In case you missed it, a few weeks ago Butch Otter backed the selling of Idaho land to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief. Certainnly everyone feels empathy for those who suffered the wrath of Katrina, and we all want to do our part to help out. But most Idaho residents (myself included) found the whole notion of selling our land to be absurd and wrongheaded. It’s not like selling cookies or lemonaid. Once that land is gone, we’re not going to get it back. Maybe if Idaho was a wasteland of desert and nuclear dumpsites, but it’s not. It’s a beautiful state; the Rocky Mountains rip right through it, and it’s chocked full of sprawling farmlands, wild forests and majestic lakes. Our land is what makes Idaho great. Without it, we’re just “that state that makes potatos.”

Well, it seems the voices of Idahoans were finally heard, and Otter changed his mind.

But that’s not the remarkable thing. What’s really remarkable is that Otter is a Republican.

If you’re a Democrat, you’re used to seeing people change their minds, and you’re probably used to changing your mind as well. That’s what thinking people do when new information enters their brain. They’re constantly analyzing the situation, and making changes to earlier beliefs and decisions if the new information merits such change.

The sad part is, whenever a Democrat/Liberal changes their mind, the Republicans immediately begin attacking them, calling them ‘Flip Floppers’. If you don’t recall that attack on John Kerry during the last presidential election, you either (a) weren’t born yet or (b) lived in a cave (no offense to any Cave Men, you have your hands full with Geiko).

Republicans can’t change their mind. That’s the rule. It goes against the bylaws. It’s against The Code. Just ask George W. Bush.

So it’s astonishing when a Republican leader finally does admit to changing his mind. Even Jerry Brady, Otter’s Democratic opposition, couldn’t believe it. This taken from an AP article:

In this case, he said, his critics — chiefly Jerry Brady, his Democratic opponent for governor and a former eastern Idaho newspaper publisher — are “correct that this bill is not the right approach.”

Informed of Otter’s reversal on the land-sale bill, Brady replied: “I’ll be damned.”

“I’ll be damned.”

That about says it all.

For the record, I’m glad to see Otter change his mind. And you’ll get no “Flip-Flopper” attacks from me. Intelligence ruled the day here. I just wonder if the Republican leadership is going to strip Otter of his club membership now that he’s shown the capacity to use his brain and reasoning skills. Or maybe they’ll just give him a lobotomy and call it good.