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Eye On Boise

Idaho Dem party criticizes GOP lawmakers

The Idaho Democratic Party has issued a statement criticizing GOP state lawmakers for "being anti-healthcare reform, anti-assisted suicide, anti-education funding, anti-urban renewal, anti-labor, and the list goes on," but not enacting jobs legislation. “Republican leaders’ idea of addressing jobs is by suggesting thousands of jobs be cut due to the elimination of Health and Welfare services and a failure to properly fund education,” said Shelley Landry, the party's interim executive director; click below for the full statement.

IDAHO DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Feb. 18, 2011
For immediate release

What about jobs?

Idaho hasn’t seen an unemployment rate this high for more than a decade. In 2011, the Republican-controlled Legislature has made much ado about being anti-healthcare reform, anti-assisted suicide, anti-education funding, anti-urban renewal, anti-labor, and the list goes on. Idaho Republicans only listen to the GOP talking points sent from Washington, D.C., and they refuse to address what is most important to everyday Idahoans —jobs!

“Republican leaders’ idea of addressing jobs is by suggesting thousands of jobs be cut due to the elimination of Health and Welfare services and a failure to properly fund education,” says Shelley Landry, Interim Executive Director of the Idaho Democratic Party. “Idaho taxpayers can’t afford another 5,000 people added to our unemployment rolls. More importantly, it is Idaho families that will suffer when there is no work available in their communities.”

Democratic Legislators have proposed legislation that would lead to new jobs. Republican committee chairmen have stuffed every job-creating proposal in their desk drawers and refused to give these bills a hearing. Democratic Legislators are standing with Idaho citizens and speaking out against hasty cuts that will kill jobs. Yet, Republicans march to a tune played by out-of-touch leaders in D.C.

 “As I travel around the state, I hear time and again that people just want the opportunity to support their families. Trampling on worker’s rights, reforming education by firing teachers, and moving healthcare workers from jobs to unemployment lines isn’t the answer, ” said Shelley Landry. “It is time the Majority Party stop pushing the Republican Party’s agenda and start pushing an agenda that benefits the people of Idaho.”

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Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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