Comments on: AARP Release Aims To Intimidate Legislators, Guv.

By: lisa

lisa — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:37:15 +0000

I’m no fan of AARP, but I’m wondering how this news release aims to “intimidate” legislators. In all fairness, they are saying, “We are the constituents who voted for you. Pay attention to our concerns.”

By: JIMV

JIMV — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:52:52 +0000

I am always amused when I read about someone ‘gutting’ education and then see the attack really resulted in less of a drop in the life style of the educators (where the money really goes) then I saw to my homes value over the last year…And my total property tax bill went up!

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 04:06:04 +0000

The closer the Boomers get to the final exit the more things will get interesting. And as a group we will dictate outcomes in future elections. Politicians can ignore us at their peril.

I’m on the front end of the Boomer Generation and I can honestly say I made every effort to vote in every election over the years. I’ve missed a few but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

You can’t play Rip Van Winkle and hand everything over to the elected politicians without a fair amount of debate and winnowing out of undesirables and just plain bad ideas. Voting is the only tool the average person has to let his voice be heard and is a Civic responsibility I do not take lightly.

People who don’t take the time to become informed voters take for granted all the blood, effort and treasure spent to protect our rights to vote. I view voting as a sacred right that a lot of people ignore.

By: dog

dog — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 04:14:55 +0000

Interesting that farmers still get massive subsidies while farm commodity prices are so high right now. Haven’t heard this part of the industrial welfare state bitching much, unless it is an industrial CAFO trying to loophole environmental laws.

By: Cyclops

Cyclops — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:39:25 +0000

Do you honestly believe that the republican dominated legislature sits in their “bunker” offices and ask “how can we best gut the education system”? The most important part of the equation is that we are, by more than one forecast,$350,000,000.00 short of paying the 2010 level of spending in 2011.
Unless you are willing to eat a 3%increase in sales tax, re-vamp the tax breaks that have been given, (good luck with the farmers), and throw out the current PERSI retirement system, then you simply need to be quiet! The next 90 days will be painful for everyone!!

By: Chris Mitchell

Chris Mitchell — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:32:53 +0000

There’s no school like the old school.

By: erico49

erico49 — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:24:42 +0000

Anne.. self interest can be defined narrowly (what will happen to my Social Security check or my car registration fees) or broadly (what are the long-term implications for the state or country of a particular policy). I don’t think anyone votes against their self interest.. they just view it differently. That said, older people, IMHO, tend to be incredibly selfish when it comes to public policy–looking only at short-term effects on their own pocket book. (and I am over 60).

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:16:04 +0000

This over-50 voted but few of those I voted were elected. Can’t understand why so many of all ages voted against their own best interests.

By: Rod in SE Boise

Rod in SE Boise — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:19:55 +0000

The press release mentioned only two issues – education and the “consience” law. Idaho voters voted overwhelmingly for ultra-conservative legislators who are determined to gut education funding and who find the “consience” law to be just fine as is.

Why then, did all these over 50 voters vote for guys who will legislate AGAINST their wishes??? Sounds like those tea party people who say: “Don’t touch my Medicare, but take that other guy’s Medicare away from him.”

By: Zippo

Zippo — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:08:26 +0000

One should not be able vote unless they have good credit? Hmmmm… help me out here how about a few other limitations intended to let only responsible voters vote. Very slippery slope, but I wonder what we can come up with………..