the unequivocal notion

Amazing.

Governor Otter appointee Curtis Bowers writes drivel, er, op-eds (via The Idaho Press-Tribune):

Communist agenda makes its way to our mainstream
Wednesday, January 9th, 2008
By Curtis Bowers

The start of a new year is always a time of reflection as we learn from the past and prepare for the future. An unusual opportunity I had years ago is especially significant today, in light of the many issues facing Americans.   

In 1992 I read that the Communist Party USA was gathering at the University of California, Berkeley. I was curious to see what they had to say about the Berlin Wall coming down and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Would they give up, or did they have a different approach? I decided to go and find out. 

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.  After getting checked into my dorm room on campus, I went over to the conference hall for the first meeting. I was amazed to see a room filled with 50-, 60- and 70-year-old men and women, professionally dressed with their briefcases.

For the next several days I listened, took notes and talked to the leadership.  The plan they unfolded had nothing to do with guns, bombs or violence. They acknowledged their disappointment with what had happened in the Soviet Union but felt they could still “take America down.” This time, instead of using force from the outside, they would use public policy from the inside. 

They had a three part agenda. They would use their manpower, influence and funds to back anything that would destroy our families, businesses and culture.

[...]

Finally, to destroy our culture, they needed us to abandon our heritage of religion and morality. They believed the homosexual movement, if accepted, would begin to effectively extinguish these values.

[...]

Our first woman presidential candidate talks about how degrading it is to be a stay-at-home mom. Businesses are closing down or moving daily to other countries because environmental regulations are too excessive to make a profit. And legislation is being considered in Washington, D.C. that makes it a crime to discuss in public any opposition to the homosexual lifestyle. As the old advertisement said, “You’ve come a long way, baby!”

When we see many mainstream politicians and activist judges with the same agenda that just 16 years ago was that of Communist strategists, it is time for patriotic Americans to wake up and get involved.

— Curtis Bowers is an Idaho representative from District 10.

Seriously, where do they find these guys?

Not only does Bowers just make stuff up and the Idaho Press-Tribune editorial staff lets him get away with it, but I highly doubt his story about "growing a goatee and getting a revolutionary t-shirt". Yeah, I call bullshit — I think he made the whole thing up. It just sounds waaay too fishy. He took the time to grow a goatee? What he planned this elaborate sting of his for a month or so?

Personally I thought that the "red scare" ended in the ’50’s? Could someone please tap Mr. Bowers on the shoulder and let him know what year it is?

Make sure you read the comments at the Press-Tribune, the Boise Weekly and the Idaho Statesman — good stuff.

Update

Betsy Russell covers the story over at Eye One Boise. She says that the op-ed is quite the story over at the capital annex, question is; are legislators distancing themselves, or embracing Bowers?

Update II

Idaho Press-Tribune updates here.

Update III

w/ links here.