As far as criticism goes, the Idaho Legislature is an easy target. Especially this session, when so many Idahoans felt the Legislature needed to achieve big things, there is probably disappointment.
This legislative session did prove how tough it is to get things done — even in a state like Idaho where one political party holds most of the power.
When people talk about Idaho being a one-party state, the image that’s conjured up is of the Republican Party running with an agenda and ramming it down everyone’s throats.
The reality is much different, as evidenced by the difficulty that the 2015 Idaho Legislature had in getting things done.
The deep division within the Idaho GOP is the reason why the Republican Party cannot easily pass laws and achieve a vision for Idaho.
Idaho’s Legislature has three factions — a weak Democratic Party without much power and two dueling wings of the GOP.
There are the moderate, old guard Republicans, who are more flexible in their points of view, and the far-right conservatives, who are not afraid to vote against any bill that goes against their beliefs or could result in any more state spending.
The Idaho legislators we’ve talked to have said the far-right branch of the state’s GOP is actually growing in strength and has the ability to create enough gridlock to stop legislation in its tracks.
Before you gripe too much about these tea partyers, there is an obvious point — Idahoans vote these folks into office year after year, and apparently are sending more of them to Boise and not less.
When one considers the sort of civil war going on within the Republican Party, it’s amazing that the Idaho Legislature was able to accomplish anything during the session that ended early Saturday morning.
The legislative session began in January with big plans to increase funding for education and transportation, and to expand Medicaid so that tens of thousands of Idahoans could receive health coverage.
The Legislature came through in terms of education (increasing funding by 7.4 percent and raising teacher salaries) and did approve $94 million to improve the state’s roads and bridges (though that is well below covering the $262 million shortfall the Idaho Transportation Department says it faces each year).
But the Medicaid expansion never gained traction. And who knows what will happen with that issue, considering it’s tied to the health-care reform efforts of a U.S. president who’s very unpopular in Idaho.
A last-minute action by an Idaho House committee to not pass legislation that passed unanimously in the Idaho Senate to keep us in compliance with national child support laws may cost Idaho another $46 million.
During this session, the Legislature did, as usual, get sidetracked with some bills of lesser importance, such as the successful effort to name the Idaho Giant Salamander as the state’s official amphibian, and we all got to see the governor’s veto of the repeal of historical horse racing.
And it just wouldn’t be a session of the Idaho Legislature without a bill regarding abortion (the legislation that was signed into law bans women from receiving abortion-inducing drugs via telemedicine) or a bill to kill more wolves (another $400,000 was earmarked for that purpose) or legislation tackling something marijuana-related (after some major wavering, legislators passed a bill to legalize marijuana oil to treat children with epilepsy).
There are so many problems facing Idaho that expectations were high among many of us for our legislators to do something meaningful.
It seems our legislators are constantly trying to put out fires and do much more crisis-management than strategic planning.
When was the last time Idaho’s government ever looked to the future and mapped out a 10-year plan for where we should be?
It’s way past time to establish a vision for this state. Is Idaho going to be a haven for deadbeat dads; an oasis for people who don’t want to pay taxes; a place where the working poor have no chance at health coverage?
This latest legislative session seems to point in that direction — and it’s not encouraging.
(1) comment
The only statement I agree with is "it’s amazing that the Idaho Legislature was able to accomplish anything during the session"
This author is very biased and assuming that the problem is not the structure with One Party Rule, but because there are factions within the Majority Party that are "Extreme".
You say that Obama is unpopular in Idaho, I guess this author is one of them who thinks so.
You say that Obamacare is Unpopular even though 13 million Americans including many in Idaho, especially the low wage earners, and we have plenty of those, who finally have Affordable Health Care access.
You fail to mention the "Gap of Obamacare Affordable Health Care Insurance Coverage" the legislature and this "Not invented here" majority party is failing to implement where 77,000 Idahoans are locked out of the New Law, but if they moved to Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado or New Mexico, they could qualify for Affordable Health Care Insurance with Medicaid Expansion. Not enacting the law turns down fully funding and would reduce the cost of health care costs to the taxpayer $60 million or more to Idaho Tax Payers that well could be used to fund schools and build roads.
I understand all those states had beautiful Mountains, streams, and fishing, plus higher paying jobs.
Then there is the "Home Grown Indigent Hospital Collection Service burdened to the Counties" costing $30 million annually that the counties do not want but the Majority Legislature does not acknowledge.
The majority of the Representatives have an Ideology that appears to be "self serving". I imagine judging from the Rexburg Representative who justified not voting for the Child Support laws using "Sharia :Law" as a reason. What is wrong with this person? Is he. "Living under a rock, listening to Right Wing Radio?"
In the meantime, if the law is not fixed, deadbeat dads who cannot be garnished that will lead to their kids living with their X's going to bed hungry.
How about the underfunding of roads? Are you saying, ""that's the way it is" What will you feel like if a bridge collapses and one of your kids are killed? Will that wake the Majority party up?
You did not mention the Real ID act, Idaho is only one of seven states that have refused to enact the New Federal Law to identify people who are not Authorized, Undocumented, or Illegally in the Idaho and in our country.
The excuse given is Money and exaggerated at that. But there might be another reason, the 50,000 people who are in Idaho, unauthorized, who according to the Idaho Dairy Association (Huge) have 80% of the people working there who are illegally in Idaho. Probably very profitable, paid under the table, no Workman's Comp, no Social Security Collected or Medicare payroll taxes and easily abused and exploited.
I read where the Agriculture business is not fond of enforcing deportation immigration laws but back the Party that yells "Secure the Border" and refuse to implement Immigration reform.
No, the Dairy people especially the Corporations with 15,000 cows like it the way it is, more Profitable. I talked to farmer friend that said when ICE shows up or a raid is in the wind, the Farmer gathers up his "Unauthorized" and takes them to a hiding place. After all, it is more Profitable.
How about putting guns on College campuses that the Sheriff did not want and none of the College Presidents wanted? Payback to the NRA as to shield the Majority party from the fear of having their rating fall from an "A" to maybe a "C" four weeks before election in the NRA magazine whose sole mission is to sell guns and ammo. After all, it is profitable to intimidate the people running for re-election.
Can't this paper see what is going on or is it easier to "look the other way" like the Germans did in WWII when it came to the Concentration Camps.
I read the Larsen, Larson, Hoffman, Earl, and others who are "Conservative or Constitutional" with articles that probably originate from the Cato Institute, funded by the Koch Brothers, the Oligarchs who are demonizing our democracy so they can run the country from their board rooms. Some have moved here, bringing their flawed Ideology to my beloved State from places they have run away from but brought their baggage.
When you have a Majority party Legislature, who swing their hips, and stick their noses in the air when it comes to anything that gets in their way, that interferes "With their Business", you get what we got, Ineffective State Government.
I think that it is a bit Naïve to think that the problems we have in Idaho are strictly internal. Sorry, but lots of money Politically is flowing into Idaho, as to maintain the Red State Status. The result is we have people that are in Boise that are not qualified and self serving, kind of like a bunch of "Good Ol Boys" headed by a Governor who is a pretty good salesman smiling all the way to the bank.
You did not mention the shift from Property taxes to sales tax to fund schools which is absolutely irresponsible. I have lived in other states, paid 75% of my Property Taxes to schools and had no problem doing so, I had no kids at school or at home, but I felt it was the "Right thing to do". I think they have a term for it "Paying it Forward" I imagine the Majority Party and the Governor has never heard that expression judging from the reasons given not taking care of the needs of Idahoans, only interesting in how much taxes can be lowered on the Wealthy and large land owners, like the Governor.
As I talk to Grandparents, most tell me that their kids and grandkids are in some other state. Many graduated with a degree from ISU but could not find a job that was aligned with their education. If they are in Idaho, and want to stay, their education was a waste of time and money. An architect degree is not required to be a Fireman. Is that acceptable, does it have to be this way? I say no, just look around us, to adjacent states.
Idaho is not an Island, or surrounded by a moat. I hear "We have to maintain the Idaho Heritage" as if the only people who live here are born and raised here but in reality, Idaho and its resources are being exploited by some very clever Carpet Baggers.
I would venture to say, in the last 30 years, half of the People in Idaho moved here from other states. Most kids, if they wanted a high paying job, moved away but we have a Legislature who ignore the facts.
I certainly hope this author steps back, maybe get on a high mountain somewhere and Thinks about what the real problem is and why Idaho is not meeting the needs of its citizens, kids, schools and roads.
As far as why these types of People get in office, this paper, the regular articles Larsen, Larson, Hoffman, and others are spewing the Libertarian, demonizing government agencies like the friend of drinking water EPA, the IRS, the Democrats and the President has been affective. But I think, people are starting to be a bit more skeptical and that is encouraging. There is Hope.
The Corporate Controlled Radio stations who broadcast around the clock in Idaho, the Corporate line, and unfortunately, this last election the people who voted, mainly the over age 45 crowd, believe it what they see and here on local media..
We have "Cronyism" in Idaho and the only way we are going to fix it is to replace the Ideology of the present members of the Legislature who subscribe to it.
Those people we need are Not Republican. We need a balance of Government, not "Our Way or the Highway"
We need to get started now to give us a functional State legislature. One Party rule is not cutting it.
The sooner this author and those who "put them back in Office" realize this, the sooner the problems and challenges that need to be fixed, will be.
I remember before I moved away, there was a fellow named "Ing" who would probably be very sad at the state of affairs we have today in Idaho.
Democracy depends of Journalism, unbiased Journalism and critical Thinking and this author does not have it.
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