Oh, I cannot believe that even more Republicans will be in north Idaho in June, 2008! Yes, how unfortunate that the "jewel of the north," our own "town of the arts," Sandoint, is playing host to the Idaho GOP state convention. Excuse me while I wring my hands! Local Sandpoint realtor, Dan Young, put it together and obviously it was slick enough to get Butchy-boy jumping in his tight jeans. So, over 400 Republicans from around the state will be crossing the Long Bridge to bring their greedy, big business, Wal-Mart corporate politics to north Idaho. I wonder if Gov Arnie will be visiting his Bonner County property during the big event. Maybe Dan will even be able to get him as a guest speaker. Of course if Larry Craig attends, perhaps he can find fellowship with all those local Republicans who also do not believe in global warming. Wait until it's 100 degrees that day.... Maybe he'll even take the Long Bridge plunge....
And the traffic on Hwy. 95 that day, whew, I may have to escape to Canada for a few days. Oh, it just dawned on me, they may not be able to fit all those people into hotels in Sandpoint which means, oh my God, that they may come up to Bonners Ferry. Horror of horrors! Then again, they may come anyway to see the biggest flag in Idaho. Yup, our county of various small income groups: the unemployed, retirees, independent small businesses, farmers, educators, and so forth, raised $50,000 for a flag that dwarfs everything in sight rather than putting it back into the social and economic infrastructure of a town which desperately needs that kind of money. Oh, but the Republicans will love the flag because it represents all the best of misplaced Republican patriotism and entertainment values, and none of the most important parts of people's lives like a working wage, family values, tolerance, universal health care and peace. Where oh where is the Democratic candidate who can save me from all this???
Maybe I'll be lucky enough to be at the Democratic Convention on those days. But I don't have an inkling about when or where that will be. I seem to know a lot more about the GOP and their events than any Democratic news since Republican news is published in our local papers while news sent from the IDP in Boise never seems to make it into the newspaper. Maybe that's why we democrats just haven't been able to quite push the Republicans off the political ledge. Of course, it's difficult when so many of the north Idaho papers are owned by Republicans, and that the only state newspaper we get is the Spokesman Review from Washington! So there we go... WANTED: DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER MOGUL to start or revive a true liberal left newspaper of record here in north Idaho. I'll subscribe!
Then to top it off, Red State Rebels, while checking up on recent news at Ridenbaugh Press, reports that a recent Gallup Poll Study shows that Idaho is the second most Republican state in the union. Horror of horrors, wring my hands, and gag me with a spoon (yes, I'm a Valley Girl), why should I even be surprised about this? Well, I'll tell you. In the last election, we Idaho Democrats made the Republicans spend $3 million in Idaho, Cheney had to visit twice, and given events like Al Gore's giant success in Boise, I think that many people in this state are ready for change. And change means electing Democrats. So, even though the poll statistics initially depress me, I'm more than ever determined to help Democratic candidates get elected.
Now if only Al Gore would present An Inconvenient Truth at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint during the Idaho GOP convention there in June 2008, I would be one truly happy camper, er, north Idaho Democrat. Or better yet, maybe he would visit north Idaho as part of a Presidential run. Oh, how sweet would that be... And I would be able to answer my own question: yes, I am Idaho Blue!
PS Mea culpa for the first posting as "this June," and thanks, John, for pointing that out to me.
About Me
- Linda/IdahoRocks
- In "Song of Myself," Walt Whitman says, "I am large, I contain multitudes." I am currently a bookseller. I have been an anthropologist, linguist, and poet. Also a waitress, a cook, and a teacher. All of these occupations, along with my hobbies, are part of me. As well as mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend. Oh yeah, and political activist and environmentalist.
4 comments:
Note that the Republican Convention in Sandpoint will be in June 2008, not "this June", so no need to book your escape to Canada yet.
The location for the 2008 Democratic Party Convention hasn't been chosen yet.
Of course, you're right, so I'll wipe the sweat off my brow.... Given that the race for the 2008 presidency has already begun, I keep forgetting what year I'm in....
Also, I think that all the changes that the Bush administration has wrought, and has tried to wrought, is just so hammering, so constant, that is just leaves me bewildered and displaced, trying to keep track of everything.
I think your comment about how much money and time GOP leaders spent in Idaho was significant. We have had lots of great Democrat elected officials in the north while I was growing up. We have plenty of great democrats in our communities now that are serving, leading, volunteering and some run for office.
I know because we all work shoulder to shoulder in our schools, on cancer relays, family dances, 4-H, BSA, GSA, street dances, and serve on education, scholarship, health, and other committees together. That's the great thing about our communities; we shine brightest when we are all working together. CAL, Lions, Rotary, Elks, and other service organizations do not check your political affiliation when you join.
Many of us volunteer to work for our favorite candidates or political parties which is simply part of our right and responsibility as citizens. We all try to put up the best people we can to represent all of the folks. Sometimes we do great and sometimes not so great. But many of us who are on opposite sides of issues or campaigns are simultaneoulsly working within our communities side by side. That's always great.
As a volunteer for the GOP, I look at the State Convention as a great opportunity for people in our area to participate. It's usually pretty far away from the north. As a member of the community I know that even if it were a Dental Supply Convention; it brings visitors into our communities to enjoy the view, experience all that we have to offer in the north, and leave money behind after they depart. That's a terrific economic boost and even better if it's during the shoulder season.
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Hi Dan. You're right that in our small, rural communities we do work side by side in many community affairs. But the Idaho legislature has been overloaded with Republicans for several years now, and a balanced decision making process is no longer in place. Furthermore, the Republicans in Idaho, like the Republicans in the Bush administration, favor big business and corporations over individual citizens. The poor and middle classes have been paying the bills that should have been paid by big business. For the Republicans, the bottom line is always money, not people. Our constitution says we are a nation of, by and for the people. I may be too ideological but I believe in the people in this country and I don't think that corporations should have the same rights as individuals. This is not a belief that I would attribute to Repbulicans. Although I do know some good Republicans, my experience has been that when Democrats are in power big business is regulated and the "average" citizen has more wealth, health, and opportunity. A GOP convention in Sandpoint may bring a temporary economic boost to the community, but I would rather see the GOP in our legislature bring some permanent boosts to communities throughout the state, and do things like getting rid of the Right-to-Work program, raising the minimum wage, providing better health care services, funding education and so forth.
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