What do you think is the purpose of a political party? A continued diatribe against the Democrats is the tantrum it appears to be. And if you’re trying to sit in “the middle,” you’re probably supporting the extreme right more than you think. Idaho’s super majority needs the focus to remain where it is for their continued success in creating a state that serves a select few. All action builds and compounds; stop minimizing the impact of a protest or attending a town hall.
A political party offers representation at its base—a place where people can come knowing that there are like-minded ideas. Like-mindedness allows a group of people to move quickly into a productive stage for things like candidate recruitment, voter education, and appointment leadership among elected officials. Political parties can also check opposing party leadership by opposing and offering alternative policies.
There is a bitterness campaign being driven towards the Idaho Democrats. Some of these individuals have even been directly involved in that effort in the past. It is not the vote for Trump that anyone should be focused on. It is the dissatisfaction with the results of that vote. The change we need will only come from dissatisfaction and more people getting involved.
This current state of affairs did not creep up on us. The Idaho GOP has held their supermajority for over 30 years. Citizens have been trying to push through the crowd with efforts like Medicaid expansion and school funding through ballot initiatives because elected representatives will not listen to our voices. When Governor Little signs a bill when the majority voice a no, it is nothing new. Governor Little has been using the same playbook that has been adopted for years.
The unaffiliated voters lean more to the left and right than its members like to think. However, it’s wishful thinking to think that unaffiliated voters are not heavily right-leaning. Of course, this is all based on voting and depending on the elected majority. The heavier truth about unaffiliated voters is that they don’t vote as often as partisans, especially in primary elections. Remember that action in a political party comes from representation and leadership.
Minimizing the effort of a protest, sign-holding, or attending a community meeting only adds fuel to the GOP. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in. It takes time and commitment. These efforts are mightier than they seem. When combined, they compound to bring more to the front and drive a message that goes beyond the media types we have begun to ignore.
Stop with the bitter rants, which only help the narrative of the opposing GOP. Stop assuming that ignoring it or not being involved makes you exempt. The awareness of what will happen is now staring us all in the face. Instead of allowing injustice and false narratives, be someone who helps drive truth and fights to win back the rights that have been stripped away.
Dan Barker, Master of Human Resource Management, is a leadership consultant and the chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.