Trib: Old Butch Is Back

At the Lewiston Tribune, Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase gives jeers … to Idaho Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter: Remember those warm and fuzzy campaign ads where Otter reinvented himself as the guy who was going to pump $350 million into education during the next five years? “We’ve got $35 million back in the classroom, ” he boasted. “And we put broadband into every high school. And now I have a 20-point education plan that will fund additional technology and reinvest in our teachers so they’re amongst the best in the nation.” Of course, that was when Otter’s Democratic rival, A.J. Balukoff, was hammering away at the governor’s woeful record, which included cutting education deeply to free up cash for tax cuts. Under Otter, the state was ranked 51st in the financial commitment behind each of its students. Now safely re-elected to a third term, Otter told the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho Wednesday he wants to cut taxes on the rich and his corporate cronies even more. More here.

Question: What? You actually thought Butch Otter would put the public education needs of Idaho ahead of tax cuts for his corporate cronies? How does that old saying go: Fool me once — or twice — shame on you. Fool me three times …