Hubris? Complacency? Or just just smart?

Lt Gov and Senatorial candidate Jim Risch apparently has been spending more time in Washington DC than in Idaho lately. Kevin Richert says that Risch has been lobbying for a seat on the energy committee, and has sat in on a Republican caucus meeting. I heard a brief report on BSU radio about how both Gov Otter and Lt Gov Risch were recently out of the state, so Senate Pro Tem Robbert Geddes was the acting Gov, complete with the Gov's salary for the short time.

Larry LaRocco has been all around Idaho doing various jobs, and essentially running a full time campaign, in the state. Jim Risch, I guess, is assuming he's already got the job. It's true, he has been anointed by the Idaho GOP people who count, and that's pretty much all it takes.

Then there's this statement by Shirley McKague, again reported in Richerts' blog:

Mr. Snodgrass consistently votes with the Democrats. That has been his pattern over six years in the Legislature. Leadership thinks of him as a Democrat. That's why he does not hold a position in leadership or chair a committee. Members of the Republican Central Committee also view his Republican credentials as suspect. That's why he failed to make the short list of candidates to fill a vacancy int he Senate.

Ms. McKague lays it right out. Vote the way leadership wants you to, or be punished. Richert argues the McKague is out of touch with her district. I agree. It's possible that Snodgrass actually represents Meridian as it is now. McKague was first elected in 1997. Meridian has changed drastically in the last 11 years.

What happened to all the folks who voted for term limits? The concept behind term limits is to occasionally get some new blood and thinking, and to prevent political monopolies. Well, since our legislature won't allow that to happen, how about voting differently once in a while? How about voting Democratic for a change? Just once. Just in this next election. 2 years. Idaho can survive that, and then everyone can go back to voting all GOP all the time. But that one time may just make the GOP leadership stop taking the electorate for granted, and might make them responsive.

If that were to happen, perhaps we could get some action on transportation, air quality, and property tax relief, which even the most die hard Republicans want.