A few months ago, I wrote making a case for California refugees seeking asylum in Idaho. To date, everyone I have met moving here seems to fear the same things we do, that Idaho will become like California. Some could say they are all conservative and it seems to be true but I have come to detest the term because no one seems to be able to define it, so I try not to use it.
Since that time however it has occurred to me we may have a different problem more than just the issues relating to mere migration. I guess I knew it back then but this time I felt like writing about it. The problem isn't so much Californian's moving here that is the problem, the problem lays in their lack of understanding of Idaho politics so I guess in a way, it is the same thing but different.
Another election cycle is upon us and people are already scrambling to support their candidate and wouldn't you know it, the claws are already coming out as well. If you don't vote for someone else's candidate you are now mud. Another way to further divide a people. I am a firm believer that although people think politics is a dirty business, it really doesn't need to be if we were just honest with each other.
What I mean to say is this... Every election year there are those that have been in the trenches working hard to restore liberty to Idaho and every year, there are those that either seem to come out of nowhere that claim they want to do the same thing or there are those that have been entrenched that wish to just maintain control of the party and expand state government. Do you know how to tell the difference or do you just think you do?
Are you new to Idaho politics? If you are, you should be both commended and extremely cautious. Are you new to Idaho but politically think you are politically savvy? In both cases you should be as cautious as an Inlander new to the ocean because there is much that you cannot see at first until you have taken the time to understand the mechanisms. You may think you know it all but you really don't or maybe it is me that is the fool and I guess only time will tell.
Are you a proud military vet or have a long history in law enforcement? Maybe you worked for a federal alphabet agency or maybe you even have a degree in political analytics? Do any of these qualify you to understand Idaho politics? In my view, not at all. How do I know this to be true? Simple and in no way out of disrespect, I will explain...Again, I mean absolutely no disrespect.
How many vets understand the Constitution? How many of those retired from law enforcement understand it? How many college graduates with degrees in Poly-Sci understand it? How many of all of these people, if they are new to Idaho understand all of the moving parts regarding Idaho politics, and how many will make good decisions and how many just think they do or will? How will their decisions affect the rest of us?
There are indeed many people moving here. Several have come here and become politically active which is something I highly encouraged but if they do not understand what they do not know, could they be advocating for the cause in a detrimental way? I believe they not only can but will.
Most recently, as we seem to be getting ready to repeat our mistakes once more, there are several highly motivated people that have been in our liberty movement for a very short time. They have become quite well known, successful at event planning and have become trusted in the movement. Since most people are followers and not leaders, these followers are always looking for someone they trust to follow and I believe it is so they don't have to do their homework regarding candidates or bills or elections. The fact that they make bad choices are proof of that fact.
Although these certain people may have honorable intentions and may be honorable people, if the end result is detrimental to liberty isn't it the same as supporting the anti-liberty movement?
As long as I have been in politics, I have seen many of the same things that give me huge red flags. In many cases, I am unable to tell anyone that asks me what they are. I guess I call them educated, experienced gut instincts. Now while many would be quick to disregard such an answer, it doesn't mean my instincts are wrong and to be honest, I don't see that they have been.
If I had to give a recent instance, besides watching Romney's election and since people's memory is short due to being constantly overwhelmed, I would look at Tommy Alquist's campaign. Tommy appeared to come out of nowhere and was highly funded. It seems that Tommy's campaign was a freight train that couldn't be stopped and it appeared to have more corporate money than I had seen in my memory. I watched and listened to what he said, who was funding him, who his other supporters were and was convicted he was a bad move long before it seemed others did. Then it was confirmed by either the culmination of all things or just by one statement he kept making: "I am not an Insider." That was it for me. I knew then, he was. No one that is not an insider would need to tell anyone on the outside they are not an insider. Tommy as it turns out after the fact was what I thought he was...an insider and many didn't even see it until after the election.
As I looked back into other local elections, I saw similarities in strategy as well. The GOP establishment, as well funded as it is, finds people to run to split the vote so their candidate can win. This is no secret really, the Idaho GOP even openly admits to fund the candidates of their choice that "best fit Republican Principles" (not necessarily the Principles of Liberty) and it was clear every year this is how they operate. Why would Gubernatorial elections be any different? After all, the Idaho GOP openly hates liberty people and they openly even write about it in our local papers...and they even hated Trump until they realized it would political suicide not to support him. It is also no secret that the Idaho GOP hates liberty candidates and they always work to get them unelected. In the case I speak of at this time, I believe Lt. Gov. Janice Mcgeachin's head is on the proverbial political chopping block and they will do anything to get rid of her. The question you should seriously be asking is if you would support a relatively unknown, well funded, well spoken candidate running against her knowing what she already clearly stands for?
What few outside of the liberty movement don't understand that reveals who they are above all is one thing...We have an unwritten, unspoken code if you will. No one I know that has been in this movement and earned our trust would ever run against another liberty candidate unless liberty wasn't their primary concern. I personally and others like me would rather get behind our candidate and garner more support for them than to run against them and split the vote. I guess in this light alone, it is pretty simple to see Idaho politics in action and even easier to make a decision. People I know are not about ego, we are not about elevation in power, we are only interested in making us free again.
In my view the GOP doesn't run candidates to restore liberty and reduce the size and control of government, it runs with the express purpose of maintaining Republican control and growing the size and control of government. The Idaho GOP even has its elites that are huge donors to the party and word is that if the party didn't do the bidding of the elites, they would lose control altogether.
Sound familiar? The same thing is happening federally as well as globally and many still follow in blind ignorant arrogance to our demise.
All that being said, although I hate traffic, increased taxes, increased frustration, congestion and people everywhere, I do understand the need for others to leave oppressive states and countries to come here. Many of us came a long time ago for the same reasons. The problem again isn't them moving here so much as what they know and how active they are when they get here. We need to be cognizant of all of the things working to subvert our state and without that knowledge, it will become even more oppressive. We need to understand the Principles of Freedom, we need to understand and have reverence for our Constitution, a firm understanding of God and His Principles and Natural Law. We need to understand that every state and country has its own way of controlling people and of course ignorance has consequences. As we encourage others to become active or they become active on their own, they should have an open mind, humility and have the willingness to learn from others about what each state faces as far as the mechanisms working against freedom and who they are. If we would rather in our own arrogance think we understand and out of ego are unable to capitulate when we are in error, we are aiding in our own destruction.
UPDATE: I did meet with a friend relatively new to Idaho and she offered a perspective I hadn't thought of or that I failed to include in this post. Her perspective was asking me if I ever considered that the new people getting involved here now were because they see that what we are doing isn't enough. I told her she was right in that there are not enough people getting involved which is one problem but to some degree my concern is that those that are could arguably and inadvertently by default be working for the opposite side because they are unaware of their lack of understanding of Idaho Politics. Education without action leads to frustration and action without education leads to unintended consequences no matter where your heart is on the matter.
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