Idahoans are not attending the polls this November expecting an upset about who Idaho will elect as President. However, now more than ever, every Idahoan should register and vote in the upcoming election. The voices of Idaho citizens will shape the next four years. President Joe Biden has been a loyal civil servant, providing an example that all candidates and elected officials can heed.
Local officials like Attorney General Labrador could learn a thing or two. His grandstanding in the courts is exhibit A in an effort to go against what the people of Idaho want. Recently, Attorney General Labrador refiled a case thrown out to push back against a certified petition process. It’s not just at the top, though. Locally, Idaho Falls has seen a couple of cases involving school bonds. These cases cost taxpayers a lot of money and subvert the principles underling representative democracy.
No voice should be able to disrupt the separation of powers within our government. When the most substantial bipartisan immigration bill ever can be crushed by the election hopes of a citizen, there is an obvious imbalance. Continued grandstanding as they bend the knee to former president Trump has been the position Idaho’s government officials. Governor Little sent our National Guard to the Texas border but has yet to deploy them to help support Idaho’s fire season. We need elected officials who want to represent and support Idaho, protecting all our resources.
We need elected officials who uphold democracy. President Biden acknowledged where he was in the process and listened to the voices of his constituents. Elected officials who are only in it for their gain or to support their cronies shouldn’t have such an influence over our political process. The individuals who surround and support these individuals are working toward minority rule as they tear down democracy.
In recent years, our elected officials have made decisions that cater to the will of an extremist minority. School vouchers are a prime example. In other states, they’ve bankrupted public schools and supported the creation of haves and have-nots that especially impact rural schools. Idaho won’t fare any better than these other states. This past session, our elected officials decided not to fund lunches for Idaho’s less fortunate children. Instead, our elected officials have decided to double down on a pointless culture war with bills focused on libraries and cannibalism.
The job description changes each election cycle. However, the people should set the agenda and the pace. We cannot allow a small group of extremist and third-party interests to have the driving influence. Voters must support and back candidates that will forward freedom and uphold our representative form of democracy. We cannot continue to allow small groups to destroy our ability to come together and make decisions as a community. We need representatives who understand that they must represent the people once elected. It is time for all Idahoans to show up and be counted by placing their vote toward candidates—at all levels of government—who will build up Idaho.
Dan Barker, Master of Human Resources Management, is a local professional and management consultant. He is the chair of Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.