[Vision2020] Grant Best Choice for Congress

[Tom Hansen]

>From the October 30, 2006 edition of the Idaho Press-Tribune at:

http://www.idahopress.com/articles/2006/10/30/opinion/editorials/editorials1
.txt 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Grant best choice for Congress

Summary: Bill Sali's lack of ethical integrity offensive, his inability to
work effectively with fellow Republicans would hurt Idaho's influence on
Capitol Hill

The 1st District congressional race between Bill Sali and Larry Grant should
be easy to endorse.

Sali represents solid Republican views that closely represent his
constituency.

In any given election, the Idaho Press-Tribune would likely recommend Sali
rather than his more-moderate opponent.

But that's not possible this year.

Bill Sali does not have the quality of character required to serve Idaho
voters.

There are times when politics have to take a back seat to something that's
simply the right thing to do. This is one of those occasions.

It's hard to find fault with Sali's simple, die-hard conservative record.
His views are shared and applauded by the thousands of voters who sent U.S.
Congressman Helen Chenoweth-Hage to office for three terms.

But make no mistake, Sali is no Helen Chenoweth.

Where Chenoweth was open and straightforward about her views - and
wonderfully gracious in her personality - Sali has built a career of
bulldozing the people around him.

That is not acceptable.

As a Democrat, challenger Grant is an immediate underdog in Canyon County.
But he has qualities that make him appealing across party lines.

As a longtime executive with Micron Technology, he brings experience in law,
technology, business and economic development to the table. Through his
professional endeavors, he's also proved to be able to work as a team player
toward goals and solutions.

Grant is a moderate who could easily work with the Republican congressional
delegation to serve the state productively.

However, it is Sali's abrasiveness, poor judgment and misleading tactics -
rather than politics - that make him unfit to serve Idahoans who care about
traditional values.

Until this year, many of the state's leading Republicans had no good words
to publicly say about Sali.

U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, while a state legislator, threatened to throw Sali
out the third-story window of the Capitol in Boise. Sali had called the GOP
legislative leader a liar.

The disputes and nature of Sali's relationship with his own party make it
clear that sending him to Washington, D.C., would be a waste of time.

Sali's inability to work with colleagues - even those who closely share his
political views - has drawn an unusual amount of criticism from fellow
Republicans.

Comments like these foreshadow the troubles he'll face being effective on
Capitol Hill:

Bruce Newcomb, Speaker of the Idaho House called him an "idiot." Rep. Kathy
Skippen, R-Emmett, characterizes Sali as "disruptive" and a "bully." Rep.
Dolores Crow, R-Nampa, referred to him as "an obstinate opportunist."

Sheila Sorensen, former chairwoman of the Senate State Affairs Committee,
defeated by Sali in the primary, said this about her opponent: "He was
incompetent in the Legislature. In the campaign he proved himself dishonest
and deceitful, and he'd be an embarrassment to Idaho."

Finally, Canyon County Commissioner Robert Vasquez, who placed second to
Sali in a six-way primary race, sums it up this way: "I would not and do not
and cannot endorse a liar for Congress."

Sali does not have the ethical integrity deserving of Idaho voters. He
depicts a pattern of wrong choices.

Consider this:

A series of television advertisements in the primary helped Sali win the GOP
nod earlier this year. The national lobbying group Club for Growth spent
thousands of dollars on television commercials that said fellow Republicans
Vasquez and Sorensen were "too liberal" and implied they would raise taxes.
Vasquez, an ardent conservative, and Sorensen, who spent years dedicated to
the Idaho Republican leadership and opposed many tax hikes, are nothing
close to liberal. Failing to point out the falsehoods in the ad campaign -
and reaping the political benefits without a hint of clarifying the truth -
make Sali too untrustworthy for public service.

Vasquez is right to point out that he is not "too liberal" with your tax
dollars, having voted to allow (not require) a local school system to
collect less than $15 a year from homeowners to address its needs. Sali was
free to say at any moment that the Club for Growth ads were dishonest. But
he brushed complaints aside, saying an outside organization made the
implications without his involvement. No, that doesn't fly. A person has an
obligation to protect his name, and speak up if something is wrong. Sali
didn't.

Finally, Sali insults Idahoans because he won't come clean in his opinion on
Proposition 2, which threatens to make it very difficult for local
communities to manage growth. By not denouncing this defective initiative
like the supermajority of his Republican colleagues, Sali threatens the
quality of life for all Idahoans.

Although the congressional candidate hasn't taken an official position on
the issue, his public policy associations speak for themselves.

Howard Rich, a New York real estate developer who has provided much of the
money to back Proposition 2, is chairman of Americans for Limited
Government.

Rich also supported the Sali primary campaign for the congressional seat.
And he is a board member of Club for Growth, a major financial contributor
to the Sali campaign.

Further, Sali is a member of Club for Growth.

Even though a major financier to his campaign is closely involved in trying
to win passage of Proposition 2, Sali said earlier this month he hadn't read
it. That's incredible, but unbelievable. He's dodging the issue.

Recently, Club for Growth paid $180,000 to air ads throughout the 1st
District that liken Grant to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, even though
his politics are far more moderate than the liberal California
representative.

Despite an understandable desire to "circle the wagons," many Canyon County
Republicans aren't happy with Bill Sali. He's not the right person, he
doesn't reflect the tenor Idahoans expect of public officials, and it's hard
to imagine he'll be able to work effectively with the delegation in
Washington, D.C.

This is not a hold-your-nose proposition for faithful Republicans.

Grant is the most compelling Democrat to emerge in an Idaho congressional
race in years. Take a look at his credentials:

Born in Idaho, Grant grew up in the western Treasure Valley town of
Fruitland, where he attended public schools. He attended Columbia University
on a scholarship, and then graduated from the College of Law at the
University of Denver.

After practicing law in Denver and Boise, he served from 1985 through 1995
as vice president and the first general counsel to Micron Technology.
Recalling his accomplishments, he says he's proud his work helped Micron
become the largest private employer in Idaho.

A fiscal conservative and social moderate, Grant could work side by side
with Idaho Republicans. Although the GOP reigns supreme in the state, Idaho
Republicans reflect many different shades of red.

In one example of his conservative leanings, Grant wants to control
government spending and combat the federal budget deficit.

"In the '90s, we had budgets that ran without borrowing money, budgets that
actually reduced the national debt," Grant recalls. "But in 2002 Congress
threw away the . restraints and we are now on a spending spree like no other
in history."

Grant, regardless of party affiliation, is a far better choice to represent
the true traditional values of Southwest Idaho.

Sali fails to meet the test. His record of bullying, side-stepping and
arrogance cannot be rewarded with an automatic trip to the nation's capital.

Above all, political views and campaign promises aside, the character of a
person must be considered at close range.

Sali had many opportunities to set the record straight. He didn't and
hasn't.

Idahoans - regardless of party - shouldn't send someone with Sali's slate of
shortcomings to national office.

Our view is based on the majority opinions of the Idaho Press-Tribune
editorial board. Members of the board are Stephanie H. Pressly, publisher;
Vickie Holbrook, managing editor; David Woolsey, assistant managing editor;
Jake Alger, opinion page editor; Laura Stewart, circulation director; and
community representatives Sandra Nosik of Caldwell, Terry Hathaway of
Middleton, and Drew Mayes and Sisilia Raass of Nampa.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Isn't the Idaho Press-Tribune a longtime conservative news source from
Caldwell?

Hmmm.

Seeya at the polls, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Politicians are like diapers.  They should be changed frequently and for
the same reason."

- Robin Williams