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

Party is at a crossroads

Posted Wednesday, April 30, 2014, at 8:16 AM

There is a battle going on for the heart and soul of the Republican Party. This election may put that party at a critical crossroads. The 2016 presidential election will be the finish line in this race for control of the ideology of the party. It will determine if the party will take a hard turn to the right, or stay within shouting distance of the mainstream middle.

This battle is playing out at all levels, from the jockeying for position for the potential presidential candidates all the way down to the Elmore County Republican Central Committee.

The ECRCC is an interesting cross section of this battle. On the one hand are a minority of conservative Republicans on the committee, who are hoping to unseat enough of the very conservative Republicans on the committee to move it back toward the middle. It's a battle of Tea Party (or even more conservative) proponents who currently control the committee against moderate Republicans (whom the ultra-conservatives accuse of being RINOs).

Most of the time, central committee precinct committeemen battles are a true afterthought to the voters. It's the backside of the ballots nobody turns over to mark. It's not unusual for a dozen votes to win a seat and usually most of the seats go unchallenged. Yet, the committeemen have an important role, primarily in getting the party's message out to the voters, getting supporters to the polls, and supporting local candidates with organization and money.

The problem is, these days, there is a wide dispute in what that message should be. And as for organization and money, the local committee, concerned that a less conservative "faction" might take over, sent most of its money upstream to the state party coffers, rather than using it to support local candidates (although from there, it can always trickle back down, if necessary). And while, as a rule of thumb, the party machinery isn't supposed to be supporting or endorsing candidates in the primary (which the party has now closed to all but registered Republicans), it's tough to ignore the reality that the local central committee tends to lean toward the Tea Party positions, rather than more moderate conservative positions, while the guys hoping to take over the central committee won't be supporting Tea Party candidates if they can help it.

And this fight is playing out in central committees all over Idaho. It isn't unique to Elmore County.

The usually obscure precinct committeemen fight is turning out to be one of the more interesting on the ballot, but it is starting to move from policy positions to name calling, which is essentially a violation of the GOP's 11th Commandment ("thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican"). We'd rather see it return to policy positions, not personal attacks.

Essentially, on the one hand you have very conservative people supporting candidates who want to repeal the 16th Amendment (Federal Reserve and Income Tax), the 17th Amendment (direct election of federal senators rather than the former method of legislatures selecting the senators), and who advocate a return to "hard metal" (gold and silver) standards for currency. On the other hand, you have merely conservative people who want to work the system, rather than tear it up, and who are willing to sacrifice a little ideological purity for practical compromises.

These very issues are playing out, perhaps most importantly for Idaho, in the Second Congressional District race, between conservative incumbent Mike Simpson and ultra-conservative Tea Party challenger Bryan Smith. This race is being looked at closely for its national implications. There's a lot of Tea Party PAC money, time and effort being poured into this race to unseat Simpson in the primary, who has the backing of the merely conservative National Chamber of Commerce. This race is getting expensive and nasty, fast. Both sides are breaking that 11th Commandment left and right (or rather, right and far right). But it's being seen as a key test of which position is ultimately going to control the national party.

We honestly believe if the Tea Party adherents win control of the party, the GOP will never win another major election in this country, since those positions are simply too far outside the mainstream. It will relegate itself to permanent minority party status, which is not good for the balance of power in this country.

So this election, it is vital that Republicans take a serious look at all their candidates and decide if they want to move to the far right, or want to stay conservative but closer to the center, where we believe their long-term opportunities for power are better. Look hard at the candidates and what they are saying and decide who really does represent your views.

In Idaho, you have only three weeks left to decide.

-- Kelly Everitt

Comments

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Hope4America/CoolBreeze I believe that you have been the bubblehead for the Tea Party for a few years now. They are just having a hard time keeping you on their mailing list due to your frequent name changes.

Rest assured. They already had you down for a vote.

-- Posted by Geordey on Wed, Apr 30, 2014, at 3:30 PM
Good one on the bubblehead Geordey. I'm using it but I think it is bobble head, although I think there also may be bubbleheads.

I don't like the idea of the Tea Party bringing the Republican Party to a weak local party. I think that the Democratic Party needs competition so that people have a better choice.

I had been hoping that the Tea Party would have gone the way of the John Birch Society but so far, no luck on that.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, May 1, 2014, at 9:28 AM
I heard dislike,disagreement,hope but NO hatred.But then again everyone has a different idea about hatred if it is not spelled out.

Liberal bootlickers QUITE THE STATEMENT. I wonder what you call the Bundy's of this world ???Please enlighten us so we can be sure not to get it wrong because I would think we all have a title for him.

It also seeme to me that you are on the blog under the handle of coolbreeze,so are you not in the shadow???? Just wondering ??????

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, May 3, 2014, at 5:58 PM
Bubble head offered as and insult. WENT BACK TO CK THAT OUT, ALL I SAW WAS CONFUSION.tHE NEXT TIME YOU NEED TO CALL ME A HYPOCRITE I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR REMARKS FIRST.If I misinterpreted what was said you might have asked before you started name calling.It seems that your first line of defense is to call someone a name. I can play that game I just care not to,and the right wants to know why it upsets people, that is a good example.My republican friends are always asking me why I don't join there ranks all I have to do is point out the name calling as a first response and the callousness of it and they leave me alone.Yes I can be very conservative on some issues that is the way I was raised however the name calling gets under my skin.If that is a way to show how forcefull you can be it is self defeating to say the least.You also tend to want fight with me about little things,reminds me of the person on fox news who heraldo had to tell he just wanted to drop everything at the presidents feet no matter what the truth was.Then he backed off after being confronted.You attempt to make me your target more times than not is that because you think I AM A BOOT LICKING LIBERAL???? JUST WONDERING........

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, May 10, 2014, at 3:22 PM
In regards to the "Party is at a crossroads" blog I've noticed that some people despite their party affiliation think that there is a possibility that by 2016:

1. A third party will spring up so that you would have the Democrats, moderate Republicans, and ultra conservative Republicans.

2. An ultra-conservative will run a write-in campaign for President in 2016.

It is not necessarily a win for the Democrats, because the Republicans, both moderates and ultra conservatives are repeating their selective outrage. Selective outrage is getting really mad about something that was 1/10 as bad as what happened when there was a Republican president. Some people don't realize that this is just a false narrative, so some moderate Democrats and some Libertarians may drift to the moderate Republican party.

IMO the loser is the Tea Party because they aren't following a strategy to win.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, May 10, 2014, at 7:21 PM
I don't know SAM I don't think to many will go that way.The fallesy of voter fraud,the calling of people on assistance freeloaders the denial of health care for so many in red GOP controlled states,there is a definite backlash to those things.....this last episode to give tax breaks to major corporations but they didn't call for paying for it. deny unemployment payments unless paid for..It is ok to be the party of business but there needs to be and understanding that people make the corporations.

The attempt to play that we are not headed in the American way is so much a lie they ought to be ashamed to say it.Yes we are a center right country however some interpret that to mean that money should rule,a good example of that is what the Koch brothers are attempting to do.Talk about and enemy of democracy they are your poster boy's,The end does not justify the means in this case. The tea party's agenda from the beginning was wrong,they put up a front to cover and agenda that was designed to put power in a few peoples hands.Believe me I am being nice when you can embrace and ALLEN WEST you are not all there.

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, May 10, 2014, at 8:06 PM
According to the U.S. Census in 30 years, white people in America will not be the majority and many of our citizens will be bi-lingual.

The Huffington Post says in his regards of multiple languages being spoken in the Coke commercial:

"Yes, Mr. West, America will look very different in 2043. That America, too, will be beautiful. Let us "work for the elevation" of every American and reap the national prosperity that the realization of their individual promise will bring.

In the meantime, have a Coke and a smile."

I hope that you are right, Lamont, on the backlash. Long term though, if people want to win elections and even just make it in the job market, they need to get on the band wagon that the world is changing, and will be more diverse. Those that don't catch on soon are the losers in politics and in the job market.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, May 10, 2014, at 8:54 PM
Thanks for asking SAM.....I AM DOING OK THE RECUPERATION FROM THIS LAST SURGERY TOOK LONGER THAN I AM ACCUSTOMED TO.tHEY SAY THAT THEY GOT ALL OF IT FROM THE LYMPE NODE......WE SHALL SEE.

I don't have a problem with whats happening,We are probally they only industrialized country that is not multi lingual.I have been a lot of places in this world and they all spoke more than one language.

I feel all human goals are the same therefore the people who come to rule usually do it with the best intrest of the country and AMERICA IS NO EXCEPTION.We need to make sure all our people are educated and potentially capable of being a leader.There ethenicity should not make any difference as to when they or if they become a leader.There birthrite dictates that.YES things are changing unfortunately there are people who just cant picture not being the favored class, to bad they'll get use to it.People have been preparing for the politics and the job market,they thought there efforts would be rewarded honestly and they have not.That is why we have people suppression,we have to have a worker class or the system doesn't work.We are having changing pains and some just cant stand it.......smile.......they need to watch the tv program the modern family.........take care SAM.

I will be playing near you next month maybe we will get to meet.

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, May 11, 2014, at 5:48 PM
I hope I can come and hear you play. I am going to be on a trip from June 8th thru June 14th but other than that I'll be around.

Change is coming and it's time for people to adapt. Modern Family is a great show. It shows the family as a changing model in a humorous way that frequently makes me LOL.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." -- Charles Darwin

Speaking of shows, I watched the debate between Mike Simpson and Bryan Smith. Smith, IMO, is one scary guy.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Mon, May 12, 2014, at 6:37 PM
SMITH....I didn't see the show but I have heard that and read some of his stuff.......we can do without him.......yeah!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Mon, May 12, 2014, at 9:08 PM
The Republican Party would help itself if it became more about results and less about being non-liberal. Get the job done, stand by your word, and then worry about the popularity contest later.

-- Posted by twilcox1978 on Tue, May 13, 2014, at 3:38 PM
How have you been twill??? Hope your ok.

I could not agree more.I would add propose legislation that is in the best intrest of everyone as a whole.

You have a good one TWILL!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Tue, May 13, 2014, at 4:33 PM
I have been ok. Had a son two months ago.

Back to the topic, I am under the impression that they have a job to do. If I was to come to work and simply complain about lazy people all day, I would get fired. Stop complaining about them darn Liberals and just do your job.

-- Posted by twilcox1978 on Thu, May 15, 2014, at 12:30 PM

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