http://www.newwest.net/topic/main/C68/L37/ New West Network: The Voice of the Rocky Mountains en info@newwest.net Copyright 2008 Wed, 21 May 2008 16:16:00 MDT Wed, 21 May 2008 16:16:00 MDT http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/the_kennedy_who_lives_stays_and_fights/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/the_kennedy_who_lives_stays_and_fights/C68/L37/ Wed, 21 May 2008 11:54:00 MDT The terrible news of Senator Ted Kennedy’s terminal brain cancer has dropped my spirits down a dark freefall of loss and fierce memories. Kennedy tragedies generally don’t sneak up on you. One just suddenly learns that a war bomb, an assassin’s bullet or a spiraling airplane has taken another one. But the few hours of warning we had with Ted’s diagnosis – “he’s had a stroke” progressing to “no, he’s had a seizure but he’s fine” progressing to "he’s got a brain tumor” within half a day doesn’t make it easier to hear that a great American, a man whom I revere, will soon be gone. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/idaho_republicans_in_disarray/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/idaho_republicans_in_disarray/C68/L37/ Tue, 20 May 2008 09:38:00 MDT When there's trouble in Idaho for Republicans, you know they're hurting everywhere. We've already seen the grassroots revolt in the works on the part of Paul supporters. But the fissures in the Idaho party run deeper. At the core of the party split is a fight over Idaho's primary system between the state central committee and many elected officials. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/farm_bill_gives_me_nada_for_my_corn/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/farm_bill_gives_me_nada_for_my_corn/C68/L37/ Mon, 19 May 2008 17:59:01 MDT A couple of years ago I called Idaho potato magnate J. R. Simplot to ask him about farm subsidies. There was an Associated Press story coming across the wire that listed billionaire-farmer Simplot as one of the largest recipients of government farm subsidies in the country, and since Simplot is a major player in southwest Idaho, my editor wanted his side of the story. I forget now how much J.R. was raking in for not growing certain crops or for growing certain crops or just for being a magnate: the details are not important right now. But I recall Simplot’s quick response to my question almost verbatim: “If I got it, I earned it and I’m not giving it back.” Well last week billionaire farmers got a reauthorization of the Farm Bill through Congress. And even if President George W. Bush, who is actually concerned about excessive subsidy payments to wealthy farmers, vetoes the bill, Congress is likely to override the veto. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/theres_something_happening_here/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/theres_something_happening_here/C68/L37/ Thu, 15 May 2008 17:36:00 MDT Something big is rumbling in the political climate, like a looming prairie storm that makes the cattle edgy and the coyotes settle watchfully in the tall grass. This week saw Sen. John Edwards endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president, Obama overtake Sen. Hillary Clinton in the number of delegates needed, and, despite her victory in West Virginia, a settling assumption that she won’t make it. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/idaho_superdelegates_united_for_obama/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/idaho_superdelegates_united_for_obama/C68/L37/ Mon, 12 May 2008 11:49:00 MDT Idaho State Democratic Chair Keith Roark, who is a superdelegate to the Democratic convention, announced today he will vote for Senator Barack Obama. Roark said, “The unprecedented enthusiasm Senator Obama has generated here in Idaho is unlike anything I have seen in my 31 years of active political participation in this State. He has captured the imagination and mint fresh optimism of young voters from Coeur d’Alene to Caldwell, from Murphy to Montpelier, from Twin Falls to Idaho Falls. I firmly believe that the critical process of rebuilding the Idaho Democratic Party will receive a once in a lifetime boost from Senator Obama’s candidacy.” http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/minnick_holds_cheap_gas_event/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/minnick_holds_cheap_gas_event/C68/L37/ Tue, 06 May 2008 16:27:00 MDT Idaho Democratic candidate for Congress Walt Minnick held a sale on gasoline today, and over 350 cars showed up. The posted price at a Boise Chevron station was $3.59 a gallon, but for an hour this morning customers paid $2.26 a gallon, with the price difference of $1.33 paid by the Minnick campaign. 3,230 gallons were sold in 90 minutes. Minnick said $2.26 was the price of gas when Sali took office. Minnick’s Republican opponent is incumbent Rep. Bill Sali. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/living_in_a_privatized_idaho/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/living_in_a_privatized_idaho/C68/L37/ Tue, 06 May 2008 09:56:00 MDT One of the slogans that resonated most strongly throughout the 2006 campaign season in Idaho was Jerry Brady's "Idaho is Not for Sale." Two years after his defeat, someone observing recent political news from the state has to wonder if a chunk or two of it hasn't been sold. First there's the news, broken by New West's Jill Kuraitis, that Idaho was the intended recipient of 6,700 tons of highly contaminated--and potentially highly dangerous--Kuwaiti sand. First, let's just consider the insanity of actually shipping 6,700 tons of contaminated anything the thousands of miles from it's current home in Kuwait to Owyhee County, Idaho. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/larocco_to_otter_risch_no_contaminated_sand_to_idaho/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/larocco_to_otter_risch_no_contaminated_sand_to_idaho/C68/L37/ Mon, 05 May 2008 19:54:01 MDT On Monday, U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco asked Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter and Lt. Gov. Jim Risch to stop 150 rail cars loaded with radioactive sand from entering Idaho. His staff hand delivered letters to each office. In Idaho, the story of the shipment was first published here on NewWest.Net/Boise. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/break_in_at_larocco_for_senate_office/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/break_in_at_larocco_for_senate_office/C68/L37/ Mon, 05 May 2008 14:50:00 MDT Somebody kicked in the locked door at LaRocco for Senate campaign headquarters on Saturday and did a “couple of hundred dollars” in damages, according to LaRocco’s communications director Dean Ferguson. Since the intruder didn’t take anything of value – like expensive computers and equipment - “We will not know whether this was a politically motivated break-in or just a random act of senseless violence until the Boise police conclude their investigation,” said Bob Stout, campaign manager for LaRocco for Senate. UPDATED 5:15 p.m. after the jump http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/closed_primaries_are_right_solution/C68/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/closed_primaries_are_right_solution/C68/L37/ Fri, 02 May 2008 11:35:00 MDT R. Keith Roark, chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party should read the U.S. Constitution before he offers such a wild condemnation of the Idaho Republican Party and its recent lawsuit to prohibit Democrats and other non-Republicans from participation in the Republican candidate selection process. The Idaho Republican Party simply does not want Democrats and other non-Republicans granted the privilege of participating in the process of selecting Republican candidates for public office.