[Vision2020] Imagine That, Butch - Politics Is a Rough 'Sport'

[Kenneth Marcy]

On Tuesday 02 March 2010 06:06:14 Tom Hansen relayed to V2020:

> Imagine that, Butch - politics is a rough 'sport'
> Sandra Kelly, for the [MPDN] editorial board [2 March 2010]
>
> Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter isn't having fun in Boise. He's been
> bombarded by newspapers throughout the state for some of his
> budgetary decisions, and it's been hard on him.
<[snip]>
> Otter has said repeatedly that he won't raise taxes. That's a great
> sound bite, and almost a sure-fire way to get re-elected, but it
> may not be in the best interest of Idaho.
>
> No one wants to pay more taxes, but it's certainly something that
> should be looked at. It's not popular, and the Legislature will
> take some heat for it, but at least looking into it is the right
> thing to do.
<[snip]>

It used to be said that it took a hard-line anti-Communist Republican 
such as Richard Nixon to open foreign relations with Communist Red 
China. Analogously, it was said that it took a tax-and-spend liberal 
Democrat such as Bill Clinton to reform the welfare system. Both of 
these Presidents enjoyed some relative success for these efforts.

Butch Otter does not, thus far, at least, seem to have an analogous 
combination of domestic acuity and political maneuverability to 
recognize the extant condition of his constituency and to act with 
appropriate governance in the better interests of the electorate.

To date Otter's insistent resistance even to considering reasonable 
measures to steer Idaho's budget boat toward some semblance of the 
status quo, rather than meekly and weakly allowing the craft to be 
washed down the economic stream, rudderless, controlled by the 
vagaries of the current rather than experienced helmsmanship, does 
not suggest any historical greatness for his governorship.

One is reminded, instead, of an earlier Idaho governor who had 
difficulty expressing leadership vision -- Donald Samuelson. Governor 
Otter may find he will share with Governor Samuelson another 
characteristic -- serving only one term in office.


Ken