AG Lawrence Wasden

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden held a fund raiser at the Yen Ching restaurant in Boise. kicking off his reelection campaign. He spoke, briefly, and said that he'd been recruited by the "RNC," so I guess there was an effort to get him to run against Walt Minnick. (I can't imagine why; there's no more rock-ribbed Republican than Minnick.)

Anyway, Wasden said that he asked his recruiters (paraphrasing) "Why would I do this? How will this let me do a better job of serving the people of Idaho?" He was sincere. He spoke of the accomplishments of the lawyers in the AG's office, and he lauded how they've helped the citizens of Idaho. He talked about how he wants to be able to look in the mirror each day and see a man he's proud of, and, more importantly, he wants to look in the mirror the day after he retires from politics and see a man he can be proud of.

Anyway, he apparently declined, though he didn't actually say that. So, he's definitely running for another term as AG.

Wasden is a Republican, but he doesn't much push a partisan agenda. In my view, he just seems to want to do the right thing. Pretty rare for an Idaho politician.

Lunch in Sandpoint Idaho

Upon a recommendation of a waiter in a swanky Sandpoint restaurant, we went to Eichert's for lunch. On Cedar street, between 2nd and 3rd. Pretty unassuming place; here's what it looks like on the outside. It's pretty well hidden by that tree and the behemothmobile parked in front.



Here's what it looks like inside. They had a nice variety of microbrews. Note the ceiling; it's decorated with taps from the microbrews they've served over time. (click to enlarge) If you're wondering, those are Pez dispensers around the mirror behind the bar.



A surprising menu as well. If you look all the way to the right of the pic above, you'll see the chalk board listing specials. I had the blackened chicken breast, below. The vegetables were especially nicely done; they were grilled, and tasted of the grill. The avocado was an unusual touch, but a nice one.

Traveling

My sparse posting schedule is partly because I'm doing some traveling. On Wednesday, I'll be in CdA, Sandpoint, and Spokane. It's nice up here this time of year. Looking forward to the drive between Sandpoint and Spokane.

Get away from the computer, and various news sources, for a day or two or three, and suddenly it doesn't seem like the country is in so much dire trouble. Kind of refreshing.

We ate dinner last night in the White House in Post Falls. It came very highly recommended. Not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't Greek food. But, the recommendation was spot on. Very nicely done Greek food. I had the lamb platter, which consisted of lamb chops, lamb sausage, and lamb kebabs, with some very interesting delicate white rice. The lamb was on a bed of slightly sauteed and highly spiced onion slices. Tasty!

A pox on both your houses

The Statesman has a story up about a lawsuit filed by Daniel Fuchs of Twin Falls. His allegation is that he was denied due process when he was removed from the waiting list for liquor licenses in several cities. The point of the suit is more probably to keep himself on those lists so he can continue to profit from Idaho's ridiculous government-granted monopoly.

Apparently, the State is trying to prevent folks from milking the system and profiting from it. I guess another reason is that it tends to run up the cost of the liquor license for folks trying to open up a business. The high cost of a liquor license deters innovation and new businesses, bars and restaurants primarily, I guess, from opening up.

The article reports that Fuchs sold a license to Market Limone for $60,000, and another to Fiesta of Nampa for the same price.

Fuchs was deleted 16 times from waiting lists for various cities, and reimbursed $5,175 for the fees he paid. Did you catch that? He paid $5,175 to get lined up for 16 licenses. Those things sell for $60,000 each, in Nampa. One can only imagine what they sell for in Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, Idaho Falls and Bellevue, the cities from whose waiting lists he was removed.

The guy is trying to make a legal buck, but it seems pretty predatory, especially when it drives up the price, so I don't see him as a victim or as a sympathetic character.

The chief culprit is the State's stupid system of limiting the number of licenses. C'mon all you free market Republicans, let the free market limit the number of liquor licenses instead of an arbitrary cap. Let the free market determine whether a new restaurant will open up.

Some license holders complained that if the monopoly system is lifted, they will suffer a drastic decline in the value of the liquor license. For the vultures like Fuchs, that complaint rings hollow. It does carry a bit more heft when offered by a person who had to buy the overpriced license.

Let's hope the issue comes up again this year in the legislature, and gets a more sensible outcome.

Reaction to Obama's speech

The front page of today's Statesman features quotes from our congressional delegation reacting to President Obama's speech last night.

The three Republican members, of course, get in the "government" pejorative. "Government system." Government takeover."

Walter-one-note Minnick says he was happy to hear it won't increase the deficit. So, Walt, now that your key point is satisfied, will you now commit to signing the bill? Will you help sell it and help clear up the Republican misinformation campaign?

It's pretty easy to tell the our Republican delegation doesn't want to reform health care. When they carefully insert the Republican talking point "government" into every statement about it, you know they're not serious. They may as well call it, and I think in some cases have called it, the "liberal" plan. They just trying to use emotion-laden words.

I really don't get several things. Why don't Republicans want to fix our "unsustainable" (Mike Simpson) health care system? It's obvious they don't because they aren't trying.

Why is it so all fired important to leave insurance companies alone and not foster competition? Obviously they've done a poor job so far under just a system. Oh, and for the idea the private insurers can't compete against government, just have a look at the worker's compensation system in Idaho and most other states. Idaho has, like most states, a State Insurance Fund. It is a quasi-governmental agency competing with private insurers. Yes, it is the largest, but Liberty Mutual and many others are writing comp insurances in Idaho and doing well against the competition.

Why is it assumed that government will screw up the health care system? Do you Republicans think that only stupid people are in government? Well, have a look at who signs your paycheck; are you stupid? More to the point, we have 3 very well run government health care systems already in place; Medicare, the VA, and the military system. Where's the evidence that the government can't get a reasonable health care system up and running?

I would really appreciate Republicans actually trying to pitch in and work something out. I'm willing to compromise, most Democrats are, and I'm sure Democratic leaders are as well. Seriously. Come to the table and let's work something out. Please do the right thing and help fix this "unsustainable" system. Please don't just sit back and play politics. Please?

Bieter's trolley

Mayor Bieter has been promoting a trolley for downtown Boise and a means of mass transit. Apparently the City is going to try to get stimulus money to help get the project off the ground. He was on the radio this AM talking about starting it in 2011, and finishing (the 1st phase) in 2012.

I don't agree with the need for a trolley. Boise's downtown core is too small to justify one, and I don't see it being extended beyond the core for a long time. It's too expensive to lay track over large areas. Also, unless they buy right of way and build new lanes for the trolley, it will be running on current over crowded traffic lanes.

The only mass transport rail that made sense to me was Mayor Cole's idea of using existing track and shuttle between Boise and Nampa/Caldwell. The problem their being, of course, what happens when you disembark from the train.

Boise does not have a functioning mass transit system. The buses don't run enough, it's too long between pickups, and they don't cover much area.

I have to agree with the Boise Guardian that I can't see the sense in Boise running those large buses that are NEVER close to being full. I think the Guardian's suggestion is to have a van fleet run as buses. Perhaps the bus-like shuttle vans like they have from airports to rental car lots. This makes some sense.

Use stimulus money to buy a number of vans (preferably hybrid powered) for a pilot project/feasibility study and set up a few routes that resemble mass transit in a city. That is, a van would come by every few minutes, no more than 10. This would build ridership and the city could expand the routes as demand required.

The down side of this, of course, is the one of the most expensive components is the driver. More vans means more drivers, possibly offsetting the savings from using smaller buses. After a couple of years, the city ought to know if it will work.

The trolley is such an expensive gamble that it's difficult to recover from. There are places in Boise where tracks from the last trolley can still be seen. I hope Bieter's trolley doesn't become Bieter's folly.

Eagle Rib cook-off

I went to the Eagle Rib Cook-off Sunday afternoon about 5 PM. I've seen some of those BBQ competitions on various cooking channels, and I though it would be pretty fun to check it out.

I was wrong. I've got one word for the Eagle Rib Cook-off: lame.

The concept is a pretty good idea, and it has potential, but as expressed with this year's event, it's got a long way to go. Guerber Park is a pretty cool venue to hold it, or anything, I guess, so that was good.

The contestants were fenced off to one side, and not much was going on there. I went over and talked to a few of them, but my little group was the only one in the contestant area when I was there. The contestants were working on their submissions for the spud fest, and for Monday's judging.

The main action was in another fenced off area. There were lots of food vendors in that area, and one place selling beer. And that was pretty much it. It was a glorified food court. Although the competition's web site advertised local artisans, wood working, jewelry, etc, I saw none of that. A few booths, chiropractor, etc., but nothing like the folks you'd see in Art in the Park.

They did have a band playing, so that was good. Also had a decent amount of seating, but the crowd was pretty sparse.

I thought perhaps the competitors might be selling tastes of their wares, but sadly, no.

Embrace the crazy

You've heard the wingers shout, and have seen them holding signs saying, Obamacare = socialism. I have, and I've got to admit that it's been bugging me. It kind of bugs me that an effort to provide health care to all Americans gets dismissed in a negative bumper sticker slogan. Plus, I like Obama, I consider him my guy, and I tend to defend my guys when they get attacked. So, those signs have been working on me, I guess.

It occurs to me that we progressives should embrace Obamacare. Let's call the health care / insurance reform "Obamacare." See, as Bill Clinton recently predicted, once it passes and gets implemented, Americans are going to like it and appreciate it, as they like and appreciate Medicare. The controversy will go away, and we'll be left with a healthier America, fewer bankruptcies, all that. People will come to love it.

And then, I hope they call it Obamacare. "Boy, I'm glad I had Obamacare when my spouse got cancer." "If he hadn't had Obamacare when my 23 year old son wrecked his motorcycle, he'd have been debt for a decade." ( I had a personal experience with my step son very similar to this; big injury in 2001, just got it paid off, 8 years later.)

So, yeah, lets go with Obamacare. He'll get credit for it for it forever, if that sticks. There will be Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare.

Homosexual activists did something similar when they embraced the word "gay." That was a slur, but once "gay" activists made it their own, it just became their word, and it lost its power.

Let's do the same with Obamacare.

One upside the head

MountainGoat does an admirable job whacking Minnick over his flip-flopping on health care reform. Most excellent analysis, and way better than anything I've seen the tradmed come up with.

Give it a read. MG deserves some kind of award for reporting and analysis of this quality.

If Walt ends up actually voting for whatever reform bill passes, he might redeem himself. If he votes against it, he might as well switch parties.