ID: Constitution Party Protests Hindu Statue

From Boise Weekly:

Travel to Idaho's panhandle this weekend and you might pass a unique statue at the corner Sherman Avenue and Sixth Street in Coeur d'Alene. It's part of the city's ArtCurrents, a new art-on-loan program. The six-foot-tall statue is of the Hindu god Ganesha, with four arms and an elephant's head. But the Kootenai County Constitution Party is not happy, saying, "Christians of Kootenai County should be dismayed at the appearance of a Hindu demon." An official with the national office of the Constitution Party had no knowledge of the protest . . .

ID: Local Constitution Party Calls for Protest of State-Funded Religious Artwork

From the Seattle Times:

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A new public sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesha is drawing protests in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The Kootenai County Constitution Party is urging Christians to protest the artwork, calling it an "abomination" approved by the "godless group of individuals" who manage the city's public art program . . .

ID: American Legion Sponsors Political Indoctrination Camp for Democrat and Republican Parties

From the Shoshone News Press:

The local American Legion and Legion Auxiliary sent out applications this week to local high school counselors for the 68th annual Gem Boys State session and the 65th session of Syringa Girls State.

Boys State will run from June 12 through June 18 with Girls State to follow from June 19 through the 24. Both sessions will be held at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. The programs are week-long, intensive, hands-on programs on how government in the State of Idaho works. . . .

When the delegates arrive in Nampa, they are divided into two fictitious parties to learn how the two party system works.

Yes, "fictitious" parties.

ID: Constitution Party Senate Candidate Calls for Cuts in Military Spending

While many so-called conservatives and self-described "deficit hawks" have never seen a bloated military budget they wouldn't continue to inflate beyond all rational measure, the Constitution Party's candidate for US Senate in Idaho is calling for military spending cuts in his crusade against big government.  From the Idaho Reporter:

Sen. Mike Crapo’s third party challenger, Randy Bergquist, said he’s a lifelong Republican, but is running under the Constitution Party because both major political parties have strayed too far from the country’s founding document.. . . He is calling for the gradual repeal of all federal social welfare programs, including Social Security, health care programs, and federal education funding. . . . 

Another area Bergquist would like the federal government to scale back is its military operations overseas. Bergquist, who served in the Air Force, said he wants the U.S. to pull its troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq as soon as is safely possible. Bergquist said he believes in a strong national defense, but said the armed conflicts of the past decade have hurt the nation’s finances and reputation around the world.

ID: Kemp's Independent Bid for Governor Sparked by GOP's Move Against Open Primaries

From Local News 8:

[Jana Kemp is] the only woman on the campaign trail, she's running against four other men. Two of those are Keith Allred and current Gov. Butch Otter. "There is a lot of talk going on but there is not proof of action that matches up with the talk,” said Kemp. Kemp said in the last several years, the Republican Party filed a lawsuit and that's when she said enough is enough. She didn't want to support a party that filed suit against the state."The lawsuit's focus is on closing the primaries. For me, that was the final straw. Not only because I don't believe in closed primaries, but it upset me that a political party would sue the state to have the political party’s needs met,” said Kemp.

ID: Charity Group Endangers Its Own Non-Profit Status with Democrat-Republican Campaign Event

From the Idaho Statesman:

Catholic Charities of Idaho has called off a roast of the major candidates for governor and the 1st District House seat because of what it called a threat from independent gubernatorial candidate Jana Kemp. Kemp said the popular annual "Loaves and Fishes" fundraiser, is a "prohibited activity" for a non-profit. The group, which provides social services to people of all religions, said it would postpone the Sept. 10 fundraiser until it can resolve the issue.

"As my team reads the code, you all seem to be placing yourselves in a position of losing your nonprofit status, which was just gained in 2000," Kemp said in an e-mail, obtained by the Idaho Statesman.  "All I did was ask a question. I made no threat," Kemp said in an interview Wednesday.

ID: New American Independent Party Endorses Independent Jana Kemp for Gov

From the NAIP Citizen Uprising blog:

The New American Independent Party has officially endorsed Independent candidate Jana Kemp for Governor of Idaho. A strong majority of NAIP members voted online to endorse Jana Kemp within the 2010 NAIP member survey. Jana Kemp received the highest approval percentage by the NAIP membership of all 2010 independent candidates being considered for an NAIP endorsement thus far. Approval for Kemp was also high in a series of online polls conducted for the NAIP community.

Like NAIP members, Kemp supporters are expressing a desire to see strong, ethical candidates who represent the pragmatic views of most Americans. Like us, they are tired of politicians who are out-of-touch with America. A growing number of Americans are searching for an alternative to the Democratic and Republican Parties, which many believe have abandoned them and their ideals. Jana Kemp is a viable candidate that can strike a cord with voters looking for a candidate that represents their views.
Jana Kemp for Governor
http://www.votekemp.com/

ID: State Republican Party Steals Constitution Party Platform?

From Capitol Hill Blue:

Joined by tea party members, Ron Paul disciples and old-guard conservatives, Beck strode into the three-day confab in Idaho Falls amid a swelling national tide of frustration with Washington, D.C., magnified by Idaho’s already rightist tilt. When it was over, a majority of the 500 delegates had transformed their platform with a spasm of anti-fed outrage — and anger at Republicans who Beck thinks have strayed from the fold.

Over three days, they crafted a platform that urges Idaho to seize federal land, recommends ending popular elections of U.S. senators and sings the praises of gold and silver — an inflation hedge to U.S. Federal Reserve-issued greenbacks. . . .

Lucas Baumbach, a 31-year-old Tea Party Boise member who wants to dump the federal income tax, was ecstatic about the convention outcome. “Who knew that we’d get a 17th Amendment (repeal) plank in the platform?” Baumbach said. “We’ve sort of taken the platform of the Constitution Party away from them.”

ID: Kemp Says Republicans and Democrats are "Long on Talk and Short on Action"

From the Idaho Statesman:

Independent gubernatorial candidate Jana Kemp says GOP Gov. Butch Otter and Democratic nominee Keith Allred are long on talk and short on action. Kemp, a former GOP lawmaker from Garden City, runs Meeting & Management Essentials, which advises organizations on improving productivity, morale and profit in their day-to-day business meetings.

Kemp has submitted an essay to Idaho media titled, "Ideas, Ivory Towers or Action for Idaho?  It follows, in full:

From the Constitution Party Archives: "It's the jury stupid"

From the Constitution Party of Idaho:

If Thomas Jefferson were here today, and saw a nation where people complain, petition and fight (and usually lose) incessant defensive battles with a corrupt and unresponsive government; saw a nation where the government servants have often become our masters; saw a nation where the citizen’s most powerful and easily available tool to control government has been gradually concealed and almost hidden by judges; saw a nation where the people impotently complain and whine about government and feel resentful, frustrated and cynical, while the most powerful and available solution we have ever had lies dormant and almost forgotten, perhaps Thomas Jefferson would raise his voice and shout to all of America: “IT’S  THE  JURY,  STUPID!” . . .


But as jurors we can personally, directly and immediately reduce the abuses and the power of government by refusing to enforce unnecessary and abusive laws and regulations.  And fairly quickly even the size and the expense of government will be reduced because of Jury Nullifications.

Government wields all usurped power, intimidates and controls people by one and only one means: by enforcing bad laws.

ID: Constitution Party Candidate's Membership in Militia Draws Media Attention

From the Bonner's Ferry Herald:

Every able-bodied Idaho male 18 through 45-years old, already belongs to the militia, according to Jeff Stankiewicz. That is outlined in the Idaho Constitution, said Stankiewicz, major of the 21st Battalion of North Idaho's Lightfoot Militia.

A member of the Constitution party, Stankiewicz is challenging incumbent assessor Dave Ryals in the Nov. 2 general election. Ryals is running on the Republican ticket.

It is not, however, Stankiewicz's political campaign that is drawing the most attention. It is his membership in the militia — especially after a similar group in Indiana were arrested last month for allegedly plotting violence against the government.

Idaho Independent Launches Gubernatorial Campaign

In Idaho, Jana Kemp has officially launched her independent bid for governor.  At the former Republican lawmaker's campaign website, we read:

As Governor, Jana Kemp will be Idaho’s champion. Her vision is to lead Idaho to be a state with healthy, well-educated, and prosperous citizens, pursuing their interests in freedom, family and business, moderated by good governance.  Idaho is a great place to live – Jana’s vision is to redouble Idaho’s entrepreneurial efforts, educational focus, and governmental effectiveness so that Idaho is also a great place to work.  Jana will deliver by listening to the people and brain-power of Idaho and organizing the executive branch of government in ways that work for Idaho’s citizens within a balanced budget.