One of the most enjoyable aspects of serving in the Legislature is watching the people, hearing what they say and observing how they react to different circumstances. It becomes even more enjoyable in an election year, when a lot of folks -- purposely or subconsciously -- are posturing for the next campaign.

Take the Democrats -- a year ago, House Democrats voted for the Republican sponsored grocery-tax bill which would give have increased the grocery tax credit for all Idahoans to $50 per person. However, when the governor vetoed the bill they voted against an override because they felt that we should give the people a more “meaty tax-cut.”

The excitement in the media generated by the Obama visit (you would think that no other major presidential candidate has visited Idaho in the last year) and the upcoming Democratic caucus makes me wonder why no one has objected to the closed nature of the caucus process. As I wrote in the Idaho Statesman last year, “[t] he only political party that currently holds a closed candidate-selection process in the state of Idaho is the Idaho Democratic Party.” (How can Democrats cry foul when they hold closed caucuses? - Idaho Statesman, 6/29/2007). The only way an Idahoan can participate in the Democratic caucus is if they sign a statement affirming their allegiance to the Democratic Party and pledge to vote for the Democratic Party presidential candidate in the general election.

I have been receiving a lot of e-mails regarding State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna's Idaho State Teacher Advancement and Recognition System "iSTARS" program proposal.

Public education is very important to all of us in Idaho. I think the iSTARS approach is a promising solution to the problem. I am working with my fellow Legislators, the Superintendent Tom Luna and Idaho educators to develop a system which provides direct financial incentives for teachers who excel in their profession. At the same time, we all agree there must be a fair and timely process for school boards and administrators to remove poor performing teachers from the classroom. As a parent of five children, four of whom are in public schools, I am concerned with the quality of education our children receive. The future of our great state depends on it.

When I was asked last week to start blogging for the Idaho Statesman, I have to admit that I was surprised.

Typically, the media does not care much what a freshman member of the Idaho State House of Representatives has to say. (As my friends and family are sure to remind me, they still don’t!!!)

At first, I was honored that they would ask (even if I was not necessarily first on their list). But after thinking about it, I felt the same feelings expressed by Sen. David Langhorst in his initial blog from last week: fear that I would not have enough time to do a good job and concern about the uncivil nature of some of the discourse in the comment threads.