According to the Christian calendar, Christmas Day marks the end of Advent and the beginning of the 12-day Christmas season where “peace on earth” and “good will” are held up as real possibilities. Since this column will be published the day after Christmas, Read More
I’m tired of the opposition. Not tired of disagreement. Not tired of elections or civic debate. I’m tired of the fallout—the damage that has gone far beyond which party wins or loses at the ballot box. Many of us have watched longtime Read More
Politics isn’t abstract for most Idaho families—it shows up in the monthly budget, the medicine cabinet and the phone calls to health providers. Lawmakers’ choices about taxes, health credits and Medicaid funding determine whether a paycheck stretches to cover groceries, whether a Read More
Over the past few months, we have observed extensive and severe cuts to programs and agencies funded by the State of Idaho. These reductions have affected every state agency and program except K-12 education. Many of these programs will struggle to continue Read More
The center of this year’s mayoral race in Idaho Falls has been focused on growth—and the apartments that are popping up throughout our community. Behind the campaign slogans and sound bites, voters must ask a deeper question: what happens when we elect Read More
An often-heard comment in recent months is “I don’t feel safe.” Actual physical and emotional safety relates to a person’s perceptions and has little to do with objective reality. Our leaders intentionally foment fear as a way of controlling debate and manipulating Read More

