Sadly, Many An American Just Red, White And Blew It

Some Americans lack the intelligence of your average German shepherd. I say “average” because there are some sharp dogs out there.

Any mutt with an obedience school education knows we have 100 U.S. senators and three branches of government. But 40 percent to 50 percent of our citizens don’t, according to a recent U.S. Constitution poll. Incredibly, less than 20 percent of those polled correctly answered at least eight of 10 basic questions, such as how long senators serve (six years) and who nominates Supreme Court justices (the president).

“That shows an appalling lack of knowledge for a document that determines what we do,” said Philadelphia Mayor Edward G. Rendell, chairman of the National Constitution Center.

It also explains why we elect some of the people we do.

Trail systems find unusual friends

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, doesn’t have many environmental friends. In fact, enviros consider him a timber industry lackey. Yet Craig, like former U.S. Sen. Jim McClure before him, has made a major contribution to North Idaho’s quality of life. McClure was instrumental in winning federal funding for our remarkable Centennial Trail. Now, Craig has acquired at least half the funding for the Hiawatha Trail that links Idaho and Montana via a section of the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad - and he’s after the rest of it.

According to early returns, the view provided by 25 miles of trail and trestles through the back country is spectacular. Some believe the Hiawatha Trail and Taft Tunnel could become the crown jewel of Idaho’s expanding trail system.

Remember that next time you’re tempted to take Clearcut Larry’s name in vain.

Boundary County prosecution needs help

Boundary County Prosecutor Denise Woodbury has received a lot of criticism for her decision to prosecute Kevin Harris for murder and sniper Lon Horiuchi for manslaughter. Both, of course, were key players in the Ruby Ridge shootout.

Much of the criticism centers around the amount of money that will be needed to prosecute the pair in separate trials. The Justice Department will move heaven and hell to see that Horiuchi walks and the superior who gave the shoot-to-kill order that led to Vicki Weaver’s death remains anonymous.

Maybe the Idaho Legislature should approve a special fund that would help small counties like Boundary fight extraordinary cases like this one. It’d be a shame if the truth about Ruby Ridge remained hidden for a lack of proper funding.

, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125, or by sending e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.