Peace to Johnny Hart and Family

He’ll be missed, Michelle Malkin has a round-up of reaction.

What if Craig Retires?

That’s the question for Idaho politicos. Rumors swirl of Dan Popkey going around the state trying to dig up dirt on Idaho’s Senior Senator. I doubt there’s anything substantial to the allegations and am about 60% sure Craig will run again, but if he doesn’t, who would I like to see run?

Now, certainly I know who will run. Former Canyon County Commissioner Robert Vaquez will be there and almost certainly Congressman Mike Simpson (R-District 2) can be counted on to make the run. Neither possibility quite excites me. Vasquez lost my support with his tasteless trifecta:

1) Announcing for the US Senate the day after Helen Chenoweth died.
2) Announcing for the US Senate while the 2006 election was in progress.
3) Criticizing the Republican nominee for US House and saying he wouldn’t work with him.

Rep. Mike Simpson is a pork barrel-politician to the core. He was rated tied for 168th for the most fiscally conservative member of the House, which ranked in the lower third among House Republicans.

As neither of these gentlemen excite me, who would I like to see run instead:

First to really annoy liberals:

1) Brandi Swindell

I think Brandi Swindell would make a very interesting candidate for the US Senate because she’s young, she’s controversial, and energetic. It might put some needed spark into a US Senate that could desperately use it. Of course, the liberals wouldn’t like it, the establishment would make it hard for her to get passed the Primary. But, if she did and she won-Wow! It’d drive liberal beserk and give us a true conservative on Capitol Hill.

However, I don’t think she’s running. I don’t have any insider’s knowledge that she might. Just file this under, “Wouldn’t it be nice…”

2) Lt. Governor Jim Risch

The best governor we’ve had since I lived in Idaho, he’d make a good solid choice for Senate. The only problem with Risch is that watch him lead in Boise, he showed himself a born executive and as such, I doubt he’d find sitting around as one of 100 Senators struggling to get things done in a body whose job is to stop things from getting done.

3) Treasurer Ron Crane

I like Ron Crane a lot. Crane is a true Conservative across the board. With an easy race in 2006, his campaign ads talked about traditional marriage, not himself. Crane also has won statewide 3 times, that’s a plus. Will he want to run for a more rough and tumble office?

4) Speaker Lawrence Denney

I’d say he’s gained some notoriety and would have fairly good name recognition among conservatives, though I’d generally much prefer he stay in the House.

5) Senator Russ Fulcher

Why not? He’s got a good record on the issues and is impressing conservatives across the state. Okay, maybe 1 1/2 terms in the legislature is too soon.

Now, let’s be clear that many of these candidates present a unique problem. Both my favorites and Mr. Simpson and Mr. Vasquez. (Note: I couldn’t find Mr. Denney’s age):

Ages in 2008:

Jim Risch: 65
Robert Vasquez: 59

Ron Crane: 59
Mike Simpson: 58
Russ Fulcher: 44
Brandi Swindell: 30

With the obvious exceptions of Fulcher and Swindell, all the candidates are over or close to 60. Were they to be elected to 2 terms in the Senate: Risch, Vasquez, Crane, and Simpson would all pass the 70 mark. What’s remarkable here is that if Senate Craig throws in the towel, he’d be doing so at the age of 63 (barely older than most top contenders.)

What makes Idaho interesting is that with the exceptions of two giants (William E. Borah and Frank Church) no one has served more than 3 terms in the Senate. Craig would be the third Senator to fill out three terms in the Senate. While, none of the four would reasonably be expected to remain in office long enough to gain a great deal of Seniority, Idahoans are used to that. Our Congresspeople with notable exceptions go up there and then come home.

If Simpson should run for Senate, it does become a question as to who takes his place. I won’t speculate that far except to predict the replacement would be a member of the LDS Church (as the district has elected an LDS member every election for nearly 60 years.)

I’m sort of neutral on the idea of a primary and Craig’s retirement. If Craig runs, there’ll be no serious opposition (yes, I know Vasquez will be running, but I said serious opposition.) and with no serious opposition in the general (again emphasis on serious with Larry LaRocco.) As someone who believes in term limits, I think 28 years in Washington is enough for anyone. However, I wouldn’t be unhappy with Craig running and winning another term.

Phylis King Update

Like most people, I don’t read the Letters to the Editor regularly, so I was a tad surprised to find a couple letters in response to my letter to the editor on Phyllis King had slipped in, when I did a Google search. For those of you who don’t remember, I sent Rep. King a simple e-mail and she sent me a snotty reply which led to a letter to the edtior on my part.

Her first defender was Heidi Soto, who wrote:

I am writing in response to a letter by Adam Graham regarding Rep. Phylis King and to offer another viewpoint. I was surprised by the level of offense Graham reports and his judgment of King based on a single interaction. Her comments seemed fairly innocuous, although maybe not politically correct for Idaho. It is clear that Graham would rarely agree with a Democrat, so that may be why he is so quick to criticize.

Well, let’s o back to my letter in which I wrote of the original incident:

When I wrote to Rep. Phylis King in support of a Woman’s Right to View Act, she replied, “It is interesting that the only people writing to me about this bill are males!” and informed me that although the legislation was “redundant and unnecessary” she intended to vote for it anyway.

As I said later on, this didn’t show respect to a citizen who she represents. I doubt if I were a State Representative who wrote Heidi Soto and said, “It is interesting that the only people writing to me about this silly legislation are females.” I doubt she would consider it politically incorrect.

In the previous paragraph, I also made it clear that her District 18 colleagues had been professional:

I’m a Republican represented by three Democrats in District 18. While I disagree with them all on various issues, both Rep. Durst and Sen. Kelly have been civil to me in their responses, while being professional and respectful.

This is about conduct in office. Soto goes on to write:

As a past school PTO president, I found that King has always been willing to volunteer at our school whenever requested, even prior to her election. I never received that same level of interest from previous representatives. Prior to this last election, I was not able to get any of our legislators to step one foot in the school. Now that’s arrogance.

Very nice and also an utter non-sequiter. While volunteering at the school or giving blood, or any other charitable activities are great, it doesn’t prove lack of arrogance, nor does failure to step into a school prove arrogance-only a lack of time. I also find it hard to believe that Rep. Julie Ellsworth never went inside a school as she’s a teacher.

Susan Creed added another defense which mainly serves illustrate the importance of retail politicking without actually addressing my point.

King, herself had a Reader’s view in the paper regarding the legislative session: writing:

Despite all our good intentions, I have been frustrated and disappointed in the lack of forward progress this year. The Democratic caucus came to the Statehouse in January prepared to work on a wide range of issues that are vitally important — community colleges, sales tax on food, and public transit. Unfortunately, I think some of my colleagues in the Legislature failed to address the needs of Idaho’s future.

Again, we have the regreful complaint about nothing being done about sales taxes
when Rep. King voted against the override of Governor Otter’s veto for sales tax relief in lock step with the Democratic leadership in the House:

I hope that my constituents continue to send me e-mails — they keep me energized and informed.

Yeah, right. I have no plans to e-mail Rep. King again as I’ve been given ample evidence that she doesn’t give a rip about what anyone things other than the Democratic leadership and people who agree with her viewpoint. Certainly, despite disagree with Rep. Durst 2/3 of the time, and Senator Kelly on 86% of the Time, I’ll keep e-mailing, because they at least seem somewhat receptive.

The Danger of the Captiol Expansion

Via Trish and Halli from Rep. Tom Loertschter something to watch with the new expansion of the Capitol:

I could have supported the renovation, and even though it will provide nice new digs for the legislature, the expansion just seems excessive with other facilities nearby. One fellow commented to me that with more space, the legislature will end up needing more staff and more of everything. Sort of, “If you build they will grow.”

Hold onto your wallet, folks.

Truth and Hope Report: Easter Weekend Update

On the weekend Truth and Hope Report:

-Rudy’s Trouble with Bloggers
-Detroit Kids Getting I-Pods
-Gays in the Military
-Rich Liberals
-Wrongful Birth Suits
-Whose to Blame for the lack of confidence in the judicial system?

Click here to download. Click here to add my podcast to your I-tunes.

Related:

Townhall:

Bloggers to Blame for Rudy’s Bad Week

Detroit News:

An I-Pod for Every Kid: Are they !#$!ing idiots?

Save the GOP:

Ipods for Everyone

Wizbang Blog:

Democrats in Michigan are Complete Idiots

Clayton Cramer:

Lenin Was of Noble Birth

Dilbert Blog:

Is Copyright Violation Stealing?

Instapundit:

The Fear Industrial Complex

Jill Stanek:
Hallmark Moment

Outside the Beltway:

Florida Will Let Felons Vote

Comic Books Top Stocks as Investment

Human Events:

Former Justice O’Connor Blames Criticism of Judicial Activism — Not Activism — for ‘Loss of Faith’ in Judicial System

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Virtuous Republic, Is It Just Me?, 123beta, guerrilla radio, Big Dog’s Weblog, Shadowscope, The Bullwinkle Blog, The Amboy Times, Phastidio.net, Cao’s Blog, , Conservative Cat, Conservative Thoughts, Pursuing Holiness, Pet’s Garden Blog, Rightlinx, Faultline USA, Woman Honor Thyself, stikNstein… has no mercy, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Walls of the City, Pirate’s Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker, Dumb Ox Daily News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.