Idaho Dems Weekly Update: Sept. 19

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TABLE OF CONTENTS • Women Will Decide • Thanks for Nothing: GOP Offers Savings Advice • GOP Priority: Making Education Last • Women and Axes • Personal Property Tax Issue on the Horizon • Idaho's Absentee Congressmen • Volunteers Needed!!!!!!! IN OTHER NEWS Minicassia Democrats Organizing! Join the Minicassia Democrats for their first meeting. 7 p.m., Oct. 4 at Paul City Hall Women Will Decide The women above joined about 100 other loud, sign-carrying women who spent Saturday morning in Boise a few weeks ago to make a point: they value their rights. Idaho women are paying attention and it is up to candidates and activists to make sure women know that Idaho Democrats are on their side. They need to know that Idaho's GOP is waging war on their freedom and challenging their sovereignty over medical decisions. They need to know Idaho's GOP puts families last and threatens our economic futures. Our neighbor to the east is looking at women to swing tight elections into the Democratic collumn. Montana has a full slate of close federal and state races, and women may decide those elections.There as in Idaho, women worry about the economy. They are unhappy with the GOP threatening their rights. Ellie Hill, a state representative from Missoula: “To me, it’s turning back the clock and that’s not what Montana is looking for. Montana voters are focused on jobs and the economy,” she said. Denise Juneau, Montana Supt. of Public Schools: “Women will decide this election, who turns out women voters, who appeals to their values and beliefs ... We have generations of women who think these fights were over, so to see them emerge again is disappointing. But I think it’s also going to empower women voters.” Read more. Thanks for Nothing: GOP Offers Savings Advice State Treasurer Ron Crane offered advice to parents about how to save for college. His brand of saving money: charge the state for limousine rides in NYC, get a state cash card for personal use, and donate $10,000 in taxpayer funds to a pet cause, every year. GOP policies have made it hard for middle class Idaho families to save for college. In the recession, the 35 - 44 year-old group lost 52 percent of household wealth. GOP policies make Idaho lag the nation in student financial aid as well. For the GOP to offer a paltry lecture on financial responsibility is farcical. Read more. GOP Priority: Making Education Last The point simply cannot be overstated, the facts are in, the Idaho GOP has cut, is cutting, and will cut education. They clearly believe that public education has little value. The weight of their actions--years of actions--stacked against election-year protestations to the contrary. The fact is simple: The Idaho GOP has hurt education, repeatedly, intentionally, and chose to do so despite having other options. As the Idaho Statesman opined: "With sufficient repetition, the Statehouse mantra has graduated to governing principle. Spending money does not ensure quality of education. But spending money on schools — or cutting K-12 budgets — brings a state’s priorities into sharp focus. ..." Read more. Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/09/11/2266815/numbers-put-idahos-priorities.html?fb_action_ids=10152083451525397%2C10152083186575397&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210152083451525397%22%3A463760373644161%2C%2210152083186575397%22%3A496596210368637%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210152083451525397%22%3A%22og.recommends%22%2C%2210152083186575397%22%3A%22og.recommends%22%7D&action_ref_map#storylink=cpy Women and Axes Women lumberjacks: Yet another reason Idaho women are not to be trifled with. Read more. Personal Property Tax Issue on the Horizon Reforming personal property taxes. Counties stand to lose a substantial portion of their tax bases--and recent history teaches us that the GOP controlled Legislature will not replace those dollars that are so crucial to local roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. But businesses resent the tax because it is tough to comply with. Surely, reasonable lawmakers can find a reasonable solution. But remember, we must first elect reasonable lawmakers. Republican Rep. Vito Barbieri told us all how to find reasonable lawmakers, saying, "If I wanted a reasonable Republican, I'd vote for a Democrat." Read more. Idaho's Absentee Congressmen Idaho's 1st Congressional District Congressman has been skipping work--a lot. He is getting called out on it in the press. Read more. Volunteers Needed!!!!!!! Just contact the Idaho Democratic Party. We can put anyone in the state to work from anywhere to help Idaho Democrats win. It's not just a question of pitching in to feel good about yourself--though you will definitely feel good about yourself--you really can be the one volunteer who made the difference in any of a number of close races this year. We need you. And, if you value a more balanced and thoughtful government, quite frankly, you need you. Lots of campaigns and lots to be done. In the election world, tomorrow already happened and we're smack in the middle of next week running behind on many many jobs that need to be done! Call Us Now! 208-336-1815. We'll be glad you did--and so will you.

Idaho Democratic Party 943 W. Overland Rd. Meridian, Idaho 83642

Idaho GOP Rep. Labrador missing too many votes

Dear Constituent,


Today marks a very significant moment in this campaign. Congressman Labrador decided for the first time that it was necessary to respond to questions regarding his record. Last Friday our campaign put out a press release calling out Raul Labrador on his poor attendance record in Congress. Labrador has missed nearly double the amount of votes as the average representative, and over double the amount of votes of all three of his most recent predecessors. Today, in an article on the front page of the Idaho Statesman newspaper, Congressman Labrador's free pass to re-election came to an end. Dan Popkey, reporter for the Statesman, started the article off by saying "Freshman GOP Rep. Raul Labrador is absent from voting at triple the rate of his three predecessors, and his Democratic challenger is calling him on it." Popkey then went on to report...

"Labrador has missed 72 of 1,531 recorded votes, according to GovTrack.us, which follows Congress. That’s 4.7 percent, almost twice the House median of 2.5 percent."
"Labrador looks still worse compared to his three immediate predecessors: Walt Minnick (1.9 percent missed), Bill Sali (1.2 percent) and Idaho Gov. Butch Otter (1.7 percent). Together, Minnick, Sali and Otter missed 113 of 6,962 votes, or 1.6 percent."

This also marks the first time in the campaign that Labrador has responded to one of Jimmy's claims, saying, "Farris has a legitimate point."

Congressman Labrador also said in the article that he may end up missing more votes this Wednesday to campaign with Mitt Romney in the state of Florida. Jimmy then fired back, saying, “I think Congressman Labrador needs to decide if he is running to be a part of a potential Romney administration or to represent Idaho in Congress.”

This story has since been picked up by the Associated Press, and is showing up in news sources across the country. Raul Labrador is vulnerable, and is part of a Congress that has the worst approval rating in our nation's history. We CAN win this race, and replace Labrador with a hard working, problem solving, common sense leader – Jimmy Farris. We just need to raise enough money to get our message up on TV. We cannot allow Raul Labrador to coast to re-election without the voters knowing the truth about his record. Please make a financial contribution to our campaign today, and we will take the ball across the end zone this November!

Thank you so much for all of your support!

Dave Scheppler
Campaign Manager
Farris for Congress