Red State Rebels

Farewell, 2008

 

This may be my favorite photo from 2008, taken by the webcam atop Teton Pass on Election Day 2008. (Hat tip Darcy Lagana.) Better than any photo from Barack Obama's rally at Boise State or the record-shattering caucuses in February, this photo says everything that needs to be said about how Idahoans dove into Democratic activism this year. Check out more photos and memories from 2008 here.

Happy New Year. 2009 will be a year of hope, change, wrenching decisions and the knowledge that -even amid hard times ahead - we have set our country back on a course that will make life better for our children and grandchildren.

Dates for your new 2009 calendar

January 3 - Plan to win in Southwestern Idaho ... all Dem activists invited to this workshop at the Nampa Civic Center. Tuesday, December 30, is the deadline to reserve a lunch. Email Judy at idadem@yahoo.com.

January 9 - United Vision for Idaho/United Action for Idaho's annual Progressive Celebration at the Doubletree in Boise.

January 15 - The Idaho Stampede salutes the B-baller in Chief-to-be at Qwest Arena in Boise.

January 20, statewide (January 17 in McCall) - Lots of inauguration parties for those who can't make it to DC. (If you ARE an Idahoan going to DC, click here.)

March 7 - The Frank Church Banquet, featuring White House deputy chief of staff (and 1988 Boise High grad) Jim Messina.

Notes from the blogosphere

Just a few notes from the blogosphere ... my essay on how red-state expats ought to support their home state Democratic parties is featured this morning (Saturday, December 20) on the politics front page at The Huffington Post. (Here's a direct link, too. Please send it to Idaho friends and family who've moved to more progressive climes.)

Canyon County is inching Demward and it's already home to several bloggers including the estimable MountainGoat and Unequivocal Notion. Now it's also home to the Western Democrat, a new podcast-based blog. Check it out. Also, the Canyon County Democrats invite Democratic actvists from across southwestern Idaho to a planning session set for January 3 at the Nampa Civic Center. The time to get ready for 2010 is now.

Speaking of MountainGoat, MG and Tara from The Political Game have teamed up to launch a Zeb Bell page to chronicle the most egregious utterings of Idaho's own wingnut radio host and his "festering refuge for hate speech." It's already starting to get some coverage in the national blogosphere. You'll find all the info you need to take Bell (and his advertisers) to task for his racist, homophobic, xenophobic, theocratic crap. Have at it. 

Finally, a reminder: the Idaho Democratic Party is interested in seeing independent, grassroots watchblogs established in legislative districts represented by some of the state's most regressive Republicans. If you'd like to help with this effort, shoot me an email at julie@idaho-democrats.org and I'll get you into the loop.

Happy holidays!

Sali, Risch are guesting on KBOI

Bill Sali is the guest host until 7 tonight on 670 AM KBOI, in case anyone wants to call and give him what for. Jim Risch will hold down the chair from 4 to 7 on Friday. I've been listening to Sali for a bit and he's getting nothing but big fat softball questions, er, comments - the last one from a little kid who said "God bless you and Merry Christmas." Awwwww.

Frank Church Dinner - Butch Otter - and a thought

Just a couple of quick notes, have you heard yet?  Jim Messina (an Obama insider) will be the speaker at the 2009 Frank Church Banquet.  

Our Gov has been getting some air time lately it seems, and I hear he has been doing great.  Anyone hear him and have a comment?  I hear he was on 670 KBOI and also was a guest on Glenn Beck.

And the temporary Capitol also known as the old Ada County Courthouse has some amazing murals.  That said some of the art is less then politically correct; including showing men preparing to hang a male Indian.  I understand that there has been a decision made to place some plaques under/with some of the murals to explain.  

Anyone here know the details or have thoughts?  As I understand it (and could be wrong) the tribes had input and everyone agreed on wording and such?

OH! and I almost forgot, any comments on shoes as weapons or statements?

t

Just checking in

Hi everyone, this is Julie. I've been gone from Red State Rebels for about 10 weeks, since I started working as communications director for the Idaho Democratic Party on October 1. Until November 30, on the DNC payroll under the 50-state strategy, I was bound by DNC employee rules against independent blogging and fundraising for the IDP. But since we 50-state strategy employees have been temporarily (we hope!) furloughed pending the new administration, I am free to surface here, at least for the time being. Here are a few things that have been on my mind:

Many people who worked really hard on the Obama campaign are now looking for ways to make a difference. In my IDP gig, I am seeking grassroots/netroots communications volunteers in every county (for general party building) and every legislative district (to keep tabs on GOP mischief in R-dominated districts and do incumbent protection in D-led areas). Several Obama volunteers have already signed up, and I know more are out there!

We'll be doing everything from LTE-writing parties and blog comments to issues-oriented YouTube videos on Democratic-sponsored bills in the Idaho Legislature. If you have a few hours to spare each month - and you know you do; you spend more time than that reading blogs! - please consider volunteering, especially during the upcoming legislative session. Email me at julie at idaho-democrats dot org if you're interested, and tell me where you live (street address) so I can get you hooked up with the right LD team. We'll be ramping this up in mid-January, so raise your hand now if you'd like to help.

The IDP is bustling these days. In addition to the grassroots communications projects, we recently added Amber Pence as a membership and development director, we're crafting a 2010 field plan that will maximize off-year Dem gains, and we're improving our data base to help counties and candidates identify ever-more Democratic voters. But all this takes money ... so if you were among the thousands of Idahoans who kicked in an occasional (or monthly) $10 or $20 or more to the Obama campaign, I hope you'll consider doing the same for the Idaho Democratic Party. And if - during the holiday season - you see friends and family who've left Idaho for bluer pastures, please ask them to consider helping out, too.

Finally, are you receiving the weekly e-newsletter from the Idaho Democratic Party? (It arrives Tuesday mornings, if you are not sure.) If you're not signed up, you're missing the best way to stay on top of what the IDP and state legislators are doing. We have just shy of 1,250 subscribers right now - not so hot in a state where 236,440 people voted for Barack Obama. You can sign up right at our website; see the form on the right side of this page, below where it says "Register to Vote." Give us your first name and email address, watch for the opt-in email, and you will be good to go.

Happy holidays to all, in case I don't make it back here for a while ...

Tell Butch TAKE THE MONEY!

Wow, apparently Butch Otter thinks that using taxpayer money to climb out of the economic hole that his party (and fellow rich folk) helped get us into is akin to feeding an addiction.  From an article in today's Statesman on whether Idaho will accept funds from the federal stimulus package: "'If you are just going to give us money that is going into our general fund, you might as well keep it. That's like giving alcohol to an alcoholic,' said Jon Hanian, spokesman for Gov. Butch Otter."  Huh?  So jobs, health care and finaicial assistance are drugs? 

 

Guess nobody in HIS family is facing a layoff, mountains of medical bills, or foreclosure.

New rule: governors must take (and pass) a basic economics class before running for election.

New rule: elected officials must not embarass their home states.

 

New rule: first, do no harm.

Seriously, in a state plagued with wacky politicians and backward policies, this is a new level of backward.

 

Please, people, we'll be seeing this stimulus package not long after the new congress convenes in January.  We don't have time to dawdle.  Write the governor, your legislators, your congress members, your newspapers.  We can't afford to lose this money.  It may be our only lifeline.

 

Media Justice gathering set Saturday

If you're interested in the Idaho media landscape - especially how it could better reflect the views of a wide range of people - there's still time to drop in on the Fund for Idaho's Media Justice Summit, set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, December 6, at the Idaho Education Association Building, 620 N. 6th St., Boise. There will be panel discussions,networking and brainstorming on the local media with a special emphasis on community-based media. Suggested donation is $20 per person.

If you attend the summit, please come back here to share some of your thoughts on the insights and ideas raised.  

Minority leadership announced

from the Statesman

Rep. Wendy Jaquet, from Ketchum, is stepping down after a decade as House minority leader.

She'll fill one of the Democrat's four seats on the Joint-Finance Appropriations budget-writing committee.

Now, Rep. John Rusche of Lewiston becomes minority leader, with Rep. James Ruchti of Pocatello ascending to assistant leader and Bill Killen of Boise to caucus chairman.

In the Senate, Clint Stennett, a Ketchum Democrat, remains minority leader, while Boise Sen. Kate Kelly takes over as his deputy following David Langhorst's departure.

Boise Sen. Elliot Werk, will be minority caucus chair.

Thoughts??

Werk is my senator so I am always happy to see him at the center of things.  

t

Idaho Democratic Legislative Caucus reponds

(The following is a press release from the Idaho Democratic Legislative Caucus in response to Governor Otter's call for budget holdbacks.)

News release from the Idaho Democratic Legislative Caucus

For immediate release

Democratic lawmakers respond to governor’s call for additional cuts

BOISE – The Idaho Democratic Legislative Caucus leadership responded to Gov. Butch Otter’s order of a possible total of 6 percent in budget holdbacks with a call for responsible, targeted cuts that protect critical services to middle-class Idaho families.
 
“Times are hard and the state clearly is facing a bleak budget picture,” House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet said after speaking with Otter and Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett early Monday, before the cuts were made public.

“We need to be as prudent and fiscally responsible as possible. The holdbacks give us all an opportunity to look at what we’re doing and how we are spending and whether we ought to do things differently,” Jaquet said. “But we also need to cut carefully. For example, Idahoans who’ve recently been laid off need opportunities to retrain for new jobs, so this is no time for drastic cuts to vocational and secondary education programs.”

Stennett said the Democratic leadership appreciated the chance to talk with the governor before his public announcement. “We are grateful that we have reserve funds set aside for education and retraining, given the tough economic times we are facing. Tough economies give us a chance to trim where we can, and look for additional savings,” Stennett added. “However, we need to be thoughtful and prudent in our approach to budget cuts.”

At his news conference, Otter indicated that cuts to K-12 public education would be offset through money from the Public Education Stabilization Fund. But Democratic caucus leaders said the anticipated $61 million total K-12 education budget holdback would take more than half of the fund’s reserves, leaving it largely depleted for FY 2010 and beyond.

 “We realize that times are tough and that the state needs to tighten its belt just like Idaho families,” said state Sen. Elliot Werk, echoing a statement Otter made in his press conference. “But Democrats will work hard to ensure the efficient delivery of critical services to our citizens and protect middle-class families from any further tax shifting.”