"I am not ashamed that we use a lot of energy in this country. It has made us the most prosperous Nation on the face of the planet. ... Using energy makes us prosperous." — Congressman Bill Sali (R-ID-01) during debate on an energy bill that, among other things, invested in alternative and renewable energy sources and repealed tax subsidies for large oil companies. (H.R.6899)
"If [Oversight Committee Chairman] Henry Waxman was interested in doing more than just showboat, we'd be there in a heartbeat. It's political grandstanding." — spokesman Wayne Hoffman explaining why Congressman Bill Sali (R-ID-01) was absent from congressional oversight hearings into the financial crisis where, among other things, it was learned that AIG executives indulged in a lavish retreat a week after the bailout.
"You know what, campaigns are fast and furious, I accept responsibility that we don't have the right citation there, but the facts I stand by - we are correct about that." — Congressman Bill Sali (R-ID-01) reacting to a campaign commercial fact-checking report.
"There are people out there without health care, and we need to address that, but it's not as big of a problem as some people would make it out to be" — Congressman Bill Sali (R-ID-01) in a Lewiston, ID debate
"People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power." — President Bill Clinton in a speech at the 2008 DNC
"To my supporters, to my champions, to my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits, from the bottom of my heart, thank you." — Senator Hillary Clinton in a speech at the 2008 DNC
"The America that we know, that the founding fathers envisioned, will cease to exist." — Congressman Bill Sali (R-ID-01) speaking at the state GOP convention about the possibility of a Democratically controlled White House and Congress.
"Sometimes the problems have to get larger before you can solve them. We can still drive around the potholes, so they must not be big enough." — House Speaker Lawerence Denney (R-Midvale), explaining that lawmakers still need to be convinced about the extent of road maintenance problems before they'll agree to tax or fee increases.
"Those people that believe in shooting animals through the fences . . . ought to turn the rifle the other way." — Former Governor Cecil Andrus, at sportsmen's rally, decked out in full camouflage, urging opposition to "shooter bull" operations on domestic elk farms.
"GARVEE is like swallowing a raw egg - it seems to be one of those things that's really hard to stop in the middle of." — Rep. Marv Hagedorn (R-Meridian), in comments on a package of transportation bills introduced by House GOP leaders at an emergency committee meeting.
"I'm a professional dairyman. I have milked and milked everything I can possibly milk." — State Police Maj. Ralph Powell, arguing that the state crime lab's bare-bones operation has reached its limit and now costs the state money as testing is sent to private labs.
"Idaho is ranked last in the nation in protecting the safety of children in day care centers." — Sen. Kate Kelly (D-Boise), in support of an unsuccessful move by Senate Democrats to force a daycare standards bill out of committee.
"This [anti-discrimination bill] is something we will propose every year until it passes." — Rep. Nicole LeFavour (D-Boise), responding to the latest BSU Public Policy survey in which 63 percent of Idahoans think it ought to be illegal to fire someone for being gay or seeming to be gay.
"I assumed it would be a bunch of radical college students, so to fit the part, I grew a goatee, got a revolutionary T-shirt and put on some ratty jeans." — Rep. Curtis Bowers (R-Caldwell) in an Idaho Press-Tribune opinion explaining how he disguised himself to uncover alleged communist plots.
Speech is speech weather it's bigoted, offensive or otherwise.
Zeb and several others up here in Idaho are hateful bigots and I'd not piss on them if they were burning, but you can't support freedom of speech without supporting the freedom of speech you find offensive.
Posted by: Roe | April 14, 2009 at 02:32 PM
No - freedom of speech is one thing; hate speech is quite another, Roe "weather (sic) it's bigoted, offensive or otherwise."
Don't confuse the two. Far too many people think that phrase "freedom of speech" allows them to say whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want without repercussion. It is not so. There will be repercussions especially when using that hate speech in a 'public forum' - a radio show - ON public airwaves - in which it is used to incite any kind of violent action or reaction.
More later - I'm supposed to be working......
Posted by: Wordsmith | April 14, 2009 at 03:05 PM
Roe, I and others have written post after post addressing your point so I won't take the time to do so here. Click the Zeb Bell tab at the top of the page and begin in the blog section. Among those is one I wrote last June (prior to hearing even a minute of Bell's program) which explains why speaking out against hate speech matters. It has an extremely long url so I won't post it here, but click my name at the end of this comment to get there.
[Comment edited: My apologies to Roe, it appears I've made a mistake with what I said next, but I have left the full text of what was said originally for any who are curious.]
Second, not sure if you're intentionally trying to make people believe that you're an Idahoan or if that was simply a poor turn of phrase or typo there, but your IP definitely says you're not from around these parts. Which is fine, the more people from all around the country who know about the hate speech broadcast here in Idaho the better. Forgive me for being suspcious but it just seems a little disingenuous to leave that impression when it isn't the case. Of course, if it was unintentional that's different.
Posted by: MountainGoat | April 14, 2009 at 03:06 PM
You just gotta love technology, MG!
Posted by: Wordsmith | April 14, 2009 at 03:41 PM
Well, yes and no. Looks like I jumped the gun, Wordsmith, and have had to correct myself.
Posted by: MountainGoat | April 14, 2009 at 03:47 PM
[Well, yes and no. Looks like I jumped the gun, Wordsmith, and have had to correct myself.]
I tried to respond last night, but this - jumping the gun - THAT IS SO ME, and every time I'd start writing I would end up laughing.
Posted by: Wordsmith | April 15, 2009 at 05:31 PM
And usually unlike me... most of the time anyway. Glad to have provided you with a laugh or two, though. ;-)
Posted by: MountainGoat | April 15, 2009 at 05:35 PM