New Campaign for Governor Blog...

Please follow the Campaign at http://janakemp.wordpress.com

Also visit our homepage: www.VoteKemp.com

Education is Seed Corn

Idaho's Governor Otter is fond of using agricultural metaphors, so here's one: Education is Seed Corn. When education is reduced it is the equivalent of eating your seed corn.

To Govern is to Set Limits

A month later, I'm still marveling at the drive to have gorvernment solve all problems. To govern is to set limits, NOT to be all things to all people.

To Govern

Much lip-service is being paid here at the start of 2009 to discussing "the role of government." However, I'm not seeing action around revisiting Federal and State Constitutions in order to define just what government IS and IS NOT committed to doing. NOW is the time, these are the elected officials, WE are the citizens who must hold them accountable!

Ultimately, government can not be all things to all people; can not be the largest employer in a state's or nation's "free-market/capiltalistic" economy; and can not provide all care for all citizens. Now is the time to pare back and/or eliminate those services government has taken on that can be and are also being addressed by private and non-profit sectors. People on the ground locally know best who needs what and tax dollars with strings and compliance issues do not serve local human needs best; thus far in U.S. history these dollars have only appeared to create generations of dependency and ongoing poverty.

Stay tuned for blogs on what responsibilities are mandated at various levels -
Federally:
State levels:
County and City levels:

Don't Delay the Digital Conversion

Companies and consumers have known for YEARS that the February 2009 conversion was coming. Coupons were available for consumers to buy conversion boxes. SO, why the congressional desire for delay of the conversion? WHOM will benefit from the delay? Only the very people who have known for years that the change was coming. By delaying the conversion, once AGAIN congress rewards those who have made poor business decisions. ENOUGH already with the rewards that the rest of us are paying for and never seeing any benefit from!

Preventing High School Drop Outs Summit

Friday, January 30, 2009 - Nampa, Idaho: More than 300 people attended the Prevention Summit. Here are some of the notes...

With all of the resources available, why are so many still falling through the cracks and dropping out? Answers given by teens: "Teachers who put me down. Parents not present. Parents not caring. Administrators who put me down."

Business and Adult answer: Relevance and Rigor is needed in schools of the 21st Century. My commentary on this is that every child in every classroom can not experience relevance and rigor when every child is in every classroom. NEW models are needed for organizing students and presenting curriculum that meets student needs.

NEW attitudes toward the importance of education are needed. Starting with "Education is a part of our National Defense" say I, Jana Kemp. Greg Mortenson author of "Three Cups of Tea" essentially says that education is the key to ending wars and preventing terrorism - so my stretch is not a big one.

Also consider - Idaho's constitution requires the State to provide education for students!

School size matters - the bigger the class and the bigger the school building, the less valued students feel, the less they are able to learn.

Department of Corrections shared note-worthy statistics such as one-half of non-graduating high school students end up in prison in Idaho. Improved education is one of the answers for addressing prison population growth!

Rep. Ken Roberts at Rotary

Today at the Rotary Club of Boise, Representative and House Majority Caucus Leader Ken Roberts spoke. Beyond the obvious budget challenges and legislative commentary, Roberts offered a great turn of phrase about the United States needing to NOT be dependent

Focus Idaho on Premier Nursing Training

2008-2009 has seen much coverage of the "build a medical school in Idaho" discussion. Idaho does not have the funds, nor the time required to take on such a project. Better: more seats with our existing medical training partners! Better: focus on what Idaho public and private institutions of higher educations are doing well - Nurse's Training! Idaho has the facilities and with a smaller investment can expand the capacity of the training programs in order to become the Premier Nursing Program provider of nurses in the Northwest. Idaho needs to put its money where it can achieve the greatest good in both the short-term and the long-term.

Tough Economy - Perfect Cover

The 2009 Idaho Legislative Session reminds me of the December 2008 County Commissioner comment "tough economic times are the perfect cover for making tough budget decisions." And tough decisions are certainly on the Idaho discussion table.

The startling news is that the FUTURE of Idaho seems being slashed in the budget-saving searches. Cutting education, higher education, and economic development tools is a short-term financial approach that will have decades-long and for students - life-time long - negative impacts.

"Penny-wise and pound-foolish" or "stepping over a dollar to save a nickel" is NOT in the best interest of Idaho.

Energy Summit Summary

January 2009, Boise, Idaho - The Pacific Northwest Energy Summit held here a few weeks ago presented interesting developments in the field of energy alternatives and research. Most notable - who knew fuel grade oil can be developed from algae! Most disheartening to me (born in 1965) is that it appears people have been working on and complaining about energy-dependence for more than 30 years and that we citizens have very little to turn to as a result of the last 30 years. Anyone have a different take on this - and who can provide examples of how we are in fact in a better place today -

What Does it Mean to Govern?

The word Govern seems lost on our elected officials who continue to enlarge the scope of government rather that doing what the root-word "govern" means. To govern does not mean to do all things for all people. To govern means to provide a parameter in which people can pursue their constitutional rights without causing too great of harm to themselves or others. If only elected officials would collectively revisit their charge to "govern" - we'd have less laws, less wasteful and deficit spending, and less intervention in daily life.

Russian Professor Thinks US will Divide

A late December 2008 issue of The Wall Street Journal ran a cover story about Igor Panarin, a Russian Professor, predicting the end of the United States and how other countries will take ownership of various regions.

Countering this - I say it won't happen. As fractured as American's may become, the case for staying unified appears stronger than ever from the standpoint of global negotiations. While fracturing and divisiveness seems in the best interests of the political machines, it is not in our collective best interest and the general citizenery of America understands this.

Americans will prevail therefore America will prevail!