James Stivers

GREEN & DEMOCRAT!!!

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May 6, 2012: The best thing about a campaign is the meeting new people part of it. It is both interesting and enlightening. And the questions are good, too, like “What do you mean by ‘depoliticize the UI budget?’” How much can you fit on a postcard? Not much for explanations, but as the discussion unfolds; I tell people that the Republican Legislature does not see the UI as an institution of education so much as an ideological rival. Budgetary considerations that ought to be routine and incidental to the life of educating Idaho’s young people suddenly become the objects of budgetary cuts because a program is not viewed as relevant or priority. I expect that the fall campaign for the November election will offer further discussion and debate on this problem.

May 2, 2012: I want to thank the Latah County Central Committee of the Democratic Party for the opportunity to make the case for my candidacy. I want to re-affirm what I said at the Democratic forum last night that I do not bring to the party any baggage from the Republican Party. I stand with the Democrats against bigotry, racism, and sexism. I oppose the Republican attacks against 9^th Amendment rights, such as the assault on the reproductive rights of women. I support public education, academic freedom, and a strong public sector. I will continue to resist the attempts by the religious right to use my past writings on biblical topics as an excuse to debate issues of Christian doctrine that have no relevance to the needs of our district.

Earth Day (April 22, 2012): My vision in the Legislature will be to serve the needs of Benewah and Latah counties in the following ways:

1) Promote public banking through more community-based credit unions, a state bank, and low-interest loans to rebuild infrastructure (Benewah County) and fully fund the University of Idaho (Latah County).

2) Make the Palouse Region into a GMO free-zone and to promote crop diversification, rotation, and value-added options (such as hemp and flax).

3) Protect our schools from a capricious and ideologically-driven Legislature.

4) Expand human rights by an acceptance and affirmation of individual choice in sexual preference and medical self-care.

5) Implement a new homesteader’s act to rescue distressed properties from predatory lenders.

6) Add a new department at the UI focusing exclusively on cottage industries which manufacture and market Idaho-based products.

7) Use a state bank to underwrite the expansion of workman’s compensation into a full-coverage health insurance program.

April 14, 2012 (Democratic Caucus Day): Since the last post, I discovered another Democrat in the race: Paulette Jordan, a lovely and talented young lady who is a member of the tribal council for the Coeur d’Alene Nation. I look forward to the competition and the opportunity for candidate forums to spread my message of “stewardship, freedom & prosperity.”

During the past week, I participated in my first candidate’s forum (in which I was the only Democrat) with two scheduled for the week ahead. A nice news report followed the next day: http://dnews.com/local/article_de8d0d05-491a-5ba1-8642-31294ddcab67.html#.T4oeAklxXp0.gmail

My candidate’s profile can be found at: http://www.gazetterecord.com/articles/2012/04/04/news/news10.txt

Please support our local papers and pay the nominal fee to view these articles.

I was selected at the caucus as an alternate delegate for the state convention in Boise. I also will be serving on the platform committee.

Cheers!

St. Patrick’s Day, 2012: I remember listening to Ralph Nader on the radio during the early 1990s and thinking “This guy makes a lot of sense.” He explained why America was losing its jobs overseas and it wasn’t because the American worker was being paid too much. It was because of corporate greed and fear. Our government and the banking system were being used to promote GATT, the WTO and other monstrosities to turn the world into one big “company town.”

In contrast, I remember listening to Rush Limbaugh for the last time over a decade ago. He tried to explain why the great Irish famine during the 19^th century was the fault of the Irish. “My God!” I thought, “This man is the poster boy of the conservative elite and they are no different than the British elite which let the Irish starve ‘for their own good.’” I turned him off in disgust and haven’t listened to him since.

It has taken me 20 years to complete the transition. I’m a slow learner, but I got here.

I have filed to run for the State House under the Democratic label here in the State of Idaho. See my “Candidate’s Letter.”