There's a great read at Kaiser Health News today on how two counties in rural Kentucky are delivering health services in the "worst health care region in America" and that despite the health care reform debate, some area experts don't anticipate much changing as a result of these current' [...]
The miserable have no other medicine but only hope
— Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
Claudio was in prison hoping for a pardon to spare his life, but he could just as well have been foretelling of the lottery that passes for a U.S. health care system when Shakespeare penned those words for [...]
As Idaho legislators grappled with state budget issues and how to meet current revenue shortfalls yesterday, Betsy Russell transmitted headlines like these from the interim budget meetings: "Huge Medicaid shortfall is possible…" and "One in 5 Idaho school districts have declared" [...]
Not billed as a scolding, though it couldn't have felt like anything but to Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick seated in the second row between Representative Steve Driehaus of Ohio and Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii listening as President Obama spoke on financial reform Friday. Having emerged on the' [...]
Monday, Idaho Blue Dog Congressman Walt Minnick announced in a press release that he and fellow Blue Dog Congresswoman Betsy Markey of Colorado, "sent a letter calling on House leaders to prohibit the group ACORN from being eligible for federal funds." If you [...]
It was already evident after the first nine months in office that Congressman Walt Minnick favors corporate interests over people, along the way alienating much of his Democratic constituency in Idaho. Recent news of his opposition to the Consumer Financial Protection Agency doesn't help.
Now Minnick' [...]
On September 30, the U. S. House Committee on Financial Services held a hearing on the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency, the Obama Administration's plan to repair the failed, jerry-rigged financial regulatory system by creating a robust consumer watchdog agency to oversee the industry in hopes of' [...]
I heard it coming. That thing is loud and even inside my cozy home on a frigid morning in Nampa, I could hear it coming from blocks away. It was louder than the trains that rarely but occasionally rattle the windows at night. Okay, it's an old home with single-pane windows [...]
Recently released economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau's ongoing American Community Survey indicates that during this recession Idaho's poor—especially women and children—aren't faring well. It's not clear that those making decisions in this state have plans to ease this burden any time soon. In fact if anything, it [...]
"Inventor of the public option explains why it's crucial"
I think it's pretty clear why if you look at what's happened over the last generation in American health insurance. Private insurance plans have basically failed us, and we need to have competition between a new nonprofit public health insurance' [...]
Love him or hate him, Idaho's Blue Dog Congressman is certainly making noise in Washington. After changing a provision in a bill designed to protect consumers from unfair lending practices to instead protect creditors back in April, now Walt Minnick is attempting to change President Obama's plans to regulate Wall [...]
Since taking office in January, Idaho Blue Dog Congressman Walt Minnick has been successful in getting at least three of his amendments adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives. Of the two most recent, one happened last week, to much heralding and fanfare. The other was in April, to [...]
A couple of must-reads that may help make sense of the nonsensical or, at the very least, put it in perspective.
One is "Meet the man who changed Glenn Beck's life" by Alexander Zaitchik at Salon. Subtitled, "Cleon Skousen was a right-wing crank whom even conservatives despised. Then Beck discovered" [...]
Yeah? For how long?
From Kaiser Health News:
Employers struggling with the steady rise of health insurance costs – which in 2009 increased 5 percent to an average of $13,375 for family coverage -- are passing on more of the expense to their workers through higher deductibles and co-payments, according to [...]
Sing along folks:
"We're Number 37
We're the USA
The big Number 37
And we're so proud to say
We got old people crying at the pharmacy
Pay your deductible
This aint the land of the f-f-f-free Grandma
We're Number 37
We're the USA"
h/t: The New Republic
[...]Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to rebuke Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) for his "You lie!" outburst during President Obama's health care speech to a Joint Session of Congress last Wednesday. The resolution passed on a 240 to 179 vote with seven Republicans joining [...]
If you can't vote for this bill you're not a Democrat.
— Jonathan Alter, MSNBC, reacting to President Obama's health care plan
as laid out in an address to a Joint Session of Congress, 9.9.09.
I suppose you can make your own judgments about the address and in light of [...]
Michelle Cottle at The New Republic on Fox News' Glenn Beck:
But Beck? Beck is an absolute hysteric, prone to fits of on-air weeping and end-of-the-world blathering more befitting a deranged televangelist than a political pundit. Like many professional bomb throwers, he spews plenty of hateful, divisive bullshit, but the' [...]
As is evident lately, truth has become a casualty of fear. That's especially evident in all the confusion and noise over health care reform with the bottom line for many being "we like our sinking Titanic, thank you very much, and we're riding this iron scrap-heap'" [...]
Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick is one of the targets of the recently announced "Votes Have Consequences" project put out by the conservative, anti-abortion women's political group, the Susan B. Anthony List. The project is "an effort to educate citizens about the voting records of legislators who are out" [...]
An open communiqué for Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick:
On Halloween day last year, in an interview with University of Idaho's KUOI radio in Moscow, you scolded your opponent for voting against expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program, saying, incredulously, "Who could be opposed to providing health care" [...]
I'm confused. Maybe you are too. Anyone who has spent any time reading the pending health care legislation (and come on, who hasn't?) should be confused if they've also read this statement, actually two statements, coming out of Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick's office. Trust [...]
One of many favorite Ted Kennedy speeches, this from the floor of the Senate in 2007:
Also, check out this post from a year ago at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, including the speech he delivered exactly one year prior to his death.
[...]Last month, in a bizarre episode befitting Idaho's 1st District, Congressman Walt Minnick was caught on video running from Huffington Post and FireDogLake blogger Mike Stark who was on Capitol Hill questioning congressmen about where they stood on the Birther Conspiracy. [...]
Argh! Another pesky gov'ment program at work.
From the Messenger-Index in Emmett:
Some federal stimulus money has found its way into the bank of a local group. It will not only help jump-start a portion of Gem County’s economy — but also help victims of domestic violence by providing some a' [...]
Seems state Representative Lenore Hardy Barrett (R- Challis) is fightin' to keep big gov'ment off her family property in Challis.
From The Challis Messenger:
The City of Challis’ plan to expand its area of impact generated considerable debate and concern by a couple of county residents who didn’t want their property [...]
IdaBlue reports on Congressman Walt Minnick's TEA Party townhall last night complete with a peek into the atmosphere surrounding the event. It also includes this bit:
In his opening remarks Walt emphasized how we must "pay for" any health care reform, drawing many approving hoots' [...]
Three days into his campaign, at a gathering of Ada County Democrats, Congressman Walt Minnick said of the one-term incumbent he would ultimately go on to defeat that November, "Bill Sali is too extreme for Idaho."
This Saturday, Minnick was invited and will speak at a gathering [...]
Instead of wrangling with angry constituents over health care reform in a stuffy townhall forum, Idaho Republican Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have gone fishing—literally—for campaign contributions at joint fundraising events costing donors up to $2,500 a ticket.
While you and I and countless other Idahoans might be worrying about [...]
Dan Popkey was fooled. Congressman Walt Minnick is no moderate. Last week when he wrote for the Idaho Statesman that he was, Popkey was expressing a common misconception, though. Lots of Idahoans were fooled into believing that Minnick was a moderate—even perhaps (gasp) verging on liberal as the Idaho [...]
Unfounded though they may be, it's been said by some who have deep-seated fears of a government takeover of health care, that if members of Congress had some "skin in the game," they would write a better bill. Meaning, supposedly, that if Congress had to participate in whatever "plan" they [...]
Last night, I caught a little of the health care townhall meeting Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill held yesterday. One clip included a short bit showing a disturbance in the crowd and an African-American woman being escorted out of the hall by police. The clip didn't show it and, I' [...]
Randy Stapilus writes at Ridenbaugh Press today, "Political speech on health care, quite a bit of it, doesn’t match up well with reality on the ground." Not only does some of the current speech not match up well with reality, it also doesn't always match up well with previous speech.
Stapilus' [...]
The American Psychological Association says there is no evidence that they do and advises mental health professionals to quit telling gay clients they can become straight.
Also:
The "Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts" also advises that parents, guardians, young people and their families avoid [...]
An Idaho Mountain Express editorial minces no words in calling out Congressman Walt Minnick for his position on health care reform.
Here's a snip:
Minnick has published a blueprint of his conditions for voting for health care reform that can only be charitably described as a sham.
Among the conditions, President [...]
IdaBlue's got a great post on the health care debate. Check it out if you haven't yet. The money line, among many, for me is this:
Health care, like infrastructure, like peace and security, is too integral to a productive populace to allow it to be hijacked by folks bleeding it' [...]
There's been lots of talk lately about Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick's voting record. See, Walt's a Blue Dog Democrat who is making a name for himself among conservative circles and finding himself on the outside among progressive ones. Which brings us around to the voting' [...]
Perhaps a bit fitting that the first post back after such a long hiatus would include music, here is Matthew Mayfield with "Better" off his newly released EP, Five Chances Remain Hers. I bought and downloaded one track yesterday morning from iTunes but by the end of [...]
From the Times-News this morning:
William Stirling Teeter, 50, of Burley, was charged with felony aggravated assault Friday night following an unusual response to a teenager's ball landing in his yard. The alleged incident culminated in Teeter pulling a semi-automatic pistol on the 13-year-old boy.
According to the Cassia County Sheriff's' [...]
Time has an interesting photo essay running on their website entitled, "Same-Sex Overtures Across Species," including photos and bits of info on dolphins, bison, fruit flies and this beautiful image of the Laysan Albatross, among others:
Its caption reads: "Nearly one-third of relationships observed in one Hawaiian albatross [...]
It's bad enough when people like Bryan Fischer, soon to be formerly of the Idaho Values Alliance, spout phrases like "aberrant sexual behavior" and "dangerous, unhealthy and immoral" when writing and speaking about gay people. We've come to expect it from people like him. When you go to [...]
Contrary to all outward appearances, I have not fallen off the face of the planet. Will have new content here soon. Stay tuned. . . .
[...]Great read at High Country News on recently passed legislation allowing national park visitors to carry loaded firearms.
Here's a snip:
I think Ronald Reagan had the right idea in 1983, when he signed into law a rule requiring everyone who entered a national park to disassemble and unload' [...]
Found in the comments to the Standard Journal article reporting that Rex Rammell, former U.S. Senate candidate and recently announced candidate for governor in 2010, has filed for bankruptcy protection:
Sick of Rex wrote on May 30, 2009 2:01 PM:
"This is when you have taken it too far." [...]
With news today that the Pentagon has no plans to repeal the don't ask-don't tell policy for gay service members, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow interviewed decorated Air Force pilot Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach who is being discharged under that policy.
As stated in this first [...]
The Standard Journal has an interesting read on the dissolution of campus political organizations at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg.
A snip:
[L]ast semester (Winter 2009), the BYU-Idaho administration announced that both the College Republicans and the College Democrats, (both student-run political organizations), would be dissolved in an effort to comply [...]
In the very first "House Line" for the 2010 election cycle, Chris Cilliza of the Washington Post rates the top ten seats he predicts most likely to switch parties in the U.S. House. Very early in this cycle, freshman Democrat Walt Minnick's 1st District seat comes in at' [...]
Nothing about this is fair but portions seem patently unfair.
A 14 year-old Homedale girl walks into a bedroom at the apartment of her sister's boyfriend in Marsing, spots a loaded .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun on a bag in the closet, brings it out to show her sister who believes that [...]
Gender identity won't be on trial this June in Twin Falls County but it is difficult for many to believe otherwise.
If you haven't been following the story of Nastaran, or legally Majid, Kolestani, a transgender Iranian refugee accused in the shooting death of the man with whom she shared [...]
Rexburg has a porn problem? Well, not this month anyway. May is anti-porn month in Rexburg. Who knew?
[...]David Ripley and Idaho Chooses Life, this is why sane people have a hard time taking you seriously:
We also know that [Congressman Walt] Minnick has taken money from abortion providers – the guys who actually earn a fortune whacking babies while they sleep in the womb – so his [...]
The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use.' There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a [...]
Drill, baby, drill? How about grow, baby, grow.
Marty Durlin writing at The Goat Blog asks if camelina is Montana's wonder crop and then provides plenty of reason to answer yes.
A new study -- funded by the camelina industry and conducted with jet fuel from seeds developed by a [...]
Matthew Shepard was a mother's son. Saying, "No mother should have to go through what I have," in the more than ten years since his horrific murder in Wyoming, Judy Shepard has been on a quest urging the U.S. Congress to strengthen federal hate-crimes legislation.
That quest [...]
Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives voted to expand current hate-crime laws, passing H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act. The measure passed on a 249 to 175 vote with just 18 [...]
Jared Hopkins of the Times-News reported the reaction Rep. Maxine Bell (R-Jerome) had to the thirty-five bills vetoed by Governor Otter this week as, in the waning days of the session, he attempted to bully the Legislature into passing a fuel tax increase to pay for road maintenance.
"One" [...]
Saving us from the "scourge" of stimulus. . . and more.
[...]Governor Butch Otter threw a hissy fit yesterday vetoing ten bills, sending a message to the Idaho Legislature, particularly the House, that he was not pleased that they failed to increase fuel taxes and other transportation fees to raise funds for road maintenance. Today, the hissy fit [...]
Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top;
it is the willpower that is the most important.
This willpower you cannot buy with money or be given by
others...it rises from your heart.
— Junko Tabei, 1975 after becoming
the first woman to climb Everest
James G. Wright, editor of the Times-News who two weeks ago spent an hour on "Zeb at the Ranch," feels that the comment made in that appearance and attributed to him in this post was taken out of context and his words misconstrued.
Anyone who stands up and takes a stand [...]
There's been a lot going on around here today—lots worth writing about—and maybe I'll get to it at some point, but for now, if you haven't already, read these:
Death of a Republican (Part I) Death of a Republican (Part II) [...]The news has been floating around for a few days and The Political Game breaks down the incredulity and incongruity surrounding it for us. Then from the Idaho Statesman, we get an explanation today.
Former Idaho "libertarian Republican" (his words) Senator Steve Symms (yeah, that Steve Symms), is [...]
Much as they'd like to make this about me, it's really not. It's about putting an end to bigoted language and the perpetuation of racial and other stereotypes, all of which I've heard more than a lifetime's worth, there, long before anyone at "Zeb at the [...]
By now you've heard about the tax day tea parties going on all around the country. If not, besides living in a cave burning buffalo dung [btw, excellent aromatherapy properties, I hear], you've probably been wondering why some of those around you are saying "teabagging" and snickering while [...]
Oh, boy... guess who's making Club For Growth news. Yeah, that Club For Growth—the club that became Bill Sali's bff in 2006, bankrolled his sashay into office as Idaho's Republican 1st District Congressman and then applauded every step of his silly polka while at the [...]
I've watched it at least a hundred times but I watched it again last night to get this line from my favorite movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, just right. Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) is talking to her slightly chauvinistic, but lovable husband Ed (Gailard Sartain) and says:
"Someone helped put a [...]
In case you hadn't heard, on April 3, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state's ban on same-sex marriages was unconstitutional. Citing as linchpins of the ruling, basic fairness and constitutional equal protection, the Des Moines Register reported this from the opinion:
"We are firmly convinced that the [...]
Sorry, I can't abide the negativity on "Zeb at the Ranch" today. In lieu of that, this:
Every once in awhile a special person will come along and put things in perspective. They'll say things that, when you analyze them, aren't really all that complex. They're just not stupid. [...]
Rally 1 p.m. Saturday at Boise City Hall to promote "eliminating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in matters of employment, housing, education, and public accommodations" and to protest the Idaho Legislature's refusal to amend the Idaho Human Rights Act to include these provisions.
Prominent Idahoans or agencies appearing on "Zeb at the Ranch" this week:
Senator Denton Darrington (R-Declo) — Tuesday 3.31.09 with Vaughn Killeen discussing law enforcement issues. Vaughn Killeen, Idaho Sheriff's Association Executive Director — Tuesday 3.31.09 with Sen. Darrington discussing law enforcement issues. Charlie Howell, Jerome County Commissioner [...]8:06 - Open Forum
Topics
President Obama gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod to familiarize her with technology; Zeb supposes that the Queen should have given Obama a copy of our constitution to familiarize him with it; thinks he needs a "refresher." Made caller Duane the secretary of "Zeb's Rebs" and in charge [...]You've probably noticed—maybe you've even read—that for the time being my faithful collaborator on all things Zeb Bell has taken a hiatus from monitoring "Zeb at the Ranch." At The Political Game, Tara was the first blogger to post the alert that something rotten was [...]
8:06 - Open Forum
Topics
Caller Al says Michelle Obama got off the plane wearing a tight yellow dress and she is getting "hippy." Zeb says, "To say the least," to guffaws from both. Zeb complains about the entourage that accompanied President Obama to the G-20 summit. Zeb doubts that anything good [...]Today "Zeb at the Ranch" listeners were treated to, what I'd like to say was, an amazing exchange between Zeb Bell and a caller named Tony. I'd like to say it was amazing, because it really was, but sadly, this sort of exchange is all too commonplace for this [...]
Listening
Thea Gilmore
"Crazy Love"
Reading
"Is a readiness to despise, to hate, and to condemn, the temper of a Christian? Can he, who passes sentence on the souls of men with more delight and triumph than the devil can execute it, have the impudence to pretend himself a disciple of One [...]
In nine months of listening to Zeb Bell's brand of radio-talk on "Zeb at the Ranch," I've heard some pretty incredible things, many of them this week, but none that has left me more confused than on Thursday.
This week, like on many other occasions, I've heard Zeb attempt to [...]
Prominent Idahoans and agencies appearing on "Zeb at the Ranch" this week:
Senator Denton Darrington (R-Declo) — Tuesday 3.24.09 with Megan Ronk discussing meth. Post here. Megan Ronk, Idaho Meth Project executive director — Tuesday 3.24.09 with Sen. Darrington discussing meth. Post here. Representative Bert Stevenson [...]8:06 a.m. - Open Forum
Topics:
Zeb said that he couldn't care less if anyone is offended by him saying "God bless you" at the conclusion of a phone call. He said that he's in the majority, the majority is supposed to rule and that he will "never bend to your sick, [...]“With them words, the states of this United States created
the federal government.”
Rep. Dick Harwood (R-St. Maries)
As reported at Eye on Boise, speaking in support of his state sovereignty resolution in the Idaho House of Representatives, Harwood also insisted that the United States is really a confederacy. "His [...]
[now including a portion of audio]
8:06 a.m. — Open Forum
Topics:
March Madness Zeb says, "'Even' Democrats are turning against Obama," and mentions a column by Maureen Dowd. Talks about the 60 Minutes interview last night and says that Obama was acting like a punch-drunk fighter the way he was giggling [...]"Every man is like the company he is wont to keep."
Euripides, Phoenix
Here are the prominent Idahoans or agencies appearing as guests on Zeb Bell's "Zeb at the Ranch" this week:
Norm Semanko, Idaho Republican Party Chairman and Idaho Water Users Association Executive Director - Monday 3.16.09, discussing [...]Live remote from Travelube Supply, Paul, Idaho
8:06 a.m. — Open Forum
Topics:
Obama is going to "weaken" on requiring veterans to use private insurance to cover service-related injuries. Phil Donahue appeared on Hannity last night. Zeb says Donahue is an avowed socialist and an appeaser. Core classes at UI are [...]Zeb Bell makes the Idaho Statesman letters to the editor this morning, alongside one from a familiar name, Carol Bachelder, for those who have been around a while. (Oh yeah, some interesting reading there.)
The topic of this group of letters: the human rights act. But. . . apparently [...]
[Editor's note: Because I know you just can't get enough "Zeb at the Ranch" and because I have complete disregard for these "crippled bloody stumps" I call fingers and because I'm obviously "on the dole" and have oodles of time, I'm going to try out something a little new today. [...]
Teaching Tolerance, dedicated to reducing prejudice and promoting tolerance, has a great publication called Speak Out! offering suggestions on how to respond to everyday bigotry.
Your brother routinely makes anti-Semitic comments. Your neighbor uses the N-word in casual conversation. Your co-worker ribs you about your Italian surname, asking [...]
The saga of Idaho Rep. John A. "Bert" Stevenson (R-Rupert) and the derogatory comments made toward gay people last month on Zeb Bell's "Zeb at the Ranch" radio show takes another twist. Today, Rep. Stevenson recounts a different view of Monday's meeting with leaders [...]
Bell's Bigots (Zeb Bell's phrase, not mine) are coming out of the woodwork and are showing just what they are capable of. Here's one attacking as a keyboard coward (another of Zeb's own phrases) a person willing to speak out, using her own name, about [...]
Well ... not really but here's to a friend who knows a little something about hell:
I keep eyes pointed in;
Hoping that, when the devil days of my hurt
Drag out to their last dregs and I resume
On such legs as are left me, in such heart
As I [...]
Seems others are wondering about this too.
According to Zeb Bell, he and Rep. Bert Stevenson (R-Rupert) had a three-hour meeting at Bell's home to discuss the recent controversy over a segment Stevenson did on Bell's talk show. As Bell tells it, this meeting took place on the same [...]
