Otter Casts Pall Over Human Rights

On Monday Otter declared in his state of the state address that “we’re all in this together” as he addressed an audience of mostly white middle aged men. While failing to mention any cuts in his salary, or even his administration, he proceeded to announce a systematic dismantling of the Human Rights Commission, the State Independent Living Council, the Developmental Disabilities Council, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission, the Hispanic Commission, and Idaho Public Television, stating “These changes are meant to be permanent, based on a philosophy of government that recognizes our responsibility to individual Idahoans rather than to government itself”/ Muskrat , 43rd State Blues. More here .

• The broken heart of Port au Prince /Fort Boise
• Dumber than Pat Robertson /Free In Idaho!
• Week in conservation from the Statehouse /Idaho Conservation League
• 3-fer: 1st Amendment on parade Monday at Statehouse , and: You don’t need no stinking elk horns , and: True story of newspaper boy’s death revealed /Idaho Politics
• For Idaho’s delegation, a spendy day at the office /Kevin Richert
• Micron now firmly in race for new energy industry /Rocky Barker
• Killing off Big Bird has been tried before /The Johnson Post
• 3-fer: Treasure Valley blogs , and: Daily Politics Brief , and: Friday morning news /Treasured Valley

Question: Do you care if Gov. Butch Otter’s proposal to cut off funding to the Human Rights Commission results in the commission closing down?