After an interesting contretemps during an Idaho Press Club breakfast that Gov. Butch Otter attended, Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko called on Keith Allred’s Campaign Spokesman Shea Anderson, to step down. Anderson sits on the board of the Southwest Idaho Chapter of the Idaho Press Club. Semanko cited a conflict of interest.
“In their own words, the Idaho Press Club ‘is dedicated to improving the practice of journalism in Idaho,’ with that being said I find it ironic that the Southwest Chapter of the Idaho Press Club would allow (former Idaho Mountain Express editor) Shea Anderson, Keith Allred’s campaign spokesman, to sit on their board.”
Semanko is a member of the Idaho Waters Users Association as well as a member of the Eagle City Council.
Anderson whipped off a tatement, which he later said was an overstatement, about a press club member, Karen Day, and her own possible conflict of interest. A friend of the Otters, Day asked the Governor how he would like to see relations between himself and the press improve during his run for reelection. Otter responded in an open way that surprised many. Anderson accused Day of being a plant for Otter’s campaign despite the fact that she is not employed by the governor’s reelection committee.
On Tuesday, March 2, Anderson stepped down temporarily from his role at the Idaho Press Club.
In other Statehouse news, the senate passed the controversial “health conscience” 1533 bill, which allows pharmacists and health care workers to choose whether to treat someone based on his or her conscience.
Backers including Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said this wasn’t a “right-wing scheme” brought by a “bunch of religious fanatics,” but a heartfelt effort to give health care workers protection against having to do something that contradicts their moral or ethical beliefs. Doctors in Idaho already have similar protection.
Not everyone is for it, however. Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, said the inclusion of end-of-life care and stem-cell research in the same section of Idaho law that covers abortions and contraception is wrong.
“It’s poorly written, it mixes issues, it ignores rural areas and invites costly lawsuits at a time when we can ill afford them,” Keough said.
It reads in part:
FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
it includes (a) “Abortifacient” means any drug that causes an abortion…
Idaho Code, emergency contraception or any drug the primary purpose of which is to cause the destruction of an embryo or fetus.
(b) “Conscience” means the religious, moral or ethical principles sincerely held by any person.
(c) “Embryo” means the developing human life from fertilization until the end of the eighth week of gestation.
(d) “Fetus” means the developing human life from the start of the ninth week of gestation until birth.
(e) “Health care professional” means any person licensed, certified or registered by the state of Idaho to deliver health care.
(f) “Health care service” means an abortion, dispensation of an abortifacient drug, human embryonic stem cell research, treatment regimens utilizing human embryonic stem cells, human embryo cloning or end of life treatment and care.
(g) “Provide” means to counsel, advise, perform, dispense, assist in or refer for any health care service.
(h) “Religious, moral or ethical principles,” “sincerely held,” “reasonably accommodate” and “undue hardship”
And on it goes. I’m wondering why these people get into health care provider work if that is not their intent. It’s like building a house next to an airport and then complaining about all the planes. I find this bizarre to the extreme. Does a teacher not teach a student because his parents are liberals? Does a landscaper refuse work based on a possible employers lack of children? Where does the interference end? Conservatives like to blather about bleeding-heart liberals but this seems like a serious bleeding. If a person doesn’t want to do aspects of their job wouldn’t that in most cases be a cause for dismissal? Not in Idaho apparently where conservatives intent on making women’s lives more difficult continue to erode personal freedom. This is a case of doing one’s job whether you are happy with the project or not.
For more information go to www.plannedparenthood.org.
Good news, however, is that the Idaho senate finally passed the Animal Cruelty Bill increasing fines and possible jail time for offenders. The bill has been a goal of animal lovers for many years but due to the agricultural industry’s reluctance to support such changes it never made it this far.
