I recently received a postcard in the mail declaring that gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred is "wrong for Idaho." The card was part of a mass mailing from a group called the Idaho Prosperity Fund and featured statements from the Honorable James E. Risch, Junior United States Senator for Idaho.
In his letter, Risch states that he can no longer stand by and watch "liberal Democrat Keith Allred" take Idaho down the same path as the leadership of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. Further, Risch is sure to tell us that although Allred promises a departure from "politics as usual" that we shouldn't buy it because Risch has "heard that one before." Readers of the postcard are eventually directed to a website where we can find out all about Allred's "real liberal agenda for Idaho."
Being the curious little bugger that I am, I took the bait.
What did I find?
Allred is really the spawn of the Great Satan Barack Obama and that if elected the liberal Democrat sleeper cells of Idaho will rise up and eat the brains of your unborn children whilst stealing money from your pockets through tax increases of Robin Hood-era proportions. Also Allred, a former Harvard professor, has apparently either taken or taught classes such as "Obamacare 101" and also attended the "Pelosi School of Business" though the website wasn't entirely clear.
In all fairness, the website should have simply read "Keith Allred: Oooga Booga!"
But what should we expect from the Idaho Republican Party?
The trend in Idaho politics seems to be driving anyone with a moderate bone in their body out of the party and replacing them with "purebred" candidates who are incapable of an original thought outside of the box set forth for them by the mother ship.
This makes perfect sense, of course, because the Idaho Legislature has become a hotbed of unfettered liberalism and Idaho is bending to the will of the federal government whenever possible. Only "true" Republicans will be able to fix this ever growing problem!
Give me a break!
I classify myself as a Republican (and have been drinking the GOP Kool-Aid since I was 12 years old) but it's even getting hard for me to believe that rhetoric.
The Legislature slashed massive amounts of money from the state budget in the last few years. One study I've read points out that Idaho government has decreased in size (based on total budget) by nearly 20 percent from where it was five years ago. Essential programs that care for our disabled and elderly keep getting cut yet the legislators continue to collect their salaries and every penny of their per diem granted during session.
And don't even get me started on the Legislature's mentality of "If we keep slashing the education budget, maybe they'll change the way they teach." Education is the golden nugget that every young Idahoan should have in their pocket. Simply teaching to the standard achievement test shouldn't be enough - we should be teaching to the level of the SAT or ACT tests in our primary and secondary classrooms.
Then, when those students graduate, we should provide them the opportunity to receive a first-rate education at one of our many state colleges or universities.
What frustrates me the most is we have, for the first time in a long time, an incredibly qualified individual running for our state's highest administrative office and yet he's painted as someone who can't be trusted to lead Idaho because he has Ph.D. behind his name.
Of course, in Idaho, anyone who is "edu-ma-cated" isn't qualified for higher office. God forbid we elect people who actually understand economics, education, budgeting or even the simple concept of paying their taxes on time.
It's time for all Idahoans to stand up and stop falling for the same antics both parties have used for years. Get educated about the candidates, attend forums, watch debates and don't believe the propaganda that shows up in your mail box.
If you don't, then don't expect a departure from Idaho's "politics as usual" during this election.
Henry D. Johnston lives in Moscow. He can be contacted at moscowmoderate@gmail.com.
