“I want to congratulate and thank the Democratic candidates who ran in the primary election. Across the state, good, hardworking people have stepped forward to bring balance back to Idaho’s government,” said Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Larry Grant. “These Democratic candidates are standing up to an arrogant GOP supermajority that has defunded education and shaken our trust in government.”

We all watched for the outcomes of a bitter GOP primary fight that required Idahoans to declare political affiliation for the first time. But, surviving GOP candidates should not take their victories as a vote of approval.

“In many Republican races, voters saw a choice between someone they were angry with versus someone they were scared of,” Grant said. “Republicans who prevailed, by and large, are the same people who cut education funding and who have treated state government like it is their own private club.”

To clarify, absolutely anyone can vote in the Idaho Democratic primary elections next Tuesday. If you choose to be unaffiliated – essentially retaining your right to be a truly independent voter – you can vote in the Idaho Democratic primary election. Just ask for the Democratic ballot after you have declared that you are unaffiliated.

Also, if you choose to affiliate as a Republican, Constitutionalist, Libertarian, Democrat –and, again, unaffiliated – you can request and vote the Democratic ballot.

Republicans are the only party that is choosing to be exclusionary. They will only let registered Republicans vote in the Republican primary. They sued the state to impose this restriction on Idaho voters, and they succeeded.

“Republicans closed their primary election in an effort to purify their ranks and purge moderate and reasonable candidates,” said Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Larry Grant. “Thank Republicans for the confusion and angst among voters. Democrats respect that Idaho voters pride themselves on independence and respect their desire for privacy in the voting booth. We welcome all to vote in the Democratic primary.”

Idaho Democratic Congressional Candidates Support College Affordability

Meridian, Idaho– Unless Congress acts, college costs will climb for Idaho students when student loan interest rates double in July. That could also hurt Idaho’s business climate.

President Obama is visiting universities this week to talk about the student loan issue and urge Congress to act. The president’s message comes as the Republican-dominated Idaho State Board of Education is noting that, in eight years, 63 percent of Idaho businesses will require workers with post-secondary degrees and certifications.

“Making college affordable is a key investment into the future of Idaho’s young people and Idaho’s competitiveness in the business world,” said Morgan Hill, Jr., president of Idaho Young Democrats. “Idaho needs to attract businesses to the state and keep businesses here. One way to do that is to make sure students can afford to get the education, skills and training that businesses require.”

If Congress does nothing, interest rates for new subsidized student loans are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1, causing at least 7 million students to be hit with an average of more than $1,000 in additional costs over the life of that loan.

Idahoans who want a strong economy should demand that candidates for Congress and for president support students, and make sure businesses have the workforce they need. Idaho Democratic Congressional candidates Nicole LeFavour and Jimmy Farris have both pledged to work at keeping college affordable for middle class families and young people.  LeFavour has a proposal to incentivize universities to lower tuition and fees and to reduce student debt burden.

What:              Wisconsin State Sen. Jon Erpenbach Speaks at TGIF Luncheon

When:             11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, April 27

Where:            Red Lion Downtowner, 1800 Fairview Ave., Boise

Cost:               $30 for lunch; $15 for gallery—sponsored by the Idaho Democratic Party.

Erpenbach is a leader of the Recall Scott Walker Movement, which collected more than 1 million signatures to put Wisconsin’s governor up for a recall vote June 5. After Boise, Erpenbach heads to Worley, Idaho, to speak at the Kootenai County Democrats’ 10^th Annual Democracy Dinner.

What:             Kootenai County Democracy Dinner: Erpenbach Keynotes

When:            6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 28

Where:           Coeur d’Alene Casino and Resort, Worley

Cost:              $40 per person. For tickets, visit www.kootenaidemocrats.org.

Erpenbach Bio:

A former radio personality and legislative assistant, Senator Erpenbach was elected in November of 1998 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006. He became Senate Democratic Leader in 2002.  He served in that position until 2004.

Jon began as a radio personality on two Madison area radio stations and also worked for a Milwaukee station.  He subsequently worked in both the State Assembly and State Senate in media relations and as communications director. An advocate for citizen involvement and campaign finance reform, Jon is a member of the Dane County NAACP, Monroe Noon Optimists, WI Farm Bureau, League of Women Voters,1,000 Friends, and the League of Conservation Voters. He is also an involved Dad at Kromrey Middle School and Middleton High School.

Representing parts of Green, Rock, LaFayette and Dane counties, Jon’s Senate district is one of the most geographically diverse districts in the state. He has led the Senate in personal privacy (author of Wisconsin’s “Do Not Call” Legislation), health care reform, proactive educational reforms, and property tax relief.

The Good

Budget:

One could be cynical and figure that last year with no election at stake the Republicans lowballed the budget so that in an election year there was someleft over money to give out lollipops. I can’t say that this was purposeful but I can say that there was some extra money this year and some budgets benefited.

Public Schools: Our schools received a very small increase in funds overall and money for a 2% teacher salary increase (after three years without).

Higher Education: After a 26% cut in higher education that resulted is less classes, lower graduation rates, and higher tuition, 8.6% was added for next year. This is a good beginning but studies show that investment in higher education leads to long term economic growth and career opportunities. Let’s hope we can keep this up.

Medicaid: Some of the Medicaid services slashed last year were reinstated (about $1.5 million) after it was determined that the cuts would result in more long term costs.

Sportsman Issues: I fought all session to protect access to our wildlife for all and for Fish and Game to keep the tools needed to effectively manage our wildlife heritage. To this end I (and others) fought back most bills to sell tags to the highest bidder and also an attempt to remove departmental authority over ATVs.

Miscellaneous: The roads are a bit safer since we finally managed to ban texting while driving (I have been working on this since 2009). We made high school athletes safer with minimal concussion legislation. The governor’s IGEM technology transfer proposal (reminiscent of my 2010 bill) represented a good investment in university/private partnerships.

The Bad

Jobs and Economy: While jobs are the highest priority for our citizens, the legislature persists in almost ignoring the issue. Idaho Democrats believe that renewed prosperity can be achieved by putting Idahoans back to work.

To  that end we again proposed a comprehensive jobs package (IJOBs 2.0) that included bills for agricultural processing, providing capital for small business, enhanced rural broadband, and a finder’s fee for businesses that bring other businesses to Idaho. All of these were blocked by the Republicans except the agriculture bill that passed the House and was killed in the Senate.

Oil and Gas : The discovery of commercial quantities of natural gas in southern Idaho is an exciting development. To regulate the budding industry a set of technical rules and five pieces of legislation were passed by the legislature. The key to development is striking the proper balance between resource exploitation and protection of the environment and our citizens. Unfortunately we did not strike that balance this session with a law passing that usurps local control and green-lights fracking without restriction.

My bills to ban the use of cancer causing chemicals during fracking and to require the Oil and Gas Commission to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our citizens were shot down without a hearing in the Senate.

Prisons: Our prison population is growing again (likely caused by mental health and addiction treatment cuts over the last few years). This resulted in an increase in the corrections budget even as a report on medical care in prisons determined negligent services and the privately run prison is being sued for brutal conditions (it’s known as gladiator school).

The Ugly

Ethics:  Ethics was, without doubt, the ugliest story this year. Despite seven proposals for significant ethics reform from the Idaho Democrats, and despite the resignation of a senator over sexual harassment allegations, and despite the investigation of a senator for failure to disclose a potential conflict of interest, the legislature actually managed to go backwards on ethics this year! Republican leaders blocked all attempts at reforms. And Senate leaders actually finished the session (on the last day) by taking a giant step backwards and requiring that preliminary ethics investigations be  completed in absolute secrecy (members are forbidden to discuss any allegations!). The Senate will now have a panel of six Senators (three from each party) that will meet behind closed doors to evaluate a secret complaint that can be dismissed if one party’s representatives vote as a block and force a tie. And the public will never know a thing!

Attacks on Personal Freedom and Liberty: Much of the session was taken up by a group of legislators seeking to impose their brand of moral virtue as a government mandate. This gave us fights over women’s healthcare that went national and energized women of all political stripes across the state. Idaho Democrats are so alarmed at these attacks on our personal freedom that we are preparing an amendment to the Idaho constitution to ensure that medical procedures cannot be imposed by government mandate. You wouldn’t think it necessary in Idaho but two decades of single party rule has a way distorting core values.

A Tax Cut for Your Boss: Republicans passed a cut in income taxes for the highest 18% of wage earners in the state (earn below $50,000 as an individual and you’re out of luck). No study supported this as a job creator. This tax cut for your boss passed while depriving students of textbooks, people of mental health services, and adicts of treatment. You can decide whether these priorities would match your own.

$200,000 Slush Fund: Unhappy with Attorney General opinions that do not match some individuals ideology or reading of the constitution, the majority created a $200,000 lawyer shopping slush fund. Now (without accountability) legislative leaders can hire their own counsel to confirm that nullification of federal law is indeed constitutional (regardless of what the Attorney General says). Imagine the possibilities (and future costly taxpayer funded lawsuits)!

]]> http://idahodems.org/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-by-senator-werk/feed/ 0 http://idahodems.org/come-see-leif-skyving-boxing/ http://idahodems.org/come-see-leif-skyving-boxing/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:10:10 +0000 sally http://idahodems.org/?p=2617 57 year old Leif Skyving, stand up comedian, Caldwell School Board Trustee and candidate for State Senate has just been issued a license by the Idaho Athletic Commission to fight this Saturday April 7 at O’Connor field house in Caldwell.

Leif says he’s “excited, boxing has been a lifelong interest and I’ve always wanted to see what it is like to actually be in the ring.  The fact that this event is to raise money for a good cause makes it even more exciting”.  The proceeds from this event will go to help disadvantaged teenagers by purchasing equipment and space to expand the mixed martial arts programs at Open Hand Combat in Nampa and Team No Excuse in Caldwell.  These are the two organizations responsible for putting this event together.  Leif belongs to Team No Excuse and has been training for the past year.  “I’ve finished three marathons since I turned 50” says Skyving “but the conditioning  and discipline required for boxing and mixed martial arts is far beyond any I’ve experienced as a runner”.  “These programs are great for kids, it teaches discipline, physical fitness and self esteem all while giving them something worthwhile to do after school and on breaks”.   Skyving’s opponent is a 61 year old former police detective.  “I’m sure he’s had a lot of training as an officer, but at 57 I have youth on my side” quipped Skyving.

Skyving will not be the only one fighting Saturday night, Sheily and Johnny Perez who own and coach at Caldwell’s Team No Excuse and are organizing and promoting this even along with Cosmo Zimik of Open Hand Combat in Nampa. put it this way in a recent face book post:
”T-Minus 2 days till weigh ins and 3 days till the competion begins..Dont miss out on the K1 Fights this Saturday at the OConner Field house representing ” At Risk Youth” what a way to show support to the people who help keep these kids off the street and out of trouble with a great avenue to vent and show their skills then here at the K1 Fights.. We have 6 fighters on this card.. Titus Mitchell 9 yrs old – 65lbs, Greg Litty 13yrs old- 95lbs, Annette Villegas 150lbs (title fight) Jose Montes 185lbs,Leif Skyving 205lbs and 57 yrs old and Benito Lopez our heavy weight and fighting for a belt.. you can see these fighters and all others on the posters around the area Tickets are $15, $25 and $50 dont miss out”

For more information contact

Leif Skyving at 208-250-6339

Promoter Johnny Perez (Team No Excuse) 208-890-4356

Cosmo Zimik  Event Organizer (Open Hand Combat)