The state of Idaho is remembered in its past for having had a couple of outstanding Senators (Republican William Borah and Democrat Frank Church), and a conservationist minded Governor who became an exceptional Secretary of the Interior under President Jimmy Carter (Cecil Andrus).
But Idaho, otherwise, is primarily recalled as the home of the Idaho Potato and of a number of white supremacist, racist groups, who feel comfortable in a state with a very small percentage of minorities!
Idaho has moved now to the Lunatic Right, if one examines the Republican state convention’s actions and resolutions!:(
The GOP wants to return to the right of nullification, which John C. Calhoun of South Carolina advocated, almost caused civil war under Andrew Jackson in the 1830s, and was a factor in the Civil War in the 1860s! Supposedly, nullification died as a result of the Union victory in that war, but suddenly it has reared its ugly head again!:(
The state convention also called for the repeal of the direct election of Senators, a democratizing idea that became part of the Constitution in 1913, but which now is opposed by the Tea Party elements who dominate that state’s GOP, just as in Utah a month ago. So the state legislatures should again control the Senate, even though the state corruption level and corporate control was endemic at the time! Is this progress toward the people having the final say on their Senators? The answer is obvious! 🙁
Additionally, the Republican party calls for retaking national parks and other public lands back from the US government, reversing what Theodore Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, Cecil Andrus and other environmentalists spent their public life promoting! How that is to be done is not made clear! 🙁
Idaho Republicans want to promote the full enforcement of the Tenth Amendment with emphasis on state sovereignty being dominant, as if the state is an independent entity, which it is not, under our Constitution! 🙁
Really bringing back the 19th century, another proposal is to promote “hard money”, the use of gold and silver, instead of paper money, as the legal tender utilized by Idaho citizens! This is truly a loony idea, with no means of enforcement!
Socially, Idaho Republicans want to promote traditional marriage, but specifically say that transgender individuals should also not be allowed to marry, thereby failing to recognize the reality of some people being born in a way that no one would wish on their worst enemy! Is there a need to discriminate against such individuals? 🙁
Idaho Republicans are going the way of states including Arizona, Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and South Carolina–putting all these states on a short list of states that are moving toward the lunatic fringe! 🙁
The intelligent citizens of these states need to speak up and to defend the good name of their states, as the GOP is certainly NOT doing so, instead inviting ridicule! 🙁