Please join us at the following event:

This is a continuation of the tea party rally and to honor our veterans. Walk the freedom mile and/or attend the program.

WHO: All patriots who want to honor our veterans and become more involved in restoring our liberties.

WHEN: Monday May 25th

TIME: Assemble at the Veteran’s Memorial on Memorial Drive in Idaho Falls at 5:15 PM.

WHERE: Walk from the Veteran’s Memorial in Idaho Falls on Memorial drive at 5:30 PM. Bring posters, banners, signs, flags. A one mile walk from this location; turning west on Broadway; then turning south on Utah till we reach the rotary at Taylor’s Crossing; then turning east to the smaller rotary at Bridgeport and Riverwalk Drive ending at the grassy amphitheater.

PROGRAM: A 1 hr. Program starting at 6:15 pm. at Bridgeport and Riverwalk Drive, at Taylor’s Crossing will include veterans’ stories of inspiration, a presentation on the Christian/Biblical origins of the Constitution, what you can do to help save your freedom. Brings lawnchairs or blankets to sit on. There will be hot dogs, music and much, much more.

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Idaho Values Alliance

One of the ways unions empower themselves is by using payroll deductions from union members for political purposes.

The teachers’ unions, for example, use teacher union dues to relentlessly promote the pro-abortion and pro-homosexual agenda even though these agendas have nothing to do with education, and even though many union members oppose these agendas and resent the co-option of their hard earned income for such purposes.

In 2003, Idaho lawmakers enacted the Voluntary Contributions Act, which prohibits public-sector payroll deductions for union political activities. This in turn protects the freedom of public employees to make voluntary decisions about whether and where some portion of their income may be used for political purposes, and disentangles the government from involvement in partisan political activity of any kind.

Idaho unions, chief among them the teachers’ union, sued, upset that their customary control of member union dues was being usurped by liberty and freedom of choice. But today the Supreme Court told them they have no legal argument and upheld the constitutionality of Idaho’s law.

The Court correctly observed that, contrary to the unions’ complaints, Idaho’s law does not in any way deprive them of their First Amendment right to freedom of speech. But neither does the First Amendment, the Court observed, “impose an obligation on government to subsidize speech.”

The unions are “free to engage in such speech as they see fit. They simply are barred from enlisting the State in support of that endeavor.”

The ban is perfectly fair, and applies to all employees, whether their political sympathies are liberal or conservative. No point of view is either favored or disfavored by the law.

But unions, accustomed to using the payroll deduction process to pad their coffers for political purposes, complained. But the law simply levels the playing field, and today’s ruling should be celebrated by all who love freedom of choice. Today was a good day for Idaho at the U.S. Supreme Court.

And a good day to thank God for Supreme Court jurists such as John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia and Sam Alito who are strict constructionists and are guided in their deliberations by original intent rather than trendy political agendas.

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From Andi Elliott, President of the Humane Society of the Upper Valley

Finally, Mom had said “yes”. We could have a puppy! Saturday took forever to arrive and that morning we all climbed into the car and off we went to acquire a puppy.

Her name was Queenie…a tiny 6 week-old Shepherd mix. Queenie spent the weekend in the house with the family and we all had a great time playing with her. Dad spent Saturday building a doghouse. Sunday evening, Mom said we had to take Queenie out to the doghouse. Sadly, we carried the tiny puppy outside and fastened the chain to her collar.

I can’t remember how many weeks or months Queenie whined and cried to rejoin her family. We would go out and play with her but after awhile that lost its attraction. How much fun was it play with a dog when we weren’t allowed to unchain it?

We began leaving for college and on our home visits, I don’t remember any of us ever going out back to say “hi” to Queenie. Sometime after graduation, Dad told me during the course of casual conversation, that Queenie had died. I choked thinking back to that puppy on the chain and realizing that she had spent 14 years on that very same chain without anyone doing any more for her than giving her food and water once a day. I vowed that it would never happen to a pet of mine again. I often think of how Queenie would have much rather had one day of freedom than a lifetime of captivity.

So, just how cruel is it to condemn a dog to a life on a chain or in a pen? According to Idaho law, only food, shelter, water, and needed veterinary care are required and many of our county dogs don’t even receive this basic care.

Dogs are pack animals and to deprive them of this basic need is inhumane…it’s akin to solitary confinement for a human. Chained dogs are responsible for the deaths and mauling of hundreds of children as they become isolated and protective of their tiny space. There have been a couple of very sad cases in the news lately where children have been killed by tethered dogs.

And how many chained dogs don’t have adequate shelter and receive minimal food? Water in our climate freezes in a matter of hours during the winter. How many of us go out and offer them water 4 to 5 times day? How many hours would you want to go between drinks? That rug or blanket you put in the house froze solid way back in November and the poor animal must spent the remaining winter lying either outside exposed to the cold or huddled in a shivering ball trying to maintain body heat. Poor quality of food decreases their ability to even keep themselves warm and adds to their misery. Isn’t this just another form of torture?

And how about summer time? The heat is blistering and a doghouse in the sun is akin to an oven. Yet, how many chained dogs have no access to shade and fresh water? This is simply another form of torture…it’s animal cruelty.

Those of us in rescue are well aware that all across our nation is a movement to limit and prohibit the chaining of dogs. Our neighbor next door, Idaho Falls, is also stepping up to the plate and such a measure will be introduced to the City Council this month. I urge everyone who knows of a “Queenie” to attend and support this measure. Perhaps we can begin to institute measures in Jefferson County to prevent more “Queenies” . With enough concerned citizens, we can prevent this form of cruelty and improve the life of a lot of dogs. And, in doing so, prevent more children from being injured or even killed by a chained dog…a dog that is powerless to prevent this cruelty perpetuated upon him by his owner.

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Thanks to Andi Elliott, president of the Humane Society of the Upper Valley, charitable pet lovers in the area can help sponsor pets belonging to senior citizens, as well as special needs pets.

Many seniors are on fixed incomes and especially in difficult financial times may struggle to feed and care for their pets. In many cases, they have rescued these pets.

And some pets currently in foster homes have special health needs or circumstances that prevent them from being adopted. This stresses the resources of their foster “parents”.

Both situations can be addressed with tax-deductible donations to For the Love of Pets, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Humane Society of the Upper Valley.

Donations can be directed to the vet or distributed using vouchers for pet food, depending upon the need. Both one-time donations and monthly contributions are greatly appreciated. Visit the website for contact information.

Please consider financial support of this worthy cause!

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I’ve been resisting the urge to point out the nonsensical, though laughable, material printed in the Idaho Falls newspaper. However, this week the headlines and other articles have overwhelmed my self-restraint.

Take a headline in today’s edition, which I have cut and pasted directly from the online version:

Idaho county approves feedlot near interment camp

Following a cursory read, one might conclude that a cattle feeding operation had been given the green light near a – what IS an interment camp? Is it possible that we have a new Idaho colloquialism for cemetery? Idahoans are pretty informal, and they do love the great outdoors. They have girls’ camps, Scout camps, National Forest camps, fire camps, and state camps. But calling a cemetery an interment camp is a little much even for the locals.

I should read the article, you say?

Jerome County Commissioners in south-central Idaho have approved a massive animal feedlot a mile west of a national historic site where Japanese-Americans were confined during World War II.

Ah – now I understand. The newspaper really meant internment camp. Pity. “Interment camp” held far more interesting possibilities.

And Monday’s edition provided us with this insight to the craft of the chronicler:

Historian draws from life

I suppose this is news because most historians just make things up. I have long suspected as much, but thanks are due the Idaho Falls newspaper for clarifying that point. Now we know there’s at least one historian in the world who records events that actually happened – in “life”. And, he’s from Twin Falls, Idaho. At last!

Perhaps the most humorous Idaho Falls newspaper piece I’ve read lately came from the opinion page, and was authored by none other than Roger Plothow, editor and publisher, entitled,

If it’s not journalism, it’s not news

Mr. Plothow first illuminates what journalism is not. Apparently it’s not blogging which “makes no pretense of fairness, balance, accuracy or integrity”. It’s not television pundits such as Bill O’Reilly. It’s not news fresh from the police scanner. And it certainly isn’t anything called or texted in by the average citizen.

After denigrating (look that one up, Mr. Newspaper Guy) any and every one not on his own crack staff, Mr. Plothow tells us what real journalists do. He cites the “code” of the Society of Professional Journalists”:

A true journalist is “… seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.”

The argument can persuasively be made that the Idaho Falls newspaper frequently stumbles when seeking truth. However, the average reader is usually unaware of the extent of that failing, since even the mistakes and missteps that are corrected are found in small paragraphs hidden among massive ads on inner pages.

And the “fair” part? “Fair” is one adjective that is rarely used to describe the Idaho Falls newspaper. Take, for example, the hit job performed on the Boy Scouts with the never-ending parade of articles blaming the BSA for one man’s actions over a decade ago. Yes, that man should be brought to justice. Does it rate nearly daily reporting on the situation for 3-4 years? Probably not.

And yet Roger Plothow and his fellow newspaper people were thrilled to excess with the “journalistic” prizes they won with the original series. These “honors” were further illustration of just how far Plothow’s sense of excellence and fairness diverges from his readers’.

In fact, the circulation of the Idaho Falls newspaper appears to continue in decline, due, at least in part, to the aforementioned series. Many locals who threatened for years to cancel their subscriptions were finally pushed to follow through. Despite claims that online and print versions have never been more widely read, I believe the newspaper is in trouble. Be sure to read a previous post on this subject. And for your information, the Idaho Falls newspaper continues to fail to report their circulation to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, unlike the Boise Statesman and the Twin Falls Times-News. This begs the question: How DOES the Idaho Falls paper document circulation to their advertisers?

Now there is talk of eliminating completely the Monday print edition of the paper, while making it available online. That is not a proposal that comes from a thriving newspaper, especially one which has just invested substantially in new printing equipment. It is also rather strange for a newspaper which, as shown by a recent survey, is read mostly by those over 55 years of age, those least likely to have access to the internet. And, in my humble opinion, their website is in every way inferior to those of the 3 local television stations with whom they appear to be in direct competition.

But let us return to Mr. Plothow’s arrogant and “self-important” musings. Says he:

Good journalism needn’t be humorless or colorless…

By all indications, humor is still found on the pages of the Idaho Falls newspaper. And I don’t mean the comics.

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From the Office of Rep. Bill Sali

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Members of the House Natural Resources Committee walked out during a hearing today to protest the Majority party’s efforts to lock-up and further restrict energy resources in America at a critical time while also undermining the form of government instituted by the Founding Fathers.

Congressman Sali, a Member of the Committee, released the following statement:

“Americans are paying, on average, $4.06 a gallon at the pump. Energy costs across the board continue to rise, whether fuel to drive, gas to heat homes or electricity. And yet today Democrats undermined our Constitutional form of government in an effort to lock up more American energy sources.

“By using an antiquated and unconstitutional statute, the Democrats tried to seize extraordinary power elevating a single committee above the rest of Congress including the full House, the Senate and the President. Our form of government contemplates checks and balances essential to the American system. I will not stand by the Chairman’s attempt to make law by a majority vote of a single committee in the House of Representatives.

“The Resolution today brought up by Chairman Rahall (D-WV) directs the Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, to immediately withdraw, for three years, more than one million acres of federal land in Arizona. That land contains the highest-grade known uranium deposits in America, potentially holding upwards of 10 to 20 percent of America’s uranium reserves. The Democrat Majority seeks to legislatively withdraw these lands, by a vote, not of the House, Senate and signing by the president, but by the vote of 20 members of the House of Representatives,” said Sali.

This type of ‘legislative veto’ is clearly unconstitutional under the United States Supreme Court case, INS v. Chadha.

Sali continued, “Nuclear energy is already a source of clean power and holds great promise in meeting America’s energy needs for the future. Uranium can be mined safely, and can be turned into a clean and abundant source of energy. We need all the energy we can get from all the sources we can access, including nuclear power. We should not be locking up American energy resources especially using a process based solely on legislative fiat.”

This was not the only bill opposing American energy development moved by the Democrats today. The committee also moved Rep. Barney Frank’s (D-MA) H.R. 415, which designates Wild and Scenic Rivers status for a section of the Taunton River that flows through the middle of a highly developed area with a road, stop lights, street signs and all, literally on its banks. The measure would block a desperately needed gas pipeline in the New England area, which has some of the nation’s highest energy costs.

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A rare educational opportunity is coming to Idaho Falls. If you’re within driving distance, consider registering for a seminar on the US Constitution to be held Saturday, Jan. 12, at University Place in Idaho Falls. To register, visit the Title of Liberty website.

Earl Taylor, president of the National Center for Constitutional Studies will be the guest speaker. The seminar runs from 8am until 4:30pm, and the cost is $10 per person, or $30 per family, which includes an MP3 of Cleon Skousen’s “5000 Year Leap”. Bring a sack lunch, or order one for $5.

Download the seminar flyer here, or call 208.522.0108 and leave a message if you have questions. And bring the whole family!

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Here’s a little holiday project for the Idaho Falls newspaper (I would give their name if they offered anything of worth on their website). The news cycle is generally slow this time of year, especially when the decision has been made to ignore most of the national and international breaking news.

So this is the perfect time for the newspaper to come forward with some newly released information that can make the public safer, stir up considerable controversy (although it won’t skewer two of the paper’s favorite targets, the Boy Scouts or the Mormon church), and possibly earn them some coveted, though meaningless, journalism awards.

And this project could bring closure to a number of suffering victims who have been ignored for years, unlike those who have been brought forward for heroism awards.

The subject? A newly released, nationwide list of sanctioned teachers. A courageous Florida newspaper, the Herald Tribune, has posted a searchable database for the entire nation.

According to the Herald Tribune, “types of behavior that lead to sanctions may include serious misconduct or relatively minor issues, including contract disputes or failure to repay student loans”. However, there is little doubt there are a number of teachers on the list who have committed crimes, including sexual abuse of their students.

Should provide some busy work for a few cub reporters on slow days.

Whatever YOU do with the list, type in “ID” in the “state” field, to see the complete list for Idaho. And scan for familiar names.

As My Way/AP News reports, sexual abuse of children by teachers in public schools is rampant. (Warning: after reading the previously linked article, you may not send your children back to public school after the holidays.)

According to the AP investigation,

Most of the abuse never gets reported. Those cases reported often end with no action. Cases investigated sometimes can’t be proven, and many abusers have several victims.

The My Way article documents the fact that most abuse in schools goes unreported. In addition, teachers are usually believed instead of their victims.

And the problem is far greater than anyone is willing to admit.

We realize that past cases of local teacher/student sexual abuse have gotten bare mentions, if any, in the local news.

So come on, Idaho Falls newspaper. Take a quick look at the list of sanctioned educators from Idaho. Cross check it with police records (the wife of one of your employees apparently has plenty of experience reading court documents.) Publish an expose’ of those on the list still teaching in our public schools.

Flush them out, make them run, force them into retirement. Time to step up and do your part. Make our world a little safer for children. It’s your civic duty.

But once again, I won’t be holding my breath.

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Rewind to fall, 2005. Candidate Jared Fuhriman is running for mayor of the City of Idaho Falls.

“Everywhere I meet people, they tell me Idaho Falls property taxes are too high,” said Mr. Fuhriman.

Fast forward to December 2007. Now-Mayor Fuhriman, in a joint press conference with Robb Chiles, president of the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, announces it’s time to consider building an events center in the city.

The Idaho Falls newspaper correctly recaps the fate of previous attempts to build large community projects. In 1999, Bonneville County residents voted down a 5% motel tax to build an events center.

In 2003, a grandiose new city recreation center was proposed and heavily lobbied for by then-Mayor Linda Milam and buddy, City Councilwoman Ida Hardcastle. The new center would have been built with property taxes, but garnered only 20% of the vote.

But now it’s December, 2007, and it should come as no surprise that Fuhriman, a sidekick of Hardcastle, is resurrecting the events center plan.

He admits it’s going to be an uphill battle: before Economic Research Associates (ERA) will even conduct a feasibility study, $50,000 must be raised to hire them.

(Might Fuhriman even suggest to the city council that taxpayer money be used for the study? Stay tuned.)

Among issues ERA will consider is how to fund such a center.

Since a motel tax and increased property tax have already been nixed by voters in recent years, appeals will probably be made to the Idaho Legislature to allow local options sales tax. This is an idea that fails year after year in legislative votes.

No matter how you look at it, taxpayers come out the losers – unless you can somehow monetize that wonderful but nebulous “feeling of pride in our community” that will no doubt be touted at the biggest reason for citizen support.

Once again, Mayor Fuhriman demonstrates his lack of principle. Though he cozied up to the local Republican Party just before elections to increase his chances of becoming mayor, he repeatedly abandons party planks, including a belief in reducing taxes and shrinking government.

Don’t get me wrong – as any citizen of Idaho Falls can tell you, Jared Fuhriman is a nice guy. He’ll smile at you and shake your hand, and encourage you to support the Boy Scouts.

But that doesn’t qualify him to serve as mayor.

Fuhriman doesn’t have a clue.

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It is fascinating to watch emerging signs that the Idaho Falls newspaper is floundering more than ever. Three such signs have surfaced in the past few days.

Subscribers to the paper have noticed an annoying addition to the front page. Brightly colored stickers advertising various businesses have been placed near the top edge of the front page, actually obscuring the name of the paper. Apparently business names are more important than the identity of the newspaper. (Or is it that the revenue thus generated supersedes the mortification of it all?)

Next, the newspaper billing process has gone from a postcard, to a full sheet enclosed in an envelope with a return envelope – to a postcard. Trimming expenses seems to be a top priority for these folks. The postcard gives the subscriber far fewer options, such as including a tip for the paper carrier, or contributing to the ill-conceived Newspaper in Education program (which traps gullible individuals into buying newspapers for classrooms, a ploy which at least ups newspaper circulation numbers).

And speaking of circulation numbers, apparently the powers that be at the Idaho Falls newspaper have somehow failed to report their numbers to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, or ABC, a well-known and trusted tracker of newspaper numbers. This is at least the second 6-month period in which the Idaho Falls newspaper has skipped this important task.

Remember that newspapers base advertising rates on their circulation numbers. What does this lapse actually tell advertisers?

Having just built new printing facilities (which event has been used to excuse everything from smaller papers to faulty color printing), one can only suppose the newspaper is feeling the financial pinch.

But it is not a surprise to observers that the paper seems to be experiencing shrinking revenues and shrinking subscriptions. Subscribers have been leaving in droves as a (sometimes) silent protest to blatant bias and poor reporting.

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