Politics
Guardian Upbeat Views From Vietnam
THIS POST WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES REFLECTING ON A JANUARY TRIP TO VIETNAM BY GUARDIAN EDITOR DAVID R. FRAZIER. TIME HAS A WAY OF PUTTING EVENTS INTO PERSPECTIVE. Four decades have passed since the GUARDIAN sat in Saigon in 1967 watching the tracer rounds, rockets, and flares pass overhead while listening to […]
Does Butch Really Get $4500 For House Rent?
A reader sent us a message suggesting Guv Butch might want to rethink his housing allowance–which was reported by the reader to be $4500 a month. We don’t know if he actually gets that much for not living in his former father-in-law’s hilltop Guv Mansion, opting for the personal property along the river near Star. […]
Inauguration or Coronation? Will Obama Succeed?
Much of the world is rooting for our new President and if the scenes from the Capitol Mall are any indication, there is certainly a new enthusiasm for American unity. Does it carry forth to Idaho? The GUARDIAN notes the BBC was particularly effusive in its coverage of the ceremony, with a decidedly racial slant […]
New Voice Sounding Like A GROWTHOPHOBE
Here is a nicely written piece BY JEAN McNEIL, a Boise Freelancer, which also appeared in the Daily Paper. It is published with her permission. When I moved to Boise 30 years ago, I called it a 10-minute town – you could get from almost anywhere to almost anywhere else in 10 minutes or less. […]
City Job In Future For Ada Commish?
A couple of cynical GUARDIAN readers sent us a message today noting the City of Boise is advertising in the Sunday Daily Paper for an Environmental Director at the Public Works Department with a salary starting at $72,000 on the low range. They predict TEAM DAVE has created the position to take care of Ada […]
Detox Deal Done, Despite Dollar Drain
There is no doubt about the need for a detox center in Boise so the coppers can take people someplace besides the Emergency Room or the slammer to sober up. There was a lot of fanfare about an agreement and possible 2010 opening for a joint city, county, state facility known as “Substance Abuse and […]
End Of Year GUARDIAN Review
Believe it or not the GUARDIAN has been on line going on four years. As the year winds down we want to offer a refresher course in the “theme” we use to offer that different SLANT on the news. –We take credit for creating the words “GROWTHOPHOBE” and GROWTHOPHILE.” No better confirmation for our claim […]
The Real Dirt On Clean Air
For growthophobes there may be a silver lining in that yellow cloud of pollution hanging over the Treasure Valley. Without reductions in current levels of existing pollution, new businesses won’t be able to locate here and dump their vile concoctions into the air. During a recent speech, the Idaho DEQ air quality czar said if […]
Idaho Near Top In Lack Of Gov’t Integrity
Idaho made it on another National List recently, placing near the top of the “Lack of Integrity In Government” survey. Probably won’t see any press releases from Team Dave, the Commishes, or Guv. Butch’s spinmeisters on that one. THE SURVEY by the Chicago-based Better Government Association examined open records laws, open meeting laws, whistle-blower laws, […]
Politicos Stop Competition For Motive Power
Boise choo choo train maker Motive Power will have the bid for locomotives in Boston all to itself thanks to a ruling by the Federal Transit Authority Friday. Apparently the agency bowed to political pressure from Idaho politicos if a press release is accurate. The FTA has agreed to reject the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority […]
Obama Prompts Idaho Free Speech Movement
The election of Barack Obama has prompted a free speech movement among the Red State residents of Idaho. Elementary school children on a school bus in Madison County caused a stir among some parents when they chanted “Assassinate Obama! assinate Obama!” School officials, alerted by at least one concerned parent, sent memos to teachers advising […]
Trucks Ride Free On ACHD Roads
After receiving several comments about the ballot language on the Ada County Highway District fee hike for auto registrations, we revisited the issue and learned some disturbing, but not surprising facts. About 16,500 trucks weighing over 8,000 pounds get a FREE RIDE on county roads. Meanwhile owners of 279, 454 passenger car owners have to […]
Were Ada County Races An Anomoly?
A couple of Ada County races frankly surprised the GUARDIAN. It would be fair to say the old Republican machine is still running despite the national landslide for the Obama presidency. Sharon Ullman upset Commish Paul Woods with a solid 52% to 48% of the vote. Woods even had the support of former commish and […]
Ada Elections By The Numbers
When you see the talking TV heads spouting numbers and trends during election coverage, some of it will have come from the Ada County spinmeister shop. If you want to check local results at the same speed the media folks do it, here is an ELECTION RESULTS link. Absentee votes–and there are a bunch of […]
Virtual Racing Nothing More Than Video Slots
When we saw the story in the Daily Paper about “virtual horse racing” it looked like just more of the remote video races from other locations. Turns out it is nothing more than video slots–like video poker, blackjack. By all accounts Guv Butch Otter is in favor of the gambling scheme put forth by Capitol […]
Politician Against Political Road Signs
The following is a political post by Rod Beck, ACHD candidate. The GUARDIAN offers space to any candidate wishing to express their views. By ROD BECK There are many issues to talk about regarding the Ada County Highway District Commissioner contests, from funding sources, to increasing the auto registration fees, interaction with other local governments, […]
It’s HOW You Say It That Impresses
With the current endless allegations and counter allegations raging in the political media these days, we thought it appropriate to share the GUARDIAN’s latest exploits. Many locals are unaware that editor Dave went to Harvard, but didn’t graduate. Few note that he once worked on Broadway in New York. And only 10 days ago two […]
Taking Stock Of Ourselves And Economy
Rather than pontificate on a specific issue, the GUARDIAN offers here some observations that range from profound to inflammatory, but they should serve to stimulate lively discussion of issues facing the city, state, and nation. With the likes of Micron laying off 1,500, MPC a couple hundred, the demise of nearly a dozen Boise Restaurants, […]
ACHD Candidate Loop Takes The Floor
The GUARDIAN will provide “reasonable space” for local candidates to voice their opinions prior to the November 4 election. A cutoff of November 1 is probably appropriate. By Steve Loop, Dist. 5 ACHD Candidate Citizens of Boise should always be concerned with how their government agencies spend their money. Most citizens, however; don’t have the […]
Record Voter Turnout Predicted
If the November 4 election turnout isn’t the biggest turnout in history, you can’t blame the local election officials who have done everything possible to make it easy to vote. The response to their mail-in absentee ballot campaign resulted in some 50,000 ballots being mailed to registered voters. In addition, early voting for those who […]
Recent Comments