The end of another legislative session is almost upon us. Our GOP majority has presented a flurry of bills that could not even make it out of committee at the beginning of the session. The work they are doing is an effort to continue a culture war, a new definition of what it means to be a conservative political member. As voters, we should seek representatives with integrity, along with leaders who are willing to represent all.
We should know what to expect by now as each legislative session ends. It appears that our GOP majority is just waiting for people to stop paying attention. The past two weeks have brought so many bills, but none will help solve the problems that most Idahoans face. Bills focused on our libraries, sending back federal funds that feed our youth, and removing renter protections for Boise residents. Where are the bills addressing Idaho taxes, schools, or our dilapidated infrastructure?
The local GOP district cannot even agree on what conservatism looks like, recently calling representatives to a kangaroo court to answer for voting that does not align with their ever-changing platform. Recently, they used words like “dishonest” to describe a representative that chose to prioritize her constituents over extreme local party leadership. Additional examples include how they worked to remove their long-standing national committee man and the decision of a local Republican partisan to deceive voters by registering as a Democrat to get on the central committee in an effort to disrupt business.
We must remove the team sports mentality that has become the primary focus of the political arena. The lives and well-being of the next generation cannot stand on the us versus them approach. A candidate who can only vote based on one set of decision-making standards and a committee that punishes representatives for voting based on the interests of their constituents is working against our democratic system. The end goal for the majority GOP committee is to double down on the culture war and further divide voters.
Idaho politics has to stop being the price of admission for our public lands and outdoor adventures. Idaho voters deserve representatives who look at the issues and vote based on creating a better Idaho versus voting to avoid the subsequent tribunal. We should prioritize a person’s ability to represent their entire district with true integrity.
The upcoming primaries are really what decides the landscape of Idaho’s politics. Many of the candidates are hoping for the traditional low turn-out. It will solidify the candidates that are moved forward, reducing the options for the middle-of-the-road voters looking for actual change. We cannot afford to let the voting minority decide the future for the majority of Idaho. Take the time over the coming months to get to know the candidates that will be on our primary ballot, and, later, the general election ballot, and turn out to get the representatives we need to focus on the real issues that Idahoans face.
Dan Barker, Master of Human Resources Management, is a local Human Resources consultant and the vice chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.