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Oregon Trail pioneers created communities that are now under threat |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/29/2006
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The Oregon Trail Museum in Montpelier tells a powerful living history story of the pioneers who worked together to build communities throughout the west, including many in Idaho. We can learn a lot from those pioneers about what it takes to fight for one of the most important assets that ensure their community's survival - our public lands.
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Montpelier's mayor and other community leaders can teach Congress a lot |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/27/2006
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One can learn a lot from a small business owner who has run his own radio station for forty years, or a health care provider who keeps on giving his services even when he isn't paid. That's just a few of the examples of what makes the community of Montpelier work dispite federal polices written by mega corporations, or funding cuts that leave the most vulnerable out in the cold.
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Unfunded mandates make life tougher in small communities like Soda Springs |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/26/2006
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Unfunded mandates from Congress are making it tough for the people of Soda Springs. They are prepared to consider a doubling of their sewer rates to secure a bond to upgrade their system. While Congress continues to add to the federal deficit, communities like Soda Springs are paying the price.
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Finding new relatives and going with the flow in Lava |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/25/2006
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I found another relative today! This time it was in Lava Hot Springs. It was like listening to my grandmother's stories again. Lava is another of Idaho's amazing small towns with a lot of history and water, which not only flowed down the mountain and into the pools, but today also briefly dumped on us from above.
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Visiting BYU-Idaho, one of the gems of the state |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/24/2006
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Enjoyed a recent visit to BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. It is the fastest growing university in the state, having gone from being the two-year Ricks College to being a full four-year institution in 2000. It is a beautiful campus and a testament to the importance of higher education.
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Arco is a great town facing huge challenges |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/18/2006
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A few days ago, my family and I spent a day in Arco. It is a great town that has weathered some tough storms and has accomplished some impressive things. They deserve a lot better partnership from their federal government.
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Fathers Day gives me a chance to be with family and friends. |
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by Jim Hansen on
6/16/2006
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Happy Fathers Day, everyone. For us, it means some needed time at home and an opportunity to give thanks for all the different people in our lives. We have had a great time traveling as a family since school got out, so despite the clutter at home, we are spending time with special people in our lives.
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Rising oil prices are price we are paying for Congress's addiction to oil money |
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by Jim Hansen on
4/21/2006
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Congress is passively watching oil prices increase. Years of inaction to encourage a diversified energy policy has been fueled by massive campaign contributions from the oil companies. Ordinary people are paying the price at the pump. During the Reagan years, we had a windfall profits tax. More people are saying it is time to bring it back so we have the resources to support investment in alternatives.
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We can learn from our allies about facing up to child poverty |
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by Jim Hansen on
4/3/2006
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What would happen if Congress made reducing child poverty a prioity the way our allies in England have? The current Congress has refused to take the lead and hold itself accountable to a tough standard like that. As a result, more and more children are being left behind each year.
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As taxpayers, we deserve a more transparent process for funding projects |
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by Jim Hansen on
3/23/2006
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We the American taxpayers deserve transparency in how our public funds are spent. Because Congress is so close to the special interests that fund their campaigns, Congress slips all kinds of special deals into appropriations bills through a practice they call “earmarking.” It is long past time for Congress's earmarking system to be overhauled, to make it clearer to the public who is paying the bills and to ensure open and objective criteria are applied to how projects are prioritized.
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