[Vision2020] New Idaho House group, Tea Party Back Same Ideals

[1000Acres]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 8:37 AM
To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Subject: [Vision2020] New Idaho House group, Tea Party Back Same Ideals

This would be a great topic to bring before the state Democratic Caucus,
but I understand their doors are closed.

Ah, well, as my friend stated . . .

"So much for transparency!"

With special thanks to a friend and long-time Viz subscriber, courtesy of
the Idaho Statesman at:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/1046455.html

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New Idaho House group, Tea Party back same ideals
By JOHN MILLER - Associated Press Writer

As 400 Tea Party activists rallied outside the Idaho Capitol on Monday to
shout down federal government, more than a dozen lawmakers have quietly
formed a smaller but equally conservative new group inside the building to
pursue similar goals: promote gun rights, kill health care reform, maybe
even abolish the Federal Reserve.

Members of this ad-hoc state House group, which has drafted a charter
called "Platform for Prosperity" after a similar Republican movement in
Colorado, said they aren't directly linked to the organizers of the
hourlong Tea Party gathering on the Capitol's south steps.

Still, at least four Platform affiliates were featured speakers:
Republican Reps. Raul Labrador of Eagle, Pete Nielsen of Mountain Home,
Phil Hart of Athol and Lynn Luker of Boise. Others in the group included
Reps. Steve Thayn of Emmett, Steve Hartgen of Twin Falls, Janice McGeachin
of Idaho Falls and Marv Hagedorn of Meridian.

After three meetings since late last year, its members are promising
legislation in 2010, including measures aimed at cutting Idaho's income
tax rate; requiring that silver mined from northern Idaho be accepted as
payment for taxes; abolishing mandatory licensing for midwives; and
scuttling President Obama's health care reform, should it pass Congress.

"I think we have an ear for what the Tea Party movement is saying," said
Hartgen, on how these two groups' interests have converged. "People are on
fire about these issues. These people aren't protesters. They are American
citizens."


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