By: Joe Wolverton, II
Date: 2011-06-09
In a letter proudly publicized on a state-sponsored website, Idaho Governor Butch Otter (left, a Republican) describes a program designed to “grow Idaho's Gross Domestic Product” by creating “quality jobs for all Idahoans by fostering systemic growth, recruiting new companies to Idaho, and selling Idaho's trade and investment opportunities to the world.” The following is from Governor Otter’s announcement of the plan known as Project 60.
Project 60 is just a name. But it stands for a goal, and a way of getting there.
 It means more than some abstract concept for increasing our gross  domestic product. It means jobs and opportunity, hope and independence  for the people of Idaho. That’s what I want you to think about when you  hear about Project 60. This is an initiative in which we all need to be  involved, to build Idaho’s economy together in a way that strengthens  our businesses, people and communities.
No state or local agency, no government of any kind can successfully  tackle this kind of goal alone. Project 60 belongs to all of us and it  needs all of us to be champions of this effort. Today, I invite you to  be a Project 60 Partner. This Web site is built for you to participate  in the process.
Consider this “home base” for Project 60. This is where you will have  the chance to offer “Top-to-Top” help in our efforts to recruit new and  expanding businesses to Idaho, the chance to tell us about networking  opportunities with your vendors and customers in other states, and the  chance to become an ambassador for Idaho’s future. I want you to tell us  about your own success stories and offer us tips and advice about what  it takes to thrive in business here.
That brief introduction should be memorized by students trying to learn  the craft of political speechifying. There is in Governor Otter’s  letter nothing of substance, plenty of weasel words, and an  extraordinary display of misdirection all designed to lull the citizens  of the sovereign state of Idaho into a stupor while their state is sold  to the Chinese.
 
