ALLRED: He's a citizen energizer

Recently I had the pleasure of being chauffeur for Keith Allred for Governor of All Idaho. Over the day, he made speeches and had private conversations with more than 250 people in Kootenai County. What an amazing man! I watched a couple hundred people react to Keith. Many came in uncommitted. ALL left energized and enthused.

I confess to a jaded attitude about politicians and a recent "My Turn" by Dan Lyons reflected what many of us feel. How can we trust anyone running for public office?

I suggest you visit www.thecommoninterest.com. You will learn about a man who is well educated; Stanford undergraduate, UCLA Ph.D. taught conflict resolution at Harvard. As a consultant was hired by our government and the governments of other countries and many large corporations to work on difficult problems using his skills in conflict resolution. I had the feeling watching and conversing with Keith that justice was more important than ego. In his mid-40s he has already accomplished more than most of us.

He came home to Idaho to raise his family and created The Common Interest as a way to bring people into the decision making process of our legislators. He has a very successful track record and is widely respected. He has the support of Democrats, Republicans, some factions of the Tea Party, Labor and has garnered national attention in the Wall Street Journal and Associated Press.

He believes the model of "The Common Interest" can be used by a governor to overturn the hold special interests have on government.

Keith is campaigning not on empty promises but with a track record that supports the change he promises is possible.

SHIRLEY THAGARD

Hayden