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!