Diary of a Mad Voter: Joan McCarter

In between answering questions about a scandal that it's not involved in, Obama tried to announce his new health care team and has also put a call out to Americans to work on the project as well. [more]

Canyon County, Idaho

Canyon County Commissioner Steve Rule used his government email account to distribute an email on Dec. 2 comparing Michelle Obama to a poisonous black widow spider.

NewWest.Net/Boise obtained a paper copy of the email and has confirmed it was sent electronically. According to its header, Rule received the email as a forward, then used his official county email address to forward it to 26 people, including many at their Canyon County government email accounts.

The email has two photographs: one of a black widow spider, and one of Michelle Obama holding her older daughter’s hand, taken on Nov. 4 at President-elect Obama’s acceptance speech in Chicago.

Mrs. Obama’s dress has a distinctive red pattern on its front. The spider’s red mark resembles that pattern.

The email reads (emphasis, punctuation and capitalization reproduced exactly): [more]

Tough Times

A report released this week by a consortium of advocacy groups shows a widening gap between how much money families can earn in the Northwest and what they need to pay for basic living expenses.

The report, by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, compiles data to determine what a "living wage" would be in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon for five different types of families and then compares that with the number of jobs available in the region that would pay such a wage -- which is not many. The report also looks at how many job seekers there are competing for each living-wage job. According to those two indicators, the report finds that "As the cost of living continues to increase, the Northwest economy is not creating enough living wage jobs for all those who need them..."

In the four-state region overall, 34 percent of job openings would pay less than a living wage for a single adult. For a single adult with two children, 81 percent of available jobs would pay a less than a living wage.

The gap is widest in Idaho, Montana and Oregon, depending on family size. In Montana, 40 percent of available jobs would pay less than the $10.95 an hour needed to provide a living wage for a single adult. For a family with two children and only one adult working, 85 percent of available jobs would pay less then a living wage. In Idaho, 33 percent of jobs pay less than a living wage for a single adult and 82 percent of jobs pay less than a living wage for a family with two children and one adult working. [more]

Energy

Last week, governors from around the country met with President-Elect Obama to discuss the financial crisis. Described as the “first line of defense” in economic fallouts, many governors have called for federal investments in local infrastructures. With billions of dollars potentially up for grabs, and forces in every corner proposing solutions, it’s critical to consider which projects will make the best investments for our future. [more]

Idaho Politics: U.S. Senate

Sen. Larry Craig, R-ID, has lost his appeal to wipe out his guilty plea in a Minneapolis airport bathroom sting, where an undercover police officer arrested him for soliciting gay sex.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals convened a three-judge panel, who agreed with the county judge who rejected Craig’s original appeal to withdraw his guilty plea.

He can still appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court, but one of the judges who ruled today said Craig’s original plea was “accurate, voluntary and intelligent.” The same judge also said the plea was “supported by the evidence.”

That seems to make it unlikely that further appeals would succeed, but Craig’s pursuit to reverse his plea has been dogged and determined.

In its letter of admonishment to Craig, members of the Senate Ethics Committee found that Craig broke a Senate rule by not asking the committee's permission before spending more than $200,000 in leftover campaign money to try to overturn his plea.

The committee then allowed Craig to set up a defense fund to help pay legal bills and debts, most of which are from Washington, D.C., criminal defense attorney, Billy Martin. Craig opened up the legal expense fund in June under the name "The Fund for Justice” but as of November 7, there was just $4,645 in it. Donors are allowed to give up to $10,000 to the expense fund, although lobbyists are prohibited from contributing. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

New Mexico really is in a dire financial situation, and solving it is going to be painful, not just for government bureaucracies but also for average New Mexicans.

The bottom line is this: The sharp drops in oil and gas prices mean the state has a current fiscal-year budget shortfall of about $500 million -- in a budget of about $6 billion. But that’s not the extent of the problem. Forecasters predict that in the next fiscal year, the shortfall will be at least another $200 million. [more]

Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who was just voted head of the National Governors Association, wants the administration of Barack Obama to help Montana to build an electrical transmission line to deliver electricity produced in the state to markets across the country.

"Montana is dead center in the middle of the most important energy corridor on the planet," Schweitzer said. "We're ready, willing and able to lead the country and world in developing energy."

But Schweitzer doesn't want the Obama administration to tell him how or where the energy should be developed. Schweitzer and other governors also asked for major investments for roads and bridges and other infrastructure. [more]

If ever there was an explanation of what keeps many American farmers exclusively focused on the global commodity game - even if they and their communities are losing because of it - it's thinking like this:

From a story in the Great Falls Tribune covering the Montana Grain Growers conference:

[Conference speaker Tom] Morgan, the one-time vice president of the large Florida vegetable and fruit grower A. Duda & Sons, criticized a National Geographic issue last summer that called for "eating green" through steps such as buying locally from farmers within 30 miles, riding a bike and planting a garden, all of which he called unrealistic and "a bunch of romantic dribble" for most large-city dwellers. He said modern agriculture requires the safe use of fertilizers, chemicals and genetically engineered crops to feed a growing population with only 7 percent arable land nationwide.

Later in the story, several growers are quoted bemoaning rising input costs (read: fuel, fertilizer and chemicals) and the stresses of fluctuating grain prices. Coincidence? [more]

KEEP THOSE GUN MAVERICKS UNDER CONTROL

If you've followed my recent columns on gun rights, you know that I have a big bet on the table--not an all-in bet, hopefully, but really big!

Our new administration and Congress has a lot of anti-gun baggage, but I've argued, unsuccessfully so far, that two colossal political realities will keep the Blue Tide from seriously pursuing any new gun laws.

So convinced am I of this that during several email exchanges, online and offline, with gun nuts, I bet them no gun bill would get through Congress any time during the next four years. So Mr. President-elect and Ms. Speaker of the House, please come through for me. Don't make me a big loser.
[more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Joan McCarter

Democrat Jim Roscoe, a home builder, marathoner and former ski patrolman who has never run for public office ran for the open District 22 seat in the state House against Republican Charles Stough, a recent transplant. Roscoe won in the general election in a complete squeaker, by just four votes--2,991 to 2,887. But then it got kind of hinkey. Joe Albright, Teton County Democratic State Committeeman, explained what happened in an e-mail: [more]