Listening to some of the Statesman’s candidate interviews the opening minutes of Rep. Kren (R-13B) really kinda stood out to me.
In response to a question about his vision for the future of the Treasure Valley, Kren said this:
Well, I think a’ the vision for the community and uh, the Treasure Valley would be ‘uh you know a thriving economy and a transportation system that gets people around. And uh, I guess a community where families want to move into and businesses uh’ look at our community for a place to get established and as a family friendly community um, I think, no, I think in the most part in a lot of ways we have that already, but I think we can grow and uh, and, and, and a sense of community, build its, build, build our community, and promote ourselves as a, as a great place to live as we are.
Ya know we all enjoy it and we’re here for a reason and I think ‘a I think we just ‘a show other people what a, how lucky we are to live in Idaho and how lucky we are to grow up here and, and, take part of the great things we have, we have great recreation, we have, ya know, we can go skiing ina 20-30 minutes from here and, and we really have a good, a good place to live and raise kids and I think that’s my vision is to ya know, to promote it, ah, to… to build upon it and ‘a to see others want to share in the things I enjoy.
Really?
We have a transportation system that gets people around? A thriving economy? I bet those recently laid off from Hewlett-Packard, SuperValu, Micron, all the construction workers and people working in the housing industry might beg to differ. I bet those whose houses have dropped 20% in value might have something to say about that — let alone all the people in the Valley who have lost their houses in this "thriving economy" of ours.
It’s the detachment and incuriosity that really gets me when it comes to our representatives. Part of their job is to know what is going on, to know what issues are affecting their constituents. Yeah, sure the Treasure Valley right now is a great place to raise kids*, but it won’t be if we don’t solve our transportation issues, our economic issues, and the issues within our education system.
All Kren has to do is to just look around his own area of Nampa, there are 121 houses that are either bank owned or in some sort of foreclosure within a 2 mile radius of his own house — I kinda doubt those constituents and neighbors are digging this "thriving economy" that he thinks we have.
*"Family friendly" — that must be the talking point Canyon County Republicans decided they are going to use this go-around.
“a transportation system that gets people around”
No shit? Is that what it’s supposed to do? Thanks for pointing that out, Professor Kren! We all appreciate the absolute vagueness of your response.
Wow, you really can’t be this dishonest!!! You usually mischaracterize and misrepresent the things that Republicans say, but at least you try to hide it by trying to be semi-accurate.
It amazes me that you could mischaracterize what Rep. Kren said even after you actually took the time to listen and transcribe the interview. If you read the quote, and I assume you at least read your own transcript, Rep. Kren did not say anything indicating, as you imply, that he is unaware of the economic difficulties facing Idahoans.
Instead, the editorial board asked him what his vision was for the FUTURE of the Treasure Valley. His answer: a thriving economy and a transportation system that works.
A vision is defined as the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be. So, according to Rep. Kren, he anticipates to act in a way that will bring about a thriving economy and a transportation system that works.
I think you knew that, but decided to play games.
Rep. Labrador
Rep. Labrador,
I can’t believe that you would be satisfied by such an unimaginative and generic answer.
No, really, I can’t.
Dishonest? Um, no.
Yeah, they did ask about the “FUTURE” and he said…
“Well, I think a’ the vision for the community and uh, the Treasure Valley would be ‘uh you know a thriving economy and a transportation system that gets people around.”
Which he then added…
“I think in the most part in a lot of ways we have that already”
So, I think it would be safe to assume that Rep. Kren thinks that “in a lot of ways we have a thriving economy and a transportation system that gets people around”. Is that not accurate? Tell me how that is dishonest — it either shows he doesn’t understand what is going on in the Treasure Valley, or he isn’t good at articulating himself.
Really Rep. Labrador, they’ve got you carrying water for Canyon County Republicans on the ‘tubes now?
Come on, Chris, really; do you need me to diagram the sentence for you? You are much smarter than this. Again, his response to the FUTURE vision question was roads and economy.
Then, he starts a new sentence with AND (in other words, in addition to what I just said), where he states that he also wants “a community where families want to move into, businesses look at our community for a place to get established and as a family friendly community.” This is when he says that, for the most part, we have that already.
You keep trying to imply that Rep. Kren is out of touch because he claimed that for the most part we have a thriving economy. Clearly, if you read his statement with some objectivity, he did not say that. We are fortunate that our state economy is not hurting as much as the economy of other states. But, obviously, we must do more.
Just be honest in your statements. In addition, whenever you attack Rep. Kren, a least remind your readers that you work for Byron Yankey’s campaign.
As for carrying water for anyone, Steve is a friend, and I will defend my friends from unfair attacks in any county or district in the state. In addition, I have owned a business in Canyon County now for almost 10 years, and care deeply about what happens in this community as well as my own legislative district.
Rep. Labrador
On a more positive note, I do enjoy your culinary blogs. Brick 29 Bistro is one of my favorite places to eat.
Well, it sounds like we’ll have to agree to disagree, it certainly sounds one way to me, and it sounds another way to you.
As for my work with Byron, yeah, I did design his website — that is and has always been noted on my disclosure page — now I just toss him my two cents every now and then, but I don’t “work” for his campaign.
Chris, I have to side with lap dog Labrador on this one. Rep Kern, in my opinion answered the question as a vision of the future and the portions you chose to pick up on were irrelevant misrepresentations. Rep Kern, with a few stumbles, pointed out the vision and the foundation (although a bit out dated) that it could be built on.
One of the interesting things in your post was the use of quoting every “uh” or “um” in relating the interview. Most mainstream print outlets use the three dot method to eliminate these momentary brain freezes and deliver the content of in a coherent way, as it was intended if not elucidated. If Rep Kern was a stutter would have include all the stutters?
No doubt Rep Kern would do a lot better by emulating Obama’s syntax. I always noted that Obama…. would pause… often in the middle of a thought… and deliver a thoughtful answer.
Oh, shit!! Obama is Capitan Kirk, reincarnated.