particularly pertinent in this tough economic year—but it’s an election year, and legislators want to get back to their districts and campaign.

However, the budget process doesn’t start in earnest until March, and the legislators who aren’t on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee are apparently bored. Moreover, since it is an election year, legislators running for re-election want a voting record on which to run—and a voting record from their opponents to point to. Consequently, as with last year, the Legislature is occupying itself with the usual run of Strongly Worded Letters and dog-whistle bills.

That’s right. It’s Silly Bill Season.

A short list (below) describing the Obama Administration’s short list of potential new national monuments was leaked to the media this week.  I had heard rumors that this was being considered as early as November when I had a private conversation with a top BLM administrator, so I was not surprised by the “announcement.”

At one time or another I have visited nearly all the proposed national monuments and each has its special values that make them worthy of protection. Let’s hope the Obama administration follows through on designation of these areas, and even adds a few of the runner up proposals like Bristol Bay, Alaska and Wyoming’s Red Desert.

The areas under consideration for new national monument status subject to public support and other considerations include the following lands, Owyhee Canyons, Montana Plains, Otero Mesa, San Rafael Swell, Northern Sonoran Desert, Cascades Siskiyou, Vermillion Basin, Lesser Prairie Chicken, Berrysessa-Snow Mountain, Heart of the Great Basin, Bodie Hills, Modoc Plateau, Cedar Mesa, and San Juan Islands. 

CHEYENNE – Cheyenne attorney Karen Budd-Falen has raised a furor among ranching communities in Wyoming and elsewhere in the West by claiming that environmental groups are abusing federal statutes and collecting billions of dollars in attorneys’ fees from the public treasury.

In an October 3, 2009 guest opinion in the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, Budd-Falen said, “Environmental groups are receiving billions of federal taxpayer dollars in attorney fees for settling or ‘winning’ cases against the federal government.” (Emphasis in original).

On November 3, U.S. Representatives Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Rob Bishop (R-UT), writing for the Congressional Western Caucus, sent a letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder alleging abuse of the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) by “certain organizations” and citing “alarming” figures presented by “an independent law firm.” The letter urged the Department of Justice to set up a searchable database detailing disbursements made under the act, which enables the payment of the attorney fees.