To their credit, the leadership of the Idaho House of Representatives has spoken out with their own review of the 2007 Legislature.

In a guest editorial printed by the Idaho Falls newspaper, Speaker Lawerence Denney, Majority Leader Mike Moyle, Asst. Majority Leader Scott Bedke and Majority Caucus Chair Ken Roberts observed:

If you judge a legislative session by the standards most Idahoans seem to favor, the 2007 session has to rank among the best in Idaho’s history. [ ] Democrats and some editorial writers use a different yardstick. Their idea of a “good” session is one that creates massive new programs, imposes more regulations and calls for higher taxes. If those are the ingredients of a “good” session, then we want no part of it.

Indeed, there have been many moderates and liberals including a fair helping of RINO’s, who found the 2007 session disappointing. And of course, their whining has been given considerable media coverage.

It was about time for the House leadership to respond.

Among other points, they remind Idaho voters that during this session an increased higher-education budget was approved, along with most-ever scholarship money. Incentives for community colleges were passed. And in answer to critics who claim education has been getting a shrinking portion of the budget pie, increases for education outstripped those for Medicaid for the first time in 20 years.

Increased treatment for mental health problems and substance abuse were approved, and Idaho’s nursing shortage was addressed.

And to top it all off, significant additions were made to various “rainy day” funds, or emergency savings accounts.

I do applaud the House leadership for this great expose’ of what really happened in the 2007 Legislative session. But this is not nearly enough. Their critics, including former RINO Governor Phil Batt, have already gotten extensive coverage with their negative, statist reviews, expressing pathetic disappointment in the new House leadership. And Lawerence Denney, et al, have only gotten off one volley.

If he’s serious about making lasting changes in the Idaho House, Denney must continue to flood the media with reminders of their successes, giving updates as appropriate, and detailing future plans. It would be wise for him to mention other influential conservative legislators by name, like Lenore Barrett, JoAn Wood, Bob Nonini and Tom Loertscher. They need some support when liberal rags continually take their names in vain and splash their photos over the editorial pages like “wanted posters.”

Yes, Speaker Denney, this guest editorial represents a great beginning, but it’s only that – a beginning. The task is not complete. If you hope to make a real difference, you must keep up the onslaught.

Because you can bet the likes of Marty Trillhaase, Phil Batt, Bob Ring, and the newspapers and broadcast media who love to aid and abet them, have only just begun with you.

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