Resolutions Passed, March 17th, BCRCC Meeting

The following resolutions passed at the March 17th, BCRCC meeting.

Lisa Keller, BCRCC 2nd Vice Chair and Chairman, Nominating and Rules Committee.

Resolution Amending Bylaws


NOW THEREFORE be it RESOLVED, that the bylaws of the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee be, and the same are hereby amended as follows:

1. ARTICLE III, SECTION 6:, Subsection 3. "Republican Office Holders and Elected Officials", number 1. shall be deleted and replaced with the following language:

1. In the event they are not already PCOs, and so long as they are residents of Bonneville County, Republican office holders (including all elected county officials, state legislators, state constitutional officers and federal legislators) shall be honorary members of the Bonneville County Republican Central committee, with the right to attend meetings of said committee and to express opinions and comments and offer advice on all matters considered at such meetings, but shall not be entitled to offer motions or to vote.

2. ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2: "Extended voting rights", shall be amended by deleting all of the language under number 7. regarding "Elected Republican Office Holders", and renumbering the following subsection, now number 8., by replacing such number 8 with the number 7.






Tim Urling, BCRCC 3rd Vice Chair and Chairman, Issues and Legislative Advisory Committee


Resolution Opposing Tax Money to Subsidized the Idaho Falls Events Center


WHEREAS, it is anathema to the Proper Role of Government to use public money to subsidize a business entity and compete in the free market system, and

WHEREAS, increasing taxes to provide entertainment makes government bigger and diminishes freedom, and
WHEREAS, the proposed Idaho Falls events center will use tax dollars for its construction, and maintenance,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BONNEVILLE COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO hereby opposes a tax-supported Idaho Falls events center.




Bonneville County Resolution Vote of Disappointment in Senators Davis and Hill, and Attorney General Wasden


WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment defines the entire scope of federal power as that specifically authorized by the Constitution of the United States, which does not include health care; and


WHEREAS, Nullification is historical, moral and Constitutional; and


WHEREAS, Many Constitutional Scholars have indicated the Constitutionality of Nullification, including Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison; and


WHEREAS, the Idaho State Republican Convention passed, with a super majority, a resolution, supporting State Rights and Nullification ; and


WHEREAS, the Bonneville County Republican Party passed, with a super majority, a resolution supporting State Rights and Nullification; and


WHEREAS, the Idaho State House of Representatives passed, with a super majority HB 117; and


WHEREAS, Governor Butch Otter strongly supports State Rights and Nullification and indicated he would sign HB 117; and


WHEREAS, HB 117 regarding State Rights and Nullification was killed in committee thus preventing debate and a vote of the full senate;


NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BONNEVILLE COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ISSUES A LETTER OF DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE KILLING OF HB 117 REGARDING STATE RIGHTS AND NULLIFICATION AND RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS SENATORS BART DAVIS AND BRENT HILL AS WELL AS ATTORNEY GENERAL LAWRENCE WASDEN RECONSIDER THEIR POSITIONS ON LEGISLATION REGARDING STATE RIGHTS AND NULLIFICATION.

House Highlights 3/16/2011

House Highlights
By Tom Loertscher

Sometimes in life things seem to come full circle. I've seen the Legislature respond to problems and put solutions in place only to find out later that the changes made either haven't worked or have created new problems. So in an effort to fix those things we tend to go right back to where we started.

A case in point is the reworking of the Medicaid law. Over the years the Legislature has put things in place to make it plain how programs would be reimbursed, how certain populations would be eligible for the programs, and other provisions that have sprung out of years of confusing rule-making by the Department of Health and Welfare. There were, of course, good reasons for having done that but one of those reasons was not necessarily to save money.

On Tuesday afternoon we had a very large group of people assemble outside the auditorium where there was a joint House and Senate Health and Welfare Committee having a hearing about proposed cuts to Medicaid. It was one of those marathon meetings of which I have attended many. Out of that meeting and in conjunction with negotiations that were taking place behind the scenes, many changes were put into the legislation. On Thursday, one of those things that most folks say is difficult to observe (and some folks say is dangerous) was the writing of legislation by committee. The outcome takes us full circle putting us in exactly the same place we were several years ago. Most of the changes allow the department to make changes by rule rather than having it done by statute.

What was even more interesting about this process was that most people who are concerned with the cuts seem to be pleased with what was done. One of the areas most carefully considered was how the trimming of Medicaid will affect the developmentally disabled. Most around the table thought that we had at least addressed the majority of the concerns. Time will tell.

By now I'm sure that you've heard about House Bill 222 which would allow for concealed carry permitted individuals to carry weapons on college campuses. The discussion on that bill spilled over into two days, which is something I had not anticipated. The bill was sent to the floor of the house for further discussion and that too will be a lively one on the house floor. One of the issues that came up in the committee, was just how many law-abiding permit holders already take weapons onto campuses not knowing there are policies in place from the Universities that would prevent them from doing so. Even more alarming is that those folks who do not have concealed weapons permits are also carrying weapons on the campuses. It will be interesting to see how the vote comes out in the house.

We are moving full steam ahead at this point with several budget bills on the agenda for the coming week. The challenge now is to consider all of the house legislation and get it sent to the Senate and then getting all those Senate bills passed (or not) so that we can go home. In the western part of the state the ground is bare which is nowhere near what it looks like in our part of the world. I was commenting to Linda over the weekend that it seems like the weather has tipped over just a bit and that spring just might get here soon. Hold that thought, it's still freezing every night and the ground is covered with snow.

House Highlights 3/2/11

House Highlights
By Tom Loertscher

I'll bet you've seen the posters around some businesses that come from a website called despair.com. I've rather enjoyed some of the sayings over the years and one that I ran across this last week has to do with what is happening right now in the legislature. The one I am talking about is a picture of a tornado and the title of it is Change. It goes like this. "When the winds of change blow hard enough, the most trivial of things can turn into deadly projectiles." What we are experiencing here with the debate on education is certainly not trivial, but as we know the little details of things seem to become projectiles at some time or other.

We as human beings tend to resist change with everything we have. It may be just because we have some fear of the unknown or that we just have a hard time getting our arms around a new concept. There is a lot of resistance around this place mostly from outside, from various groups that hate to see change occur in the way we educate students. I suppose I'm one of those who likes to be an innovator and I can't blame Superintendent Luna for trying to bring about change. New methods are worth exploring and if all of the dire reports about how we are doing in education in Idaho have any validity, we definitely do need to do something. I'm just not sure that this plan is the something we need to do. Everywhere I went over the weekend I was asked about the "Luna" plan.

At the first of the week we had the young 4-H kids from our area come for the annual Know Your Government conference. It was a pleasure to sit with kids from our area and one of the first things they asked about was the new plan for education. I turned the tables on them and asked what they thought of Superintendent Luna's program. To a person they said that they didn't like the idea and had some concrete reasons why they didn't think it was good. I told him that I thought they were very fortunate to live in the times they do, when they have access to so much information and the ability to learn so much from the resources they have. I asked them if they would be willing to help in the design of the next generation of learning in the classroom. They indicated a willingness to do so. I am impressed with the quality of kids that we have and that they are able to figure out ways of doing things that we in the older generation haven’t dreamed of.

There is one thing that I know for sure and that is that I do not have all the answers. What I would like to see us do at this point is to take a deep breath, step back and try to get buy-in over this next year into programs that teachers, administrators, students, and parents can help implement. I really think that's the only way that education reform can happen with any degree of success.

Several years ago while meeting with teachers, I told them that I would be willing to meet with them anytime to discuss education and some of the problems that they face. That invitation is still extended. All good ideas take time to develop and to implement correctly. We mandate too much from the legislature, demanding things that do not improve education that just cost money. We need to stop mandating and this is the right year to start.

House Highlights 2/23/11

House Highlights
By Tom Loertscher

While I was growing up, it used to drive me crazy to hear some of the older generation talk about how good things used to be in days gone by. It must be my age, but I catch myself looking back to times that seemed to be less complicated. It reminds me a bit of when the phone line was put into Bone. I could tell that the contractor who was laying the cable came from a small town where there was little traffic. Whenever he would stop to check on his employees, he would stop right in the middle of the road with no thought of the heavy traffic that was going by. Since then I have often envied someone who could deal with things in a simple manner.

That doesn't seem to be the way things are going around the Statehouse these days. The issues seem to be getting tougher and the hearings in the committees are longer and more complicated. Again this week it was necessary in the House State Affairs Committee to continue a hearing for a second day. The issues were concerning union activities and after a long discussion the two bills were sent to the House floor. My hat is off to the good people of Idaho who have been coming to these committee meetings these last weeks in a calm yet passionate manner.

Being busy around this place is a very large understatement. The other day I was trying to catch up on answering some of my e-mail. It seemed like for each one I opened and read and answered two more would pop up on my screen. Floor debate on two bills, one that has been called nullification, and the other having to do with peace officers and Indian tribes each took a full day. The first bill passed the House (I voted yes) and the second failed to pass (I voted no).

There is an old saying, "May you live in interesting times," that was once thought to be a blessing but actually was given as a curse attributable to the Chinese. I can't help but think that it does apply to us one way or the other depending on your point of view. We definitely do live in interesting times, and I can't help but think after seeing some of the things that have happened over the weekend in other parts of the country, that we are fortunate once again to live in Idaho. While we are definitely having our own budget crisis this year, it is not nearly the magnitude it is in other states. I think a lot of legislators are looking for a magic bullet, but there is nothing on the horizon that looks magical at all. As my mother used to say, "The only way out of this, is through it."

The budget committee hearings are pretty much at an end and that means that once a budget number is reached that the budgets will soon be set by the committee. If all goes well, and no one knows if it will, it gives the signal that there is about a month left for the work of the legislature this year. So keep your fingers crossed. I know I will.

House Highlights 2/15/11

House Highlights
By Tom Loertscher

It's what I call the extension cord dilemma. I think you know what I mean when you throw an extension cord in the back of your pickup, the next time you take it out it is in such a tangle that it takes you half an hour to get it straightened out. There is no way on earth that you could ever tangle a cord up that badly if you did it on purpose. That is sort of what happened around the halls the legislature this last week.

How could it be possible for three committees of the legislature to schedule what will probably go down in at least recent history, as the three largest hearings ever to take place at the capital. I can assure you that it was not orchestrated by any of the committee chairs. The House State Affairs Committee hearing on what has been called the nullification bill lasted for two days, Wednesday and Thursday. The House Judiciary and Rules Committee had a very long hearing Wednesday afternoon that dealt with law enforcement on tribal lands. Also, as you may have heard, on three consecutive days the Senate Education Committee had very long days of hearings on Superintendent Luna's education reform bills. All in all it proved to be quite a week.

You may be curious as to what my thinking is on House Bill 117 which is the bill that directs our state agencies not to further implement the Affordable Health Care Act. During the last session of the legislature we authorized and directed our Attorney General to file suit in an effort to have the national health care bill declared unconstitutional. Our suit was consolidated with that of twenty-five other states and the case was tried in the state of Florida. With the ruling on our case that declared the law to be unconstitutional, it only makes sense that we should not move forward in implementing it. I think if we moved ahead with implementing the law that we could very well be in contempt of court. At least it seems like it is not reasonable to continue with implementation when the very judge we asked to make the decision told us that we were right, that it is unconstitutional to require every citizen to buy a certain product. House Bill 117 merely says that we are going to follow the judge's order. We expect floor debate in the House early in the week.

The volume of e-mail coming on education reform has been astonishing. There has been so much going on this past week that it has been impossible to keep up. On top of the two mornings of very long hearings, the afternoon committees have kept me busy as well. I can't remember a session where there has been so much to do all at once. In talking with some of my colleagues they are finding that the same is true for them.

This education legislation is turning out to be one of the more interesting issues I've ever seen around this place. The three days of hearings have convinced the sponsors that there are some changes that need to be made. I am thinking that we should be careful and as always the devil is in the details. I don't think there is a way that I can support mandatory online classes for kids. I think there's a better way to accomplish what we're trying to do in modernizing education in Idaho. Further I think that there has to be buy-in from all concerned, kids, parents, and teachers. No matter what we do in the legislature, if there is no buy-in, the program will face tough sledding. I am also concerned that the more regulating we do in the capital, the less innovation there is in the classroom. Stay tuned for the changes. There are likely to be a bunch.

House Highlights 2/7/11

House Highlights

by Tom Loertscher

The other night I decided it was time get a haircut. As it usually happens a conversation breaks out between the haircutter and the client. Noticing that I was from out of town, she asked where I was from. I told her that I was from Eastern Idaho and she told me that she had never been east of Pocatello. She then asked me what brought me to Boise. I said, "Oh, I am one of those people that you may love to hate." She then asked, "Are you a senator?"

The preliminary revenue numbers for January are in and they indicate that we are up slightly from our projection at the end of last session. Even though that is the case there are still some fairly large holes in our budget. The budget still seems to dominate our conversation. The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee is seeking input from the various committees about the department budgets. It's interesting that even during these tight economic times some of the departments continue to ask for increases and new line
items in their budgets. To the governor's credit he has eliminated most of those line items in his budget request to the legislature.

There have been a couple of controversial bills introduced in the State Affairs Committee. One is known as the Nullification Bill and the other is the Telecommunications Bill. We are anticipating a very large crowd to come on Wednesday for the Nullification Bill and are making preparations for the hearing to be held in the auditorium on the Senate side of the capital. Some are concerned that our taking action of this kind, especially after our court case about national health care legislation was declared to be completely unconstitutional, could be detrimental to our case. And as usual we are hearing from attorneys on both sides of this issue, one of them being the state Attorney General. It will be extremely interesting to see what the hearing provides in the way of good solid information for the committee.

As for telecommunications, that is a very long ongoing discussion that has been going on for several years between the various telecom companies and the cities. Some of the companies want us to change the law so that there is a statewide franchising system which would only require them to have to negotiate one contract for the whole state. As you can imagine our e-mail boxes have been filling up with comments from several of the cities. I think the members of the committee are taking a wait and see approach to see if some of the differences can be ironed out between the various parties concerned.

It seems that around here, as it is down on the farm, that sometimes the simple stuff is overlooked on the way to the solution to problems. The heater in the Suburban went on the blink and that was my weekend project. We tried everything, replacing the controls, tearing out the dash and checking the fan motor, checking all electrical connections and checking all the relays. It turned out to be a simple ground wire fault. Something so simple but so time consuming to solve. This may not be exactly how it works around here, but I have to think that there might be simpler solutions to solve our budget woes this year. Maybe this is just another one of those things that we love to hate.

Students Come First: Call for Civil Discourse

Call for Civil Discourse

Governor Otter and Superintendent Luna spoke out today about recent incidents of hostility and vandalism over the Students Come First plan. Governor Otter told media, “The Idaho way is to have good robust debate. The Idaho way is for us to exchange in our ideas and do that in a civil way. And I would hope that as we continue addressing not only this issue but some other tough issues that are coming at us because of our budgetary restraints, that we would offer then the Idaho way in addressing all of those budgetary issues.”

“The Governor and I have put forth a plan that is based on the fact that we are in an economic crisis, now going into its third year. We recognize that if we want to preserve the kind of education system that our state constitution requires us to have, there must be changes. We must change the way we spend what we currently have. That’s uncomfortable for some people, and I understand that. I understand that if can drive passion, but there are limits. We have a certain way of doing things in Idaho, and you do not cross that line,” Luna said. “I join the Governor in saying, not just for myself or the Governor and his family, but for all senators and representatives, that you can come to us and have civil discourse with us about issues, but family and personal property are off limits.“

Over the weekend, a teacher went to Superintendent Luna’s mother’s home with the intent to harass. Superintendent Luna happened to be there and spoke with the man. This morning, the Superintendent’s truck was spray painted and his tires were slashed. Hours later, he was confronted by a man at a local coffee house after doing an interview for a morning television show.

Additionally, social media postings have listed legislator’s home addresses and phone numbers urging people to leave notes for these legislator’s neighbors asking them to voice their opposition to the Students Come First plan.