Boos to Governor Butch Otter (R-Id.) who declared himselfopen to delaying the long-delayed grocery tax credits due to the budget crisis.Idahoans needs tax relief and Otter's decision to hold out during a recession is bad.

While Otter should be praised for not actually raising taxes, his conduct of this budget crisis has not been awe-inspiring. In his old age, Otter has decided every part and bureaucracy within state government is pretty darn important and all must be preserved. Thus Otter has not really tried to reduce the scope of government power or re-organize it to operate efficiently, rather he's sought to trim back the number of employees everywhere.

Rep. Branden Durst (D-18) has actually provided some more concrete proposals than I've heard from Otter in a post over at his blog:

Efficiencies, as the Guv suggests, should help, some. For example, it would be wise to combine some agencies together to reduce administrative costs (e.g. Ag and Water Resources, or Lands and Parks and Rec and Fish and Game). Washington State is doing so and I believe we can too.

I also think we could revamp our corrections systems, which would yield some significant savings. For example, I would move certain non-violent offenders out of prison and into work release. We are doing this some right now, but I think more could be done.

We also need to partner more intentionally with faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs). I attempted last year to put this idea into action with HCR 11, which ultimately stalled in Senate State Affairs Committee because Senators were concerned that it wasn't the Guv's idea and didn't want to "go over him." By investing in FBCOs, we reduce the burden to the State and subsequently taxpayers. In many cases FBCOs can do more with less because of partnerships they leverage within their communities. Plus, unlike state government, they know their communities better because they are in their communities. This has the potential to save a lot of money.

Unfortunately, Durst seems to be a few steps ahead of the Governor on- how the efficiencies will work. The problem with Governor Otter is that when our state really needs bold conservative leadership to redefine and reform government, we've got a politician who long ago left behind the principles that led him to advocate for limitied government. Butch Otter tenure as governor, the party establishment's gold watch, right now is as good as a dog which has lost its bark.

Boos to Canyon County Fairgrounds for trying to compete with private sector haunted housecompanies. I'm with Wayne Hoffman, nothing is more scary than out of control government.

Cheers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: They've got it absolutely right about Swine flu parties. Bad idea. I first read about pox parties in John D. Fitzgerald's novel based on his childhood, The Great Brain. Fitzgerald's real childhood was in the 1910s and 100 years later we're still trying the same junk. What's next for curing swine flu? Leeches?

A tip of the cap to the late John Slack and prayers for his family. The late pro-life leader passed away from Swine flu. I didn't know the man. I don't believe we ever met, but I'm grateful for his owrk on behalf of the unborn before my days in Idaho. His good friend Dennis Mansfield pays tribute here.

If one lesson can be take away from his way too early death, it's that the overblown concerns about flu and swine vaccinations are getting too much play. We're making people afraid of the rarest of rare side effects when the reality is that a lot of people will die from this thing. Come on people, do the right thing and don't panic.