Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

A Surplus of senators

Posted Friday, September 28, 2007, at 2:02 PM

It seems like everybody wants Larry Craig's job (including, apparently, Craig).

Craig has vacillated on whether or not he's actually going to resign, being almost Clintonesque in his manipulation of the "resignation" speech, but the truth is, after years of solid service, his effectiveness has totally evaporated. He should follow through with his resignation at the end of this month. Any time Doonesbury, Leno and Letterman make you the butt of their jokes, you're doomed, let alone the fact that his own party leadership has totally abandoned him.

And surprisingly, even people who were sympathetic to him a month ago, are much less so today because of his apparent about face. He needs to follow through with his resignation.

Should he actually resign in the next week, Gov. Butch Otter will select his replacement, and while Butch may have his own, private list, it seems there is no end to the number of people who have asked to be appointed to Craig's job.

Discounting people who've talked to him privately, and those who live out of state who say they'd be willing to move here to establish residency, the list of "formal" applicants includes: Jay Wilde of Glenns Ferry, a rancher who has never run for or held political office,

State Representative Scott Bedke of Oakley, Charles Cline of Lenore, Bob Cox of Boise, Steve Coyle of Star, Lawrence Gardner of Meridian, Brian Hefner of Nampa, Ben Jepson of Nampa, State Senator Mike Jorgenson of Coeur d'Alene, Thomas Kim of Island Park, David Leroy of Boise, Kent Marmon of Caldwell, State Representative Russ Mathews of Idaho Falls, State Senator John McGee of Caldwell, Christopher Patterson of Coeur d'Alene, Charles Pottenger of Lewiston, Blaine Price of Malad, Steven Ranstrom of Burley, Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch, State Representative Ken Roberts of Donnelly, State Senator Gary Schroeder of Moscow, Larry T. Smith of Nampa, Sheila Sorensen of Boise, Tom Stevenson of Gooding, Steven Thompson of Heyburn, Robert Vasquez of Canyon County, Jim Waite of Idaho Falls, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, and Dane Watkins of Idaho Falls.

Of that list, several names leap out at us, each with varying political spots on the spectrum of Republican positions, but who we believe could provide the quality leadership and intellectual power that has been a tradition of Idaho senators going back to William Borah. We like Dave Leroy, the cerebral former attorney general for the state, Lawrene Wasden, the current attorney general, and Sheila Sorenson, one of the legislative leaders. If we had to build a short list, those would be our names on it.

But Butch has a good eye for people. We're certain he'll make a good choice, based less on politics than the person who can best represent Idaho.

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I am so ignorant about state politics, please forgive me, but who, of the people named in your piece, will support MHAFB as well as I believe Craig has done? That's where my personal -- admittedly narrow -- focus is. The base is essential to Mtn. Home and to many individuals personally.

I'm rather conflicted about Craig now because of his situation; I only know I would like a strong replacement for him, not a lame duck.

-- Posted by senior lady on Sat, Sep 29, 2007, at 9:42 AM

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