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Boise is really hitting the voucher issue hard this session. Vouchers, along with Medicaid expansion repeal, tax reductions (mostly for the rich) and the abolishment of our precious right to ballot initiatives are ALL on the table. Involved Idahoans forced back the first attempt at Medicaid expansion repeal this session. We’ll see it again. Count on it. And we’ll fight them again.

I can’t stress strongly enough to everyone reading this, that it is crucial for you to contact your legislators on these issues. When you stay quiet, they assume you agree with them. Call them, email them and write letters to the editors of Idaho newspapers. Make your voices heard!

Remember: Silence is the ally of government “bad actors”.

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Thank you Jim Jones for once again informing all Idahoans on the real players in the game!

I truly am astounded that the Idaho GOP ignores what Idahoans want from their Idaho Legislature, Instead, the GOP attacks our constitutional rights by attempting to mandate that Idaho tax payers subsidize private school tuition for the chosen few or by suggesting that our constitutional right to ballot initiatives is a problem for them. Perhaps the GOP should consider that whenever they wish to bypass or override our constitutional rights they put it to a vote in the 2026 election. Let all Idahoans have a say in our future!

My understanding is that the adopted Blaine Amendment in our Constitution was originally intended to deny funding to parochial schools, specifically Catholic Schools because of the large immigrant populations attending Catholic Churches around the country. Just a bit ironic that now we have the Catholic Church in Idaho as one of the biggest lobbyists for funding their schools our tax dollars. I spent 10 years in Catholic Schools being taught by nuns--Franciscan Sisters (elementary) or Sisters of Mercy (high school) and my folks paid for all of our schooling while we attended.

All of us living in Idaho should have an expectation that each winter as the Legislature hits town that they come together to find solutions to the needs and issues that Idahoans struggle with on a daily basis. We don't need them to pander to billionaires or carry out personal grudges against life-saving measures.

And we might wish to pause and take note when someone who has lived in the State for very few years benefits from "dark money" and beats out intelligent and experienced politicians in our House and Senate...from either party.

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