Shouldn't it read: "Man Takes Second Chance at Darwin Award"  read more »

In a couple days, we will be celebrating Independence Day.  read more »

Darcy Burner is a congressional candidate in the Seattle suburbs who was one of our very close disappointments in '06. But she's giving it another go against an opponent that still has the gall to invite Bush to fundraise. She bright, articulate, full of great ideas and a total geek (just look at the shirt she's wearing). But her house burned down yesterday. We don't want this to set back her congressional ambitions. So help a sister out.

The Idaho State Police issue a report today on crime in Idaho. They reported an alarming rise in hate crimes. Could it be from hate speech? Do we allow the talk to continue until it leads to violence? Do we allow vast areas of Idaho to be hostile territory for gays, blacks and hispanics because this stuff is blasted on the airwaves.

Confront it. Its a social problem. Its your problem.  read more »

A little late, perhaps, but I do know I won't be voting for Obama.

“I know there are some who bristle at the notion that faith has a place in the public square,” Mr. Obama said. “But the fact is, leaders in both parties have recognized the value of a partnership between the White House and faith-based groups.”

Good luck with that, Dems. Perhaps you can do it without people like myself.

From Idaho's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco:

BUSH PLUMMETS IN IDAHO

Wonder why U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco has been campaigning with such optimism?

Internal polling of 500 likely voters by the LaRocco for U.S. Senate campaign, from late May, shows Idaho’s landscape particularly favorable to a Democratic candidate.  read more »

It's that time again, folks -- the deadline for our federal Senate and House candidates to raise funds for 2nd Quarter 2008 ends on Monday, June 30th. Money is the lifeblood that pumps through a campaign's heart. If we truly want our candidates to have a shot at winning -- or, at the very least, to cause the loyal opposition to work harder to hold their seat -- we Idaho Dems and Progressives need to donate whatever we can afford.

Please click on the links below and give whatever you can. There is no better year for Democratic candidates, and no more important time to give them a hand up.

Donate to Larry LaRocco for U.S. Senate

Donate to Walt Minnick for U.S. House of Representatives, CD1

Donate to Debbie Holmes for U.S. House of Representatives, CD2

Judicial Activism has often been the rallying cry of Bryan Fischer and the other social conservative religious fanatics when taking broadsides against the third branch of government for decisions whose results run counter to their objectives, like government sponsored public displays of Christian relics, Jim Crow laws for gay people, government intrusion into women's private lives, and making sex education fact free.  read more »

Without a doubt the funniest thing I read today. Republican is the party of family values. Oh the hypocrisy.

Its with no small amount of irony that I laugh at Brandi Swindell and the Village Idiot this morning. It would appear that they must personally pay the piper with regard to their frivilous lawsuit filed in federal court against the City of Boise. These litigious individuals seek every opportunity to grab headlines even to the point of filing lawsuits with no hope of achieving their goals. Then government is obligated to defend costing all of us a lot of tax dollars just so these self aggrandizing opportunistic weasels can advance their political agenda. Then they criticize the Court's ruling as opposing the will of the people and the court itself for being activist and acting "above the law". They undermine the third branch of government failing to note its proper role in our system of checks and balances. So now I really find it quite humorous that they act surprised that the Court ruled against them, that the court awarded fees to the City for their frivilous lawsuit, and that the city now seeks to recover that taxpayer money. You didn't think all that publicity was for free did you? They're beggin' for folks to bail them out. I think its a good lesson in personal responsibility for them to pay it out of their own pockets.

I subscribe to the Human Events mailing list. Its super right-wing stuff but sometimes its just so great I have to laugh. Its not easy being a conservative with logic and fairness against you so often. Here is part of an e-mail I got yesterday.

"Dear Fellow Conservative:
The Middle East: it's a region that's almost never off the front pages -- yet it's an area that most Americans know little about.
And most of what they think they know is wrong.  read more »

From the Walt Minnick for Congress campaign:

Walt Minnick released the following statement on today's Supreme Court decision upholding the rights of individuals to keep and bear arms:

"It's about damn time. As a gun owner, outdoors enthusiast and sportsman, I applaud the court's protection of our 2nd Amendment rights."

Minnick is running for Congress in Idaho's First District against incumbent Bill Sali. To view recent footage of Minnick talking about Second Amendment rights during a charity clay-shooting tournament, click here.

Shorter Clayton Cramer:

Because sand oil is very damaging to the environment, Barack Hussein Obama is a secret closet Muslim and most likely a terrorist.

I’m very proud to announce that I have been given a scholarship by Democracy for America to Netroots Nation in Austin, TX, July 17-20th. One of the reasons I applied for the scholarship is that I’m excited to bring more online grassroots efforts back to Idaho. But to do so, I need a little help from Idaho bloggers.

Read Diana's DFA Scholarship Profile  read more »

If in or near Boise:

Debbie Holmes for Congress, CD2
“Bringing Hope to Idaho”

When: 5:30-7:30PM, Wed., June 25
Where: Davies Reid –Oriental Rugs
515 West Idaho St. Boise

Hosted by Davies Reid- Oriental Rugs

Check out the campaign website www.debbieholmesforcongress.org
debbholmes@gmail.com
208-761-2551

Via Jody May-Chang at PrideDepot.com:

Bryan Fischer, who IS the Idaho Values Alliance, performs like Jekyll and Hyde for TV news cameras. Yesterday, Fischer took advantage of Boise's local network affiliates to pull traffic to his non-profit political website that graphically outlines the agenda he promotes which he did not have the chutzpah to actually repeat on camera.

Fischer loves the media attention. He sent out e-mail alerts letting his fan club know that he would have TV time in the local Boise market. The man actually sent out invitations to watch him perform in a media advisory headlined, "IVA INTERVIEWED BY ALL NETWORK AFFILIATES FOR STOWELL STORY." The "it's all about me" notice included all the TV and radio stations that he says would be interviewing him.

If you're a dedicated member of the Fischer Fan Club, let me set the record straight (if I may be so presumptuous to use that word), no one can dispute for a moment the importance to keep children safe and protected from sexual predators like Bradley Stowell. Moreover, this is a concern shared within the LGBT community. What is at issue here are Fischer's methods. He hides behind this serious issue in order to promote his political agenda of attacking and vilifying homosexuals.  read more »

From Idaho's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco:

BOISE, IDAHO — U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco calls on Jim Risch to debate him this fall during Idaho’s only traditional, live, statewide televised debate.

“I’ll be there and I challenge Jim Risch to be there,” LaRocco told TV viewers. “He (Risch) ducked it in the primary in 2008. He ducked it in the general in 2006. I think he ought to be there.”

LaRocco issued the challenge Saturday during a live, 30-minute television interview on NBC NewsChanel 6—KPVI-Pocatello. The interview, with political reporter Aaron Kunz, was the most comprehensive TV coverage of top issues in Idaho’s U.S. Senate race to date.

LaRocco offered unequivocal plans for withdrawal from Iraq, health care and achieving energy independence during the interview. He also called on Risch to apologize for a deceptive television ad that is still airing on Risch’s website (buried after a blurb by Mitt Romney).

“Jim Risch should apologize to the people of Idaho for those ads,” LaRocco said. “He didn’t put through a tax cut, he put through a tax shift and he put the working people at the end of the line.”

Risch boasted of cutting property taxes but failed to mention he raised sales taxes 20 percent -- even on food -- to pay for the cut, most of which benefited the state’s largest corporations.

“It’s a lie. It’s deceptive and he should apologize, and I think it’s disrespectful to the people of Idaho,” LaRocco continued.

Independent candidate Rex Rammell will be on KPVI June 28. Risch is scheduled for a KPVI interview on July 26.

Maybe that would be a good time for Risch to apologize and tell Idahoans whether he’ll debate the issues?

From the Walt Minnick for Congress campaign:

The Minnick for Congress campaign issued a strong rebuke to Bill Sali for his vote today against bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering gas prices by preventing unscrupulous oil companies from gouging drivers.

Moreover, Sali held a "town-hall" tele-conference this evening where he never once mentioned his vote.  read more »

From Idaho's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco:

FILER, IDAHO — Idaho has great potential for manufacturing jobs, if we keep them from being shipped overseas.

U.S. Senate candidate Larry LaRocco will join 12 workers in the manufacturing division of Everton Mattress Factory in Filer. The Everton Mattress retail store is in Twin Falls. This will be LaRocco’s 26th job in his “Working for the Senate” campaign.

Where: Everton Mattress, 529 North Street, Filer.

When: 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wed., June 25

What: Working on assembly line

Everton Mattress, founded in 1925, has 10 stores in Idaho, Oregon and Montana. The factory puts out as many as 38,000 mattresses a year. They pay living wages, along with providing health care, vacation pay and 401 (k) plans for workers.

In the U.S. Senate, LaRocco will work to attract and keep manufacturing businesses in Idaho. He has a record of supporting workers and businesses and voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement when he was in Congress. LaRocco has learned a lot from middle class, working Idahoans as he has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with them. He will make sure Idahoans are no longer forgotten in Washington, D.C.

“There’s a lot of wisdom in the break rooms of Idaho,” LaRocco said.