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Huckleberries: Democrats say Alanna Brooks isn’t shooting straight

Kootenai County Democrats may not believe Alanna Brooks is a true-blue partisan running for county clerk under their banner. But she certainly looks like one in a Facebook photo, lounging in a Democratic-blue bathing suit saucily on her left side, with a handgun in each hand. In Idaho, Democratic wannabes don’t mind being photographed with guns, although the weapons of choice are usually hunting rifles and shotguns. Unimpressed, the Democrats declared Alanna’s primary opponent, Larry Belmont, the former Panhandle Health District director, to be the only “authentic Democrat” in the race.

The county’s superminority Democrats have been wary of their candidates since uberconservative Larry Spencer filed as a Democrat for county assessor. Spencer bragged that some like-minded ideologues crossed over to run as Democrats for courthouse jobs and precinct openings, too. Alanna qualifies as a DINO (Democrat in Name Only). After all, she was a Ron Paul delegate to the 2008 GOP national convention in Minneapolis and lost a 2010 GOPrecinct 16 committee race to Ruthie Johnson.

On Facebook , Alanna acknowledges a connection to Spencer: “I admit it. I’m part of the strategy.” And that’s the way things are in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, my hometown – where the Republicans are strong, the Democrats are armed and the wages are below average.

Urinetown prequel

Most of you know by now that Washington State University Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sisters and their male guests peed freely – and publicly – at Coeur d’Alene’s City Park on May 3. But did you know that another WSU sorority was 86’d from venerable Hudson’s Hamburgers in downtown Coeur d’Alene for behaving badly? Kenny McAnally provided Huckleberries with an email he sent to WSU’s president and the office for sororities and fraternities. On another Saturday – Oct. 20, 2012 – Kenny writes, a drunken mob wearing Greek letters descended on Hudson’s to order burgers and use the single-use bathroom. The drunken mob was “belligerent and rude,” according to the email. Worse yet, a Kappa Delta sister passed out in the bathroom, damaging the toilet. One of the male escorts was reprimanded for pounding his fists on the front window of the 100-plus-year-old burger place. Kenny tells Huckleberries that nothing ever came of the incident. Your future leaders of America.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: Huckleberries Online blog reader John Austin penned a song, “Living Here in Urinetown,” about the Kappa Kappa Gamma pee-fest (to be sung to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Allentown”). It begins: Well, we’re living here in Urinetown. // Where the Greeks are pulling underwear down. // Out in Urinetown they’re killing grass // Leaving their dorms // Showing their (um, butts) … So an owner dumped a pet cat at the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service shelter because – drum roll, puh-LEEZ – the tabby didn’t get along with the family’s new turtle? Who gets along with a turtle? … Poll: 71 percent of my Huckleberries Online readers say WSU’s Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority should be punished with community service for the City Park pee-fest … Bumpersnicker (spotted by Kevin Taylor on a Toyota Tercel with Idaho plates at a Spokane grocer Tuesday): “I’m only driving like this to piss you off.”

Parting shot

Former Democratic County Clerk Dan English reasons why term limits are no longer popular: “It was sold as the greatest thing since sliced bread and, kinda like that old Wonder Bread, it would build strong political bodies 12 ways to Sunday. Except, once it actually got implemented and the clock starting ticking, it didn’t look so great (to the elected proponents). Who thought: ‘I wanted that other schmuck to be term-limited but not a great statesman like myself.’ ”

Do as I say.

Read Dave Oliveria’s North Idaho blog, Huckleberries Online, at spokesman.com/hbo.

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