Crossposted on Daily Kos

While conservatives like Bryan Fischer defend Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), and others, like Raul Labrador, stay silent (see the Jimmy Farris press release, To Labrador: “Do you agree with Rep. Akin?”)

... It is at least good to know that the Idaho courts took one young woman's claim about sexual harassment seriously.

From Boise Weekly:

Former Idaho State Sen. John McGee was led out of an Ada County courtroom in handcuffs this afternoon after he was sentenced to 90 days jail time by District Magistrate Judge James Cawthon. McGee pleaded guilty before Cawthon in February to charges stemming from a 2011 Father's Day drunken-driving incident.

McGee agreed that he was guilty of a disturbing the peace charge, which prosecutors say violated his one-year probation from the previous DUI conviction. McGee was accused of sexually harassing a Senate staffer at the Idaho Capitol while the senator was on still on probation for the previous charge.
.

Also in court, we learned more about what happened when McGee resigned amid those disturbing the peace allegations, according to Northwest Cable News:

Deputy prosecutor Jean Fisher says McGee cornered the 25-year-old assistant in his office and demanded graphic sexual conduct from her.

... McGee resigned from his position with West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell earlier this year. His attorney told the court that he is unemployed and looking for work.

McGee was also sentenced to an additional 44 days for violating the terms of probation stemming from a 2011 drunken driving conviction, but the judge said that could be served through community service.

John McGee was the fourth highest ranking Republican in the reddest of red states.

And he is where he is today - for one reason - because powers-that-be listened to and acted upon the report of one young woman, an Idaho State Senate attache.

What a stark contrast from the claims of a GOP senatorial candidate who obviously thinks that some whiny women and their claims of rape should placed at a lower importance.

It is a minor victory, but a victory nonetheless.  read more »

Idaho- 1st Congressional District candidate Jimmy Farris demanded today that Congressman Raul Labrador reveal his stance on the issue of rape-related pregnancy.

Jimmy Farris

On Sunday, Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) claimed that it is highly unlikely for women who are victims of “legitimate rape” to become pregnant, saying their bodies disrupt the reproductive process in response to the trauma.

Bryan Fischer, spokesperson for the American Family Association and former executive director for the Idaho Values Alliance, defended Akin’s comments, saying Akin is “absolutely right” about the near-impossibility of conception occurring as a result of rape.

Congressman Labrador has strong ties to Fischer. When Congressman Labrador announced his candidacy for his first congressional run in 2009, Fischer was the first person he emailed with the news. Labrador and Fischer have hosted Tea Party rallies together, and Fischer has claimed that he and Congressman Labrador are “good friends.”

“Representative Akin’s and Bryan Fischer’s comments are sexist, ignorant, and disgusting,” said Farris. “To suggest that a woman who becomes pregnant as a result of rape was not actually victimized is outrageous and demeaning. Akin and Fischer are utterly dismissing the suffering of the 32,000 women who become pregnant as a result of rape every year. They are trying to shift the blame back to the victims. It’s sickening.”

Mitt Romney denounced Akin’s statement, and several members of the GOP have called on Akin to terminate his candidacy.

“Congressman Labrador, do you agree that Akin should end his candidacy, or do you agree with Todd Akin and Bryan Fischer? Do you believe that ‘legitimate rape’ does not result in pregnancy?”

Cherie Buckner-Webb

The three Democratic legislative candidates for District 19 – Rep. Cherie Buckner-Webb for Senate, Mat Erpelding for House Seat A and Holli High Woodings for House Seat B – have been working hard on their campaigns for the November 6th general election. The three campaigns share a common campaign manager and headquarters.

Eric Everett, an Idaho native and experienced campaigner, manages the coordinated campaign. Everett, who is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Public Administration at Boise State University, became active in Idaho Democratic politics while pursuing his undergraduate degree at the University of Idaho. He has also worked for Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Campaign in Iowa and U.S. Rep. Larry LaRocco’s U.S. Senate Campaign in Idaho. Most recently, Everett worked as an intern of the Idaho Senate.

The coordinated campaign office, located in The Mode Building at 800 West Idaho Street, Suite 304, serves as the headquarters. The office is the hub of an energetic and committed volunteer force that works to bring balance and responsibility back to Idaho’s Capitol.

Friends,

I've put thousands of miles on my car since March traveling to Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Twin Falls, Blaine County, Burley, St. Anthony and beyond. I've met amazing, enthusiastic people and everywhere I go I'm surprised to find people recognize me from my work in the Senate defending our schools, teachers, small class sizes and kids.  read more »

Jimmy Farris has a reputation for setting challenging goals and achieving those goals through hard work, determination, and persistence. As a child in Lewiston, Idaho, Jimmy set a tough first goal: to play professional football.

His parents, Bob and Sharon, taught Jimmy and his four siblings that he could do anything he set his mind to through hard work and determination. Bob, a teacher and principal, and Sharon who spent a lifetime working in the healthcare industry, showed Jimmy the value of being a community leader and instilled a deep respect for being involved in his neighborhood and church.

A graduate of Lewiston High School, Jimmy attended the University of Montana, earning a degree in Marketing and Management while having a standout football career with the Grizzlies. Graduating in 2000, Jimmy took the next step in chasing his dream and entered the NFL Draft. Despite his exceptional performance as a wide receiver, he went undrafted.

Undaunted, Jimmy continued to pursue his dream to play in the NFL. He was invited to attend the San Francisco 49er's pre-season camp for the longest of shots of making the roster of an NFL team. Through that same hard work, dedication, and persistence, he learned growing up in Idaho, Jimmy (almost through the sheer force of his will) made the team and began his NFL career.

Jimmy spent the next six seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver with the 49er's, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, and the Washington Redskins. As a player, it is no surprise that Jimmy was known as a hard-working dedicated team player. As a member of the 2001 Patriots Super Bowl Championship team, Jimmy was the team's overachiever.

After a successful career in the NFL Jimmy transitioned into sports broadcasting, giving him time to turn his attention to becoming the kind of community leader his family had instilled in him. In addition to volunteering his time at local food banks and homeless shelters Jimmy achieved another goal by opening The Jimmy Farris Future Leaders Foundation. The foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping and developing young leaders with the skills necessary to excel academically, spiritually, socially and athletically. Jimmy was able to help underprivileged kids by providing them support and a set of values that would ensure success in whatever they chose.

Recently, Jimmy returned to his home in Idaho, to be closer to his family and continue to give back to the community that has given him so much in life. After achieving his dream and living his passion in the NFL, Jimmy knew it was time to give back to the state and nation that made it possible for him to pursue his dreams.

Jimmy is running for Congress because he believes this is a critical moment when we need leaders in Washington that will pull together the diverse group of Representatives in the U.S. House, and get to the work the American people sent them to do. Using that same spirit of hard work, dedication, and persistence, Jimmy will get things done for the people of Idaho and the nation and work to keep America the best place for anyone to pursue and achieve their dreams.

Crossposted on Daily Kos: Originally posted to Readers and Book Lovers. Also republished by Progressive Friends of the Library Newsletter and Education Alternatives.

In her provocative book, Brooke Kroeger argues for a reconsideration of the place of oft-maligned journalistic practices. While it may seem paradoxical, much of the valuable journalism in the past century and a half has emerged from undercover investigations that employed subterfuge or deception to expose wrong. Kroeger asserts that undercover work is not a separate world, but rather it embodies a central discipline of good reporting the ability to extract significant information or to create indelible, real-time descriptions of hard-to-penetrate institutions or social situations that deserve the public's attention. Together with a companion website that gathers some of the best investigative work of the past century, Undercover Reporting serves as a rallying call for an endangered aspect of the journalistic endeavor.

With a forward by Pete Hamill, Undercover Reporting: The Truth About Deception (Medill School of Journalism: Visions of the American Press has a companion "Undercover Reporting" database that emerged from the research for the book. Created in collaboration with New York University Libraries -- it is a hand-curated resource for scholars, journalists and student researchers that gathers some of the best investigative work of the past nearly 200 years.

The database, www.undercoverreporting.org chronicles undercover journalism dating back to the 1800s.

The archive, “Undercover Reporting,” includes an array of stories, ranging from the slave trade in 1850s to efforts to boycott Jewish-owned businesses in the U.S. in the late 1930s to treatment of soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the 21st century.

In the book:

Kroeger posits that this type of journalism is not separate from the profession’s conventional practices but, rather, embodies some of its most important tenets—the ability to extract significant information or to create indelible, real-time descriptions of hard-to-penetrate institutions or social situations that deserve the public’s attention.

“Much of this material has long been buried in microfilm in individual libraries and thus very difficult to retrieve,” said Kroeger, who conceived and directed the project. “Most digitized newspaper archives do not go back past the 1980s or 1990s and even for those that do, it's difficult to search without exact details of the piece you are seeking.”

“Researching the book changed my perception of the practice and its role in journalism history, making clear how early reporters were experimenting with the method--notably northern reporters working to expose the slave trade in the south in the years leading up to the Civil War,” explained Kroeger.

The database is searchable by keyword, reportorial theme, media outlet, date, or author, or can be browsed by series. Scholars, student researchers, and journalists can search by writer, publication, story topic, or method (e.g., prison infiltrations, shadowing migrants, impersonation, etc.). It also includes critics’ reactions to these tactics—for instance, their response to the use of hidden cameras, according to NYU.

NYU says the database is a joint endeavor of Professor Brooke Kroeger of NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and the university’s Division of Libraries, where the Digital Library Technology Services team developed the online platform that hosts the database, with consultation from the Libraries’ Office of Digital Scholarly Publishing and its Collections and Research Services. The project is supported by NYU’s Humanities Initiative and the university’s Faculty of Arts and Science. The CJR podcast titled “Brooke Kroeger,” listed midway down the page, provides a good explanation of the project.

"Undercover Reporting" serves as a rallying call for an endangered aspect of the journalistic endeavor.

Here is the link to the original press release.

Crossposted on Daily Kos

“Fandemonium is about education through entertainment,” says chairperson Jamie Parker. “We want to give fans a place to express their love of any type of entertainment media culture, but at the same time provide them opportunities to learn new skills and techniques or share what they already know through community involvement.”

Idaho's Annual Entertainment Expo has begun -- celebrating science fiction, fantasy, gaming, animation, horror, comics and more.

This year, an exceptional amount of authors highlight the event.

Guests at Fandemonium 2012 include Jacob Bear (Comic Artist - DC Comics; “Hawk & Dove,” Bluewater Comics; “Logan's Run”), Michaelbrent Collings (Horror Author – “Billy: Messenger of Powers”, “RUN”, “The Loon” and “Rising Fears”),the Brothers Thir13en (Horror aficionados and horror house actors), Tonya “Tangl” Adolfson (Fantasy Author – “The Souls of the Saintland Series”), and Meridian, Idaho resident Holland Peterson (Science Fiction/Fantasy Author – “Eville,” “Eville's Most Wanted”).

I was able to catch opening ceremonies, dance along in an X-Box competition, give out a bunch of free books, and meet scores of authors, gamers, artists and fans. Fandemonium is a three day celebration of all things media culture with events, panels, workshops, contests, tabletop gaming, video gaming, demonstrations and a host of other activities.

Video game and tabletop gaming tournaments run throughout the expo. Exhibitors and artists share their wares and handmade crafts, and an art show room showcases 2D and 3D pieces created by fans, and by the Treasure Valley artistic community at large.

This afternoon I caught Collings' powerful reading of his novel Apparition, about which one reviewer wrote:

This is the scariest book I've ever read. I devoured Apparition in two episodes of all night reading and had a really hard time putting it down. I didn't even mean to read the book at that exact time, but once I read the first chapter I was hooked. I had to keep going and couldn't stop until I hit chapter seven.

Apparition tells the very intimate story about a family of four: mom, dad, and their two kids, a teen girl and young boy. It explores one of the most horrible concepts I can imagine, filicide: the deliberate killing of children by their parents. That concept alone is horrifying and Collings uses it to ratchet up the terror to a level I haven't seen before. Brilliant journal entries written by an unknown person (until the end) precede each chapter and they are some of most chilling lines I've ever read. Then the chapters themselves move forward with relentless narrative drive page after page. The first four chapters are so tense and gripping, and lead up to a big event, which sets up the rest of the book. After the big event, the family which the novel revolves around, are devastated and things just get worse for them as the book continues. After the big event, the book is tense, but slows for a while as we get to know the main characters, and spend some time in their minds. It is a necessary build up and the characterization is stellar, which of course leads to another series of horrific events that will leave you gasping for air. The ending of Apparition was incredibly scary and blew me away. I could not stop reading and stayed up hours past my bedtime because I had to finish it and know what happened to these expertly drawn characters who felt so real.

I know that Michaelbrent Collings is a screenwriter and I can see this novel being an A-list Hollywood horror movie. It would be extremely scary, especially the ending, which pulls together so many threads and gives us the answer why seemingly normal parents suddenly snap one day and kill their children.

Kill their children?

I asked Collings what motivated him to write abut such a topic. He explained that horror writing comes from one's own fear. Watching horrible things, alone, is not scary. Seeing bad things happen to people, and characters, that we care about, is. Collings said that he has lost a child. And the scariest thing he could think of, was losing another. In his talk, Collings did a great job of showing how his work looks at horrible things and examines profound complexities in human nature, without celebrating horrible things.

Collings talks last night on "Humor and Horror" (with Carter M. Reid, "Zombie Carter" from the popular webcomic The Zombie Nation) and on "Religion in Horror" featured a level of insight and depth that few outside of the genre's inner circles get a chance to discuss. Exceptional on his feet in question and answer, close audience dialogue, the author will participate in several more panels today.

“This event is ‘for the fans, by the fans’,” says Parker. “Anything you see, hear or participate in at this convention exists because someone in the community was willing to come in and make it happen. We expect to see over 800 attendees this year, and we are incredibly grateful to our staff and event-runners for their efforts.”

Last night, I also had the privilege of meeting Reid, a.k.a "Zombie Carter." In his latest news update:

Zombie Convention Sketches are the order of the day today. I’m currently at Fandemonium nerding it up and showing my humble zombie comic off to the fans.

Sadly I wasn’t able to get a comic done with all the prep work I’m doing for this, but I can sketch like a madman to I made this for today’s update. Don’t worry as normal comics will return very shortly and we’ll finally find out what happens when a crazy stalker zombie ex-wife and a attractive zombie hunter fight over one undeserving zombie….. or will we.

The book Undeath and Taxes is a collection of strips and other art from Reid's brilliant webcomic. Readers can follow an unlikely trio of nerd zombies through the Zombpocalypse.

The Entertainment Expo takes place in Nampa, ID at the Nampa Civic Center from August 3rd-5th, 2012, from 10am to midnight each day -- with discounts available for daily passes, youth, military and seniors.  read more »

Primero Distrito del Congreso candidato Jimmy Farris respondió la semana pasada con la noticia de que el congresista Raúl Labrador, firmaron una carta la semana pasada instando a líderes de la Cámara para bloquear los fondos para el cuidado de la salud, amenazando con un cierre del gobierno.

En una carta fechada el 18 de julio de Labrador y otros republicanos de la Cámara pidió a la Cámara de Representantes, John Boehner, líder de la mayoría y de la Cámara, Eric Cantor, de no permitir que "ninguna ley ... que proporciona o permite que los fondos" de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible. Dado que la financiación debe ser renovado el 1 de octubre, la demanda de los republicanos podría conducir a un cierre del gobierno sólo unas semanas antes de las elecciones.

Republicanos de la Cámara han gastado $50 millones hasta ahora tratando de derogar la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible. La eliminación de la ley que añadir otro $ 109 mil millones al déficit de la nación.

115 republicanos de la Cámara de Idaho incluyendo el congresista Mike Simpson no firmó la carta. Boehner sugirió que él no estaría dispuesto a ceder a la demanda, diciendo que "nuestro objetivo sería asegurar que el gobierno se financia y cualquier conversación política de un cierre del gobierno se puso a descansar."

"Labrador sigue dando prioridad a tribuna política por hacer lo correcto para nuestro país", dijo Farris. "Hace 174.000 dólares al año para facilitar la paralización del gobierno. Él disfruta de los beneficios de salud, mientras que Cadillac tirar dinero de los contribuyentes tratando de tomar la cobertura de salud fuera de millones de estadounidenses ".

"Yo ya le he pedido que revele un plan alternativo de salud, sin respuesta", continuó Farris. "Obviamente, él sólo está interesado en obstaculizar el progreso, no el suministro de soluciones. Incluso republicano Labrador colegas Altavoz Boehner y el congresista Mike Simpson entender como un cierre del gobierno irresponsable sería. ¿Cuándo se dio cuenta de que el Congreso funciona mejor cuando las personas trabajan juntas? "

Una copia de la carta se puede ver aquí.

¿Quién es Jimmy Farris?

Jimmy Farris es un nativo de Idaho de Lewiston que asistió a la Universidad de Montana, donde obtuvo una licenciatura en Marketing y Gestión, mientras que tener una carrera como futbolista destacado con los Grizzlies. A pesar de ir seleccionado en el draft de la NFL, fue contratado por los 49ers de San rancisco como agente libre no reclutado en el año 2001, y se quedó con la NFL hasta su retiro en 2009. El ex entrenador de los Washington Redskins, Joe Gibbs describió Farris como "Un poco viejo tipo que pelea contra sus entrañas." Jimmy luego se trasladó a la transmisión de deportes, comenzó el futuro Jimmy Farris líderes de la Fundación, y luego decidió volver a Idaho y postularse para el Congreso porque cree su estado natal necesita líderes que sirven a los habitantes de Idaho y los intereses que no son especiales.  read more »

Travis Manning, quien es el Director Ejecutivo de la Fundación Democracia sentido común, y un candidato demócrata, Idaho Casa 10A, está tomando la delantera en una unidad de registro de votantes.

Recibí esta nota en mi bandeja de entrada:

***

Amigos y activistas,

Gracias por ser voluntario para revisar y registrar a los votantes aquí en Caldwell el próximo sábado, 4 de agosto.

Aquí en el Distrito Legislativo 10 de Caldwell, Leif Skyving, Zeimantz Ángel y yo estamos trabajando para registrar 1.000 votantes Caldwell en agosto. De los 45 mil en el distrito sólo 14.619 son votantes registrados. Eso es todo. Caldwell, mientras que 39,19 por ciento demócrata, tiene el menor número de votantes registrados en todo el estado de Idaho! (el énfasis es mío)

Caldwell también tiene el mayor porcentaje de los votantes demócratas en el condado de Canyon. Es una historia verdadera. El siguiente más cercano distrito legislativo es LD 13, con 18.513 votantes registrados. De los 35 distritos legislativos del estado de Idaho, Caldwell tiene menos 3.894 votantes registrados de la unidad superior del distrito legislativo.

La moraleja de la historia: tenemos un trabajo importante que hacer y necesitamos su ayuda para registrar los demócratas! Si estás cansado de los 85 de los 105 legisladores que hacen todas las decisiones en Idaho, tenemos una oportunidad de ayudar a cambiar esta situación mediante el registro de los demócratas suficientes para un nivel se puede ganar.

QUÉ: puerta a puerta para que los votantes no registrados en Caldwell

CUÁNDO: este sábado, 4 de agosto, de 9:30 am a 2 p.m..

DÓNDE: Encuentro en el restaurante de Acapulco, 819 Main St., Caldwell, ID

CONTACTOS: RSVP (el texto está bien) a Judy Ferro, 208-454-8742, o bien, Travis Manning, 801-824-8226

Mostrar a las 9:30 de la mañana a cumplir, se emparejan con experiencia en elecciones sin experiencia, y recibir una breve capacitación y los materiales. Llevar traje de caminar en forma de tiempo de verano, incluyendo una botella de agua y sombrero. Vamos a suministrar todos los materiales de prospección que usted necesita, como sujetapapeles, bolígrafos, formularios, mapas. Conoce de vuelta en el restaurante de Acapulco para un bocado rápido para comer después de eso, si tienes hambre. Disfrute de una gran comida mexicana local, mientras que siendo una parte importante de cambio para el condado de Canyon! Alentó a los hispanohablantes, pero no es obligatorio. Por favor, pasar a lo largo información a otras personas que quieren ayudar! Háganos saber si usted está trayendo a alguien para asegurarse de que tenemos suficiente material.

Mejor,

Travis Manning

Candidato, Idaho Casa 10A  read more »

Travis Manning, who is the Executive Director of the Common Sense Democracy Foundation, and a Democratic Candidate, Idaho House 10A, is taking the lead on a voter registration drive.

I received this note in my inbox:

***

Friends and Activists,

Thank you for volunteering to canvass and register voters here in Caldwell this coming Saturday, Aug. 4.

Here in Caldwell’s Legislative District 10, Leif Skyving, Angel Zeimantz and I are working to register 1,000 Caldwell voters in August. Of the 45 thousand in the district only 14,619 are registered voters. That’s it. Caldwell, while 39.19 percent Democrat, has the lowest number of registered voters in the entire state of Idaho! (emphasis mine)

Caldwell also has the highest percentage of Democratic voters in Canyon County. True story. The next closest legislative district is LD 13, with 18,513 registered voters. Of the 35 legislative districts in the state of Idaho, Caldwell has 3,894 fewer registered voters than the next highest legislative district.

The moral of the story: we have important work to do and we need your help to register Democrats!! If you are tired of the 85 of 105 legislators making all the decisions in Idaho, we have an opportunity to help change this by registering enough Democrats to a winnable level.

WHAT: Door-to-door canvassing for unregistered voters in Caldwell

WHEN: This Sat., Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Meet at the Acapulco Restaurant, 819 Main St., Caldwell, ID

CONTACTS: RSVP (text okay) to Judy Ferro, 208-454-8742; or, Travis Manning, 801-824-8226

Show up at 9:30 a.m. to meet, pair up experienced with inexperienced canvassers, and receive a brief training and materials. Bring walking attire fit for summer weather, including water bottle & hat. We'll supply all the canvassing materials you'll need like clipboards, pens, forms, maps. Meet back at the Acapulco Restaurant for a quick bite to eat thereafter, if you’re hungry. Enjoy great local Mexican food while being an important part of change for Canyon County!! Spanish speakers encouraged, but not required. Please pass along info to others who may want to help! Let us know if you are bringing someone to ensure we've got enough materials.

Best,

Travis Manning

Candidate, Idaho House 10A  read more »

1^st Congressional District candidate Jimmy Farris responded last week to the news that Congressman Raul Labrador signed a letter last week urging House leaders to block funding for health care, threatening a government shutdown.

In a letter dated July 18, Labrador and other House Republicans asked House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor not to allow “any legislation…that provides or allows funds” for the Affordable Care Act. Since funding must be renewed by Oct. 1, the Republicans’ demand could lead to a government shutdown just weeks before Election Day.

House Republicans have spent $50 million so far trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Eliminating the act would add another $109 billion to the nation’s deficit.

“Labrador continues to prioritize political grandstanding over doing what’s right for our country,” Farris said. “He makes $174,000 a year to facilitate government gridlock. He enjoys Cadillac health benefits while throwing away taxpayer money trying to take health care coverage away from millions of Americans.”

“I’ve already asked him to reveal an alternative health care plan, with no response,” Farris continued. “He obviously is interested only in obstructing progress, not providing solutions. Even Labrador’s Republican colleagues Speaker Boehner and Congressman Mike Simpson understand how irresponsible a government shutdown would be. When will he realize that Congress works best when people work together?”

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

Who is Jimmy Farris?

Jimmy Farris is an Idaho native from Lewiston who attended the University of Montana where he earned a degree in Marketing and Management while having a standout football career with the Grizzlies. In spite of going undrafted by the NFL, he was signed by the San rancisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2001, and remained with the NFL until retirement in 2009. Former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs described Farris as “A little ol’ guy who fights his guts out.” Jimmy then moved into sports broadcasting, started the Jimmy Farris Future Leaders Foundation, then decided to return to Idaho and run for Congress because he believes his home state needs leaders who serve Idahoans and not special interests.  read more »

Crossposted on Daily Kos"

One Democratic blogger said that there is not a snowball's chance in hell that Idaho Senator Nicole Lefavour will beat multi-term incumbent Republican Mike Simpson for his seat in Congress. This article tells why that snowball may just survive. - MeandG

by Nicole LeFavour for Congress

New Congressional District Boundaries

This year Idaho completed redrawing its Congressional District boundaries. The Second Congressional District now includes ALL of Boise's strong Democratic legislative districts with their high voter turn out and huge Democratic percentages -- places where Nicole is well known and has been an active and visible member of the community for more than 20 years. The Second Congressional District also of course includes Pocatello's Democratic Core, Blaine County where all three legislators are Democrats, swing Twin Falls, Democratic Teton County and the core of Idaho Falls which elected Democrat Jerry Shively in 2006. Some consider this district stronger for Democrats than Idaho's first congressional district was when Walt Minnick was elected to U.S. Congress in 2008.

Uncharted Waters

Mike Simpson simply has never faced a democratic opponent who is both well funded and well organized. He has grown comfortable without a challenger for so many years and has spent much of his time out of state, his responses to constituent letters growing less and less personal. We are in uncharted waters, given the new congressional district boundaries and the mood of those in the middle, who knows what is possible this year.

Eastern Idaho

Few people realize the level of name recognition and support Nicole has in Eastern Idaho where her work leading efforts to stop Tom Luna's efforts to replace teachers with lap tops made her a familiar face and leader for thousands of teachers and parents. Additionally her work on mental health and substance abuse issues, working to protect services essential to people with disabilities and her years of human rights work has created a dedicated base of support in nearly every community across southern Idaho. Eastern Idaho is also experiencing some surprising change as moderate republicans and democrats organize themselves. In the May primary, moderate members took back the Idaho Falls Republican central committee removing the extreme factions who had been driving divisive politics in recent years. The middle is open to change and tired of seeing so little of Mike Simpson except in election season.

The Enthusiasm Factor

This race is somewhat unusual in that the level of name recognition and voters' familiarity with Nicole's work these past 8 years in the legislature. It has made it possible for the campaign to quickly build a volunteer field structure across the state, combined with strong field staff the campaign has something few campaigns are lucky enough to have: people on the ground who will speak with genuine enthusiasm about a candidate, her work and dedication to Idaho communities as a legislator and person. No amount of money or TV advertising Congressman Simpson can buy is as powerful as the words of real supporters speaking to friends, neighbors and co-workers in grocery stores and over backyard fences in every community across South, East and Central Idaho.

Hard Work & Smart Campaigning

Larry LaRocco called Nicole one of the most impressive political minds in the sate. Since 2004 when she won her first highly contested three way legislative primary race with a huge 53% of the vote, she's been known as a tireless campaigner and excellent strategist. After years of work as staff on campaigns and in Idaho politics and Nicole has an innovative campaign strategy that is already on the ground and hard at work talking to targeted voters across the state.

Record Setting Fundraising

Nicole is a very good fundraiser. She has a dedicated base of support from which she has raised almost $160,000 so far. This is more than any democratic challenger to Mike Simpson raised throughout their entire campaigns. Winning the race depends on the continued generosity of many. Likely $400,000 of the campaign's goal will have to be raised by Nicole directly from her donors, while additional funds will come through independent expenditures and similar assistance.

A Surprising Blessing

For those who ask, can a gay person win, especially in eastern Idaho? Remember LDS families have gay kids too. While some may be skeptical that this issue is not central to voting behavior, poll after poll shows that a VAST majority of Americans and even very specifically Idahoans support basic job protections and other measures to ensure gay people live safely in communities across the state. While there may remain dwindling tension over the issue of marriage, animosity toward gay people generally is quickly vanishing. From Idaho's Latino/Hispanic community to people with disabilities and women, Nicole's human rights work has earned her the respect and dedication of many who see her as understanding issues of discrimination and offering better representation than elected officials who have never experienced discrimination.

LET'S MAKE HISTORY

Idaho has few opportunities to win a congressional seat. This year we do. Media cost in this congressional district are lower than in most states, meaning campaign dollars go farther here, making the race far more attainable for Senator LeFavour to win. Join the campaign today as a donor or volunteer. Let's make some history this summer and fall and send Nicole to Washington as our next Congresswoman.

Here is the link to the original article.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie feels heat on his heels ...

Newark Mayor Cory Booker is on record as seriously considering running for either governor or the United States Senate:

Speaking before a gathering of about 200 at a Fair Lawn Democratic County Committee event at the Fair Lawn Community Center, Booker said, "I'll tell you this, I'm strongly considering the options at the end of my term," the report said.

The U.S. Senate seat held by Frank Lautenberg is next up for grabs in 2014. The general election for governor is in November 2013.

Christie is in chess piece mode, floating options to the media and hoping ...

In this NJ.com video from yesterday, Christie discusses running for reelection as governor. But he says said that if there was a clear opportunity, he would run for President in 2016.

Now rewind to January 2011:

Gov. Chris Christie told Oprah Winfrey ... that a lot depends on whether he’ll run for president in 2016, but one thing’s for sure: “In terms of me, I’ll be much more ready four years from now,” he said. Christie, who called politics a “contact sport,” said there’s no doubt he’s attracted to holding positions of power, but has so far foregone the ultimate test for a simple reason.

“There’s nothing more unattractive than getting there and feeling like you’re not ready,” he said, adding that he’s never felt over his head as governor.

Winfrey, who endorsed President Obama in 2008, asked Christie about the odds the Democrat will win another four years. “He is as good a politician as I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I think where the shortcoming has been is in governing.” On GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, Christie conceded “he doesn’t really communicate it all that well,” but called him the most qualified candidate for the job.

And he keeps himself prevalent on the presidential campaign stage. On May 22, Christie helped Mitt Romney add five million dollars to campaign coffers, through a New York City fundraiser.

However, will the Christie slapstick have worn off by that time? Here's a fun experiment: try googling the words "Christie Idiot." Here is a link, for convenience.

How will such behavior, past, present and future, play on a national and international stage? As is evidenced, Christie enjoys acting like Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from Jersey Shore. Is the Rocky Balboa, loose-cannon theme going to fly with the Republican Bible-belt voting base?

And then there is the issue of mindset. As the article linked above (about Mike "The Situation") states: "Here’s the situation. The man may be intellectually limited, but he’s not stupid." The same can, of course, be said of Christie.

Will he run from the middle, where many of his policies currently stand, or from the right? Is the Macho Guv the type of true strategic master that a presidency requires? Can we use the words "Chris Christie" and "nuanced" in the same sentence?

Finally, doesn't Christie saying he plans run for President in 2016 mean that he expects Romney to LOSE THIS YEAR?  read more »

“To my family, Idaho is one of America’s last best places. I’m running because I believe that while we must look to preserve the best in Idaho, we also need to push forward on issues critical to our future—energy independence, ethics and accountability, and most importantly, a well-funded and effective education for our kids.” Holli High Woodings

Holli High Woodings is a Democratic candidate for Idaho House of Representatives in District 19, Position B, representing Boise's North End, East End, Downtown, Hidden Springs and the Foothills.

Be part of the effort to send Idaho’s next young, progressive leader to the statehouse. Together, we can make a difference in our education, energy and ethics arenas and prepare ourselves for a vibrant future.

Donate Online

Or send contributions to:
Woodings for Idaho
PO Box 1531
Boise, ID 83701

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Holli is a longtime resident of Boise’s North End, where she lives with her husband Ryan and their toddler Mary. A graduate of Boise State University, Holli is the owner of Woodings Group Public Relations, a small business focused on growing Idaho’s clean energy organizations through relationship building and collaboration. She also acts as kitchen table advisor for Ryan’s growing software company, MetaGeek.

Holli is known in the community for being an outspoken advocate, active volunteer, and dependable partner for the many issues that contribute to Idaho’s wonderful quality of life.

Well-funded education

Our education system in Idaho has taken a beating in recent years due to reduced funding, lack of visionary leadership and a struggling economy. Strong public schools are critical to the future of our state, in helping our kids succeed, building vibrant communities, and developing a quality workforce for businesses. It’s time to open dialogue with educators, parents, business leaders and lawmakers to develop viable solutions and restore funding to our public schools. It’s an investment in our future we can’t afford not to make.

Energy Independence

Idaho has a respectable array of in-state energy resources, yet imports nearly half of its electricity from out of state coal powered plants. In 2007 the Idaho Legislature developed the Idaho Energy Plan, a forward-looking blueprint for Idaho’s energy independence, keeping our resources and jobs in state. Revised in 2012 and armed with a robust minority report, the Energy Plan could, and should, act as a guidance document for future energy policy in Idaho. We have the opportunity to take advantage of our vast renewable resources, strengthen our economy, and create a cleaner, more secure energy portfolio for future generations.

Women’s Rights

Holli said: I know first hand what it means to have honest and effective reproductive health education, and am fortunate to have benefitted from quality, accessible reproductive health care. It’s important to me that both women and men have the ability to make informed reproductive decisions, and to have the health resources to support them. When those decisions are difficult for any reason, I support the woman’s right to make her own choices without the interference of the state. I pledge to act as a strong female voice to uphold our rights as women, and to make progress toward a more just Idaho for our daughters.

An ethical government

Our state is made up of more than businesses and the wealthy; it’s made up of citizens of every stripe, working hard to make the best life we can. Our state government’s duty is to uphold the rights of citizens and protect those citizens from discrimination, whether they be women, minorities, gay or transgender. The job of lawmakers is not to instill personal ethical and religious beliefs in decision making, it’s to represent the members of our community. Their responsibility is to act as role models and public servants to the people of Idaho.

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Blue Collar Roots

Holli grew up in Eugene, Oregon, the youngest of 3 girls. Her mom, Julie, is a semi-retired hairstylist and comes from a Southern Oregon logging family. Her dad Chuck, a car buff, is retired from the auto parts industry. At age 7 her parents separated and she stayed in Oregon, but spent many holidays and summer months in Boise’s North End with her father and stepmom, Sally, a retired City of Boise employee. In 1998, she moved to Boise’s North End and made it her home.
Personal Ambitions

The first of her family to graduate from college, Holli worked full-time and attended Boise State as a non-traditional student, graduating in 2007 with a degree in English. Prior to graduation she was offered a position with one of Idaho’s most successful renewable energy development companies, where she was a quick study in energy development and policy. She then founded Woodings Group and began helping other renewable energy organizations to achieve success through strategic relationship building.

An Active Citizen

Holli is highly involved in the community, serving her second year as president of Boise’s North End Neighborhood Association (NENA). During Holli’s tenure, NENA has taken its neighborhood leadership to a new level, and now acts as a valued community partner and advocate for other area non-profits. In the past 3 years NENA has developed consensus to support children’s arts organization TrICA for their historic preservation of Hyde Park’s Emanuel Methodist church, and Land Trust of the Treasure Valley for their purchase of Harrison Hollow. Holli is also part of “Collaborative Visioning,” a communication-minded group of neighborhood leaders from Downtown, the East End, Veteran’s Park and the Boise Bench.

Recently, Holli volunteered as social media coordinator for the successful Yes! For Boise Schools campaign, the effort to fund Boise’s public schools through a temporary supplemental levy. During the holiday season, she devotes her time to Care2Share, a volunteer effort committed to providing Christmas to our community’s most in-need families. In the past, Holli has been the coordinator of Boise’s grassroots technology meet up group, TechBoise and co-founder of Energy Drinks, a happy hour for clean energy professionals.

"Guerilla warfare, child soldiers and landmines: What do these ripped-from-the-headlines terms have to do with a coming-of-age story for young readers? As it turns out, quite a bit." - Book Page

Bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand, Burma is a country in Southeast Asia. One-third of Burma's total perimeter of 1,200 miles forms an uninterrupted coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. It is the 24th most populous country in the world with over 60.28 million people.

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Burma is home to some of the early civilizations of Southeast Asia including the Pyu and the Mon. In the 9th century, the Burmans of the Kingdom of Nanzhao entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and, following the establishment of the Pagan Empire in the 1050s, the Burmese language and culture slowly became dominant in the country. During this period, Theravada Buddhism gradually became the predominant religion of the country. The Pagan Empire fell due to the Mongol invasions (1277–1301), and several warring states emerged. In the second half of the 16th century, the country was reunified by the Taungoo Dynasty which for a brief period was the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia.The early 19th century Konbaung Dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Burma as well as Manipur and Assam. The country was colonized by Britain following three Anglo-Burmese Wars (1824–1885). British rule brought social, economic, cultural and administrative changes. Since independence in 1948, the country has been in one of the longest running civil wars among the country's myriad ethnic groups that remains unresolved. From 1962 to 2011, the country was under military rule. The military junta was officially dissolved in 2011 following a general election in 2010 and a nominally civilian government installed, thought the military retains enormous influence.

A resource-rich country, the Burmese economy is ironically one of the least developed in the world. The nation's health care system is one of the worst anywhere, ranked 190th by The World Health Organization. Thus, it is the worst performing of all countries. Further, The United Nations and several other organizations have reported consistent and systematic human rights violations in Burma. These atrocities include child labor, human trafficking and very little freedom of speech.

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins is a coming-of-age story narrated by two fourteen-year-old boys on opposing sides of the conflict between the Burmese government and the Karenni, one of the many ethnic minorities in Burma. Chiko, a studious Burmese youth, has been seized by the government for his liberal views and is conscripted into the Burmese army. Tu Reh, a Karenni boy whose home and bamboo fields are destroyed by the Burmese soldiers, is eager to fight for his people. When Chiko and Tu Reh meet, a close friendship is forged, demonstrating their courage to overcome violence and prejudice.

Well-educated American boys from privileged families have abundant options for college and career. For Chiko, their Burmese counterpart, there are no good choices. There is never enough to eat, and his family lives in constant fear of the military regime that has imprisoned Chiko’s physician father. Soon Chiko is commandeered by the army, trained to hunt down members of the Karenni ethnic minority. Tai, another “recruit,” uses his streetwise survival skills to help them both survive. Meanwhile, Tu Reh, a Karenni youth whose village was torched by the Burmese Army, has been chosen for his first military mission in his people’s resistance movement. How the boys meet and what comes of it is the crux of this multi-voiced novel. While Perkins doesn’t sugarcoat her subject—coming of age in a brutal, fascistic society—this is a gentle story with a lot of heart, suitable for younger readers than the subject matter might suggest. It answers the question, “What is it like to be a child soldier?” clearly, but with hope. - Kirkus Reviews

Here are some discussion and activity topics for the book.

1) In her author’s note, Mitali Perkins writes that her interactions with the Karenni people she met along her travels in Thailand led her to think of the bamboo plant as “an excellent symbol for the peoples of that region.” What does she mean by this?
Using quotes and examples from the book, write an essay explaining this symbolism.

2) Daw Widow is a strong-willed character treated with a great amount of respect by Chiko and his mother. She ultimately convinces Chiko’s mother that her son should go to take the teacher’s exam, despite the fact that it may be a trap. Why does Daw
Widow’s opinion hold so much weight? Why doesshe change her mind about Chiko’s future?

3) When Chiko’s father was captured, he called out, “Take care of your mother, Chiko!” (p. 6) Although Chiko replied that he would, he does not think that he has kept that promise. In what ways has Chiko taken care of his mother? In what ways has he not? Do you think Chiko has kept his promise, or has he failed? Why or why not?

Discussion and activity topics reposted with permission. For further strategies to use with this title, see this Activity and Discussion Guide.

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." - Eleanor Roosevelt

The 311 documents in this second volume of Eleanor Roosevelt’s papers trace her transformation into one of her era’s most prominent spokespersons for democracy, reveal her ongoing maturation as a political force in her own right, and detail the broader impact she had on American politics, the United Nations, and global affairs. Readers will find a fascinating view on the inner workings of President Truman’s second administration, the UN at the height of the early Cold War, and the many social and political movements that competed for influence over both. Ranging widely in substance and content, Roosevelt’s writings demonstrate a grasp of the intimate connection between domestic and international affairs that led the former first lady to support the Korean War, champion the newly founded state of Israel, demand respect for the civil rights of African Americans, and bolster the political ambitions of people like Adlai Stevenson, Helen Gahagan Douglas, and John F. Kennedy.

According to the Journal of American History, "this publication of the first volume of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, edited by Allida Black and her associates at George Washington University, is an event of the utmost significance to documentary editors and historians alike."

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international author, speaker, politician, and activist for the New Deal coalition. She worked to enhance the status of working women, although she opposed the Equal Rights Amendment because she believed it would adversely affect women.

In the 1940s, Roosevelt was one of the co-founders of Freedom House and supported the formation of the United Nations. Roosevelt founded the UN Association of the United States in 1943 to advance support for the formation of the UN. She was a delegate to the UN General Assembly from 1945 and 1952, a job for which she was appointed by President Harry S. Truman and confirmed by the United States Senate. During her time at the United Nations she chaired the committee that drafted and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. President Truman called her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements.

Active in politics for the rest of her life, Roosevelt chaired the John F. Kennedy administration's ground-breaking committee which helped start second-wave feminism, the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. In 1999, she was ranked in the top ten of Gallup's List of Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century.

"After 1945, with over 50 million dead, and the world riven by terror and suffering, Eleanor Roosevelt was in the leadership of those who wanted World War II to be ‘the last civil war to tear humanity apart.’ That required human rights—dignity, security, respect for all people; and diplomatic justice between nations, including economic stability to protect the earth's resources and the needs of humanity. Allida Black and her diligent, generous staff's remarkable collection of ER's papers—her letters and columns, memos of meetings and conversations, brilliantly edited and profoundly learned—gift us with the history we need most urgently now as we again confront a dangerous future. ER's life was dedicated to the eradication of poverty and racism, war and despair. This splendid and important volume—generously illustrated, filled with dazzling insights and stunning surprises—is a gift of hope and courage."—Blanche Weisen Cook, CUNY, author of Eleanor Roosevelt: A Biography

"Autobiographies are only useful as the lives you read about and analyze may suggest to you something that you may find useful in your own journey through life." -Eleanor Roosevelt

"In allowing us to study her own words, in letters, speeches, columns, and diary entries, a different portrait of the much-lionized woman emerges—one of a pragmatic, savvy politician. While she is remembered as a saintly, long-suffering figure, we can forget she was an indefatigable, disciplined activist—as historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. wrote, a ‘tough and salty old lady’—who resisted stereotyping when she was alive, and constantly protested she was not interested in power while vigorously pursuing it."— Newsweek "Nothing like this pathbreaking volume exists in ER literature, and this resource will forever change the research landscape. This volume stands for documentary editing at its best."— Documentary Editing

According to the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, more than any woman of the twentieth century, Eleanor Roosevelt inspired citizens and nations “to hazard all they have” to build a world governed by diplomacy, citizen engagement, and democratic policy. Her example of peace building and human rights advocacy throughout her life is a model to be studied and applied not only here in the United States but around the world.

As she moved from first lady to diplomat to citizen activist, she not only became the most ardent champion of human rights, but also one of the century’s most prolific journalists --publishing more than 8,000 columns, 580 articles, 27 books, 100,000 letters, delivering over 1000 speeches, and appearing on more than 300 radio and television shows.

Yet, her voice has been silenced, her vision and influence shrouded in stereotype or confined to obscure footnotes.

Since 2000, The Eleanor Roosevelt Project has worked to return ER’s voice back into the written record and uses this rich history’s contributions to train approximately 6,000 teachers, 500 civil society leaders, 100 policymakers, and countless citizens around the world to study and apply her writings, knowledge and strategy in their various arenas.

The publication of this volume has been supported by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Time to grow ... up, Navy. Nothing cute about 3 drunks spouting misogyny. - DaveinBremerton Retired USAF master sergeant

This issue has implications about language, profanity, and how people represent themselves and their organizations, including the U.S. Military.

As Heather Adam, USAF wrote:

"It is right for men and women to want to serve their country. It is right for men and women to volunteer to train and support the interests of their leaders. It is right for subordinates to respectfully obey their commanders. It is logical to assume that I need only fear the external enemy."

Military standards of conduct and create the perception that the enemy lies outside of the American chain of command. Patriotic soldiers who believe they are safe in a very imperfect system often fall into frequent abuse, including rape. Does the culture of the military perpetuate the abuse, and the consequences of abuse to individuals and to units? This is a historical problem.

I was told that submarining is a very insular profession. They do things that many people would find shocking, but are readily accepted within the submarine community. When the stuff they do gets made public, an interesting dialogue begins.

We must stand against misogyny in all its forms!

In his latest blog entry Responsible use of the Submarine Song, Joel Kennedy wrote:

Over the years, I've sent the lyrics to "The Submarine Song" to literally hundreds of Submariners, and while I don't know for sure that The Submarine Song contributed to the firing of the COB of USS Annapolis back in April, based on the new description of the events leading up to the firing by the Michael Melia reporter, it sure sounds like it might have played a part.

And other military people spoke up. Daily Kos blogger aznavy wrote:

"...the submarine song is funny? It is only funny to people who treat women as objects. The COB spent 7 hours drinking and created a scene that brought discredit to the U.S. Navy. I spent 21 years as a Naval Officer - my husband, who is a submariner, spent 24 years as an officer, 3.5 years of that as a Commanding Officer of a fast attack submarine. He would have fired his COB too over this. I certainly would have fired my senior enlisted over behavior such as this.

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Further Reading:
Experts Say Sexism Keeps Women Out of Military Combat Roles, article from The Good Men Project.

For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military, by
Terri Spahr Nelson

Coping With Sexism in the Military (Military Opportunity Series) by
Mary V. Stremlow

Women in the United States Military: An Annotated Bibliography (Routledge Research Guides to American Military Studies) by
Judith A. Bellafaire

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Our commitment to America’s veterans is equal to the full measure of devotion that our veterans committed to us. President Obama and congressional Democrats respect that allegiance and have worked to provide additional resources to the Veterans Administration (VA). We also will continue to work to make certain that coordination between the VA and the Department of Defense creates a smooth transition from active duty to civilian life—ensuring a modernized and efficient delivery of health care and pension benefits. - Democrats.org

Crossposted on Daily Kos

"The perception that everything is totally straightforward and safe is utterly naive. I don't think we fully understand the dimensions of what we're getting into." - Professor Philip James (author of the "James" report on the structure and functions of the proposed UK Food Standards Agency to oversee national food safety standards), Director of the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, on genetically engineered food.
Rowett Research Institute, The Foods Standards Agency: Covered up US study shows damage to rats from BST

There have never been any human safety studies on GMOs due to the FDA’s position that GMOs are not substantially different than their natural counterparts. Animal studies have shown potential dangers such as cancer, diabetes, intestinal disease, low birth weight, reproductive problems and other health risks, according to GMO Free Idaho.

Genetically modified foods (GM foods, or biotech foods) are foods derived from genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These techniques are much more precise than mutagenesis (mutation breeding) where an organism is exposed to radiation or chemicals to create a non-specific but stable change. Other techniques by which humans modify food organisms include selective breeding; plant breeding, and animal breeding, and somaclonal variation. Since genetically modified food has been introduced into supermarkets, there has been much controversy as to whether it is actually safe.

Genetically modified foods were first put on the market in 1996. Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products: soybean, corn, canola, rice, and cotton seed oil. Animal products have also been developed, although as of July 2010 none are currently on the market. In 2006 a pig was engineered to produce omega-3 fatty acids through the expression of a roundworm gene. Researchers have also developed a genetically modified breed of pigs that are able to absorb plant phosphorus more efficiently, and as a consequence the phosphorus content of their manure is reduced by as much as 60%.

Critics, sometimes referring to genetically modified foods as "frankenfood", have objected to GM foods on several grounds, including safety issues, ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact these organisms are subject to intellectual property law.

GMO Free Idaho says that 80% of Americans don’t know that we have been eating genetically modified foods since 1996. the organization is dedicated to teaching consumers everything they need to know about GMOs so they can become part of the growing movement to label and or/ban GM foods.

The group educates the public about the impacts of genetically modified organisms, promoting local, organic, and non-GMO food producers, and works to eliminate GMOs from our food supply.

There are so many things we can all do to affect change to our food supply. From volunteering with a local action group or joining an online community to buying non-GMO foods, we can do our part to ensure that we have the right to know what we are consuming and eliminate harmful chemicals and substances from our food. Here are several things you can do to get involved:

Host or attend GMO Free Idaho presentation. Here is their events calendar. Pick a date and contact us if you want to host a presentation at your home, or attend our next presentation. To learn more about their presentations click here.

Write your Representatives. You can find out who your representatives are here, or find Idaho legislators here. Tell your reps how you feel about genetically modified foods and ask them to support labeling laws.

Write a letter to your newspaper editor. This is a great way to spread awareness and make a call to action.

Help us take action with Dennis Kucinich and the bills he has introduced that will mandate GMO labeling laws and ban the open air growth of GMOs. The bills are H.R. 3554: Genetically  Engineered Safety Act and H.R. 3553: Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act.

Join the Organic Consumers Association and the Institute for Responsible Technology to get regular updates about GMOs.

Support local, organic, and non-GMO food producers. Every dollar you spent on these types of foods and products is a vote that says no to genetically modified foods. If enough consumers reject GMO foods, food manufacturers and producers will have no choice but to appeal to consumer demand.  read more »

UPDATE 7/15/12

John Perr wrote:

This week, the GOP-controlled House of Representatives voted for the 33rd time in 18 months to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But even if that act of political theater is over for now, Republicans will keep repeating their favorite parts of the right-wing script well past Election Day in November. That their tried and untrue lines about "the largest tax increase in history," Obamacare "adding to the debt," a "government takeover of health care" (Politifact's 2010 Lie of the Year) and, of course, "death panels" (Politifact's 2009 Lie of the Year) have been thoroughly debunked won't prevent conservatives from continuing to mouth them.

And that debate-distorting performance is literally sickening. Because while some of the GOP's best and brightest darkly warn that the Affordable Act may kill you, other Republicans insist the lives of some Americans aren't worth saving. Meanwhile, without the ACA fully in place, study after study after study show the status quo has a real body count, with up to 45,000 of the uninsured dying unnecessarily each year. Nevertheless, the party of Romney, Ryan, Boehner and McConnell would prevent 30 million people from gaining the health insurance they need and millions more the basic patient protections they deserve.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave the game away two weeks ago on Fox News when said of those 30 million uninsured, "That's not the issue." But a more telling episode came during the September 2011 tea party/GOP presidential debate. As ABC reported, the tea partiers who protested Democratic health care reform in 2009 by holding a "die-in" at Senate offices cheered Ron Paul on when he said churches, not government, should address the U.S. health care crisis.

FROM 7/11/12

"House Republicans generally avoided talk of replacement measures on Tuesday as they mobilized for an election-season vote to repeal the health care law that stands as President Barack Obama's signature domestic accomplishment," according to CBS News.

Instead, they lambasted the 2-year-old law as a threat to the nation's economic recovery and predicted some Democrats would join them in repudiating it. "This is nothing short of economic malpractice," said Rep. Nan Hayworth of New York, citing tax increases, government mandates and other items in the law. "We can and we must do better." She did not elaborate, nor did any of the members of the leadership in their remarks to reporters after the meeting.

So it is a good time to review the value of this reform, in the face of Republican efforts to simply repeal, with no talk from their end, on alternatives.

President Obama passed the Affordable Care Act to restore health care as a basic cornerstone of middle-class security in America. The law will make health care more affordable for families and small businesses and brings much-needed transparency to the insurance industry. When fully implemented, the reform will keep insurance companies from taking advantage of consumers—including denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and cancelling coverage when someone gets sick.

Because of the new law, 34 million more Americans will gain coverage—many who will be able to afford insurance for the first time. Once the law is fully implemented, about 95 percent of Americans under age 65 will have insurance.

Providing security to working families

Working families are protected from losing their health care or being forced into bankruptcy when a family member gets sick or is in an accident. Families have the security of knowing their health insurance will be there when they need it most.

Insurance companies are now required to justify rate hikes, and consumers have the ability to appeal to an independent third party when insurance companies refuse to cover services or care.

Starting in 2014, all Americans will have access to affordable health insurance no matter their circumstances—whether they change jobs, lose their job, decide to start a business, or retire early. Purchasing private insurance in the new state-based health insurance exchanges could save middle-class families who can’t get employer-provided insurance thousands of dollars.

Once fully implemented, the law will slow health care premium growth rates, adding another $2,000 to family savings by 2019.

The law is expected to reduce the deficit by $127 billion from 2012 to 2021.  read more »

Update 7/2/2102

On Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 12:37am, Nicole wrote:

All I can say is thank you. Idaho, I love you. Two weeks ago I thought there was no way I was even getting anywhere near close to meeting this $180,000 goal. But from all the house parties Stacy Freeburn Falkner, Becky Morgan, Rickie Brady, Katie Rotchford, J.j. Saldana, Jack Donnelly, Ann & Jerry Shively, Dawn Andersen, Char Roth & Bruce Tiddwell, Lisa & Jacob Haeberle, Stephen Weeg & Nancy Grecco, Linda Sturman, Kathleen Cameron, and ALL those who attended & helped, to Kevin Kelpe & the Red Feather and all those county chairs & organizers who had me speak and let me raise $ at their democratic events; To Cindy Gross, Nancy Stouffer, Victoria Brown & all those MANY who gave and gave and gave... so many of you; your faith in me is such an honor. I will work so hard for you. To my staff and many many volunteers -- all those who made calls to raise funds, all those who asked friends, to my sister Cree LeFavour and dad Bruce LeFavour who asked people they knew in other states -- to everyone who cheered me on, and for the sweet text and messages that kept my heart going... Together with whatever we got in the mail and the huge sums from the house parties and Carole King's generous gift of music... this is enough to impress anyone or any organization --- this total of over $160,000 is amazing because it is the generosity not of PACs but of more than 800 ordinary people who care about making congress and the state of Idaho better. Thank you.

With love... nicole

***

Crossposted on Daily Kos

Senator Nicole LeFavour faces an important congressional campaign fund raising deadline on June 30. Please donate today.

"This is a very important time to show the state and the nation that Nicole has your support!" - Stalwart Progressive Activist Cindy Gross

Nicole LeFavour said:

I’m an Idaho Democrat because Democrats care about working people, families and small businesses. We believe in communities and that people pull together to overcome great obstacles. We believe a strong public education system and a more affordable college education are the foundations of the American dream. Our nation needs new congressmen and women determined to solve problems and lead our country back to prosperity and the values of compassion and cooperation that made us great. -

From Nicole's official campaign site:

Legendary singer/song writer/recording artist, Carole King's doing benefit concert for Nicole in Boise! • 4 PM, Sunday Sept. 9. Living room venue in foothills. Only 50 tickets. $10 for a raffle ticket chance to win 2 tickets to the concert. Your donations mean the world to the campaign. -- Up to next Saturday July 1st, for every $1000 we raise from raffle tickets we will release 2 more tickets to be raffled off -- so if you get your friends to buy raffle tickets before then, that increases (not decreases) your chances of winning concert tickets. Right now we can raffle off 4 tickets. JOIN US! BUY RAFFLE TICKETS

Senator LeFavour will be in Hailey area June 27, in the Rexburg, Idaho Falls, Blackfoot & Pocatello areas June 30 through July 5. She looks forward to meeting you. Please call the campaign office if you'd like to set up a meeting and get involved with the campaign. 208 209-8485.

I'm Senator Nicole LeFavour. As a teacher and former small business owner who grew up in central Idaho, I know Idaho can do better for its schools, at creating jobs and and protecting its clean drinking water and wild places. I've served eight years in the Idaho legislature standing up for small class sizes and to stop budget cuts which have eliminated thousands of jobs. I ask for your vote and support as a donor or volunteer this election. I'd like to be your next Congresswoman and I very much look forward to working with you.

Election day is Tuesday November 6. Please make sure to talk to people you know about the issues in this race and why their votes matter on Tuesday November 6.

THE ECONOMY • Our nation’s job creators are not millionaires or corporations but small businesses and regular working people. Americans create jobs when they can participate fully in the economy, when they can afford to replace a broken washing machine, buy clothes for their children, fix the car, eat out at a restaurant or afford a home or college degree.

FINANCIAL CRISIS • Congressman Simpson voted again and again to loosen the federal banking regulations that led to our nation’s financial crisis. Sadly he also voted to spend $700 billion to bail out banks without providing any help for the small businesses struggling to get loans to create jobs across Idaho.

FAIRNESS • Our nation has reduced taxes on millionaires at a time when our national debt has reached record levels. Congress should allow the Bush era tax cuts to expire for those making more than $250,000 a year and keep the cuts and credits in place for working families and seniors. If the most wealthy 1% in America again paid their fair share we’d trim more than $1.2 trillion from the deficit.  read more »