Idaho’s rights and wallets are Under Attack
A Conversation with IFF President Ron Nate & Tea Party Bob
Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer
The Last-Minute Legislative Onslaught
As Idaho’s legislative session races toward adjournment, a troubling pattern has emerged that should concern every citizen who values freedom and fiscal responsibility. The final weeks of our legislative session have become predictable for all the wrong reasons – a mad rush of problematic bills, hasty budget approvals, and procedural manipulations that undermine transparency and deliberation.
Idaho Freedom Foundation President Ron Nate confirms what many watchdogs have observed: “If you want to see bad legislation get through, come to the last week or two of the session. That’s when they manipulate the system when legislators are tired and want to go home. It’s a formula, and they know it.”
First Amendment Under Siege By House Speaker Mike Moyle
Among the most concerning legislation rushing through in these final days are bills that directly threaten Idahoans’ First Amendment rights. Mike Moyle’s lobbying bill proposes a radical redefinition of what constitutes “lobbying” activity – expanding it to include what has traditionally been considered educational communication with citizens.
This isn’t just a technical change. Under this new definition, even a homeowners’ association sharing information about pending legislation with neighbors could be classified as “lobbying,” subjecting ordinary citizens to complex reporting requirements and regulatory oversight. The bill effectively blurs long-established distinctions between education, campaigning, and lobbying.
“It’s a violation of privacy and a violation of First Amendment rights,” Nate explains, noting that while professional organizations can navigate these rules, ordinary citizens will likely run afoul of regulations they never knew existed.
The Incumbency Protection Program
Another troubling bill from Okonowitz focuses on campaign finance, imposing extensive donor disclosure requirements that threaten privacy and free association. The legislation would force political organizations to trace donations back through multiple layers of contributors – what Nate aptly compares to “ancestry.com for political donations.”
The purpose behind such onerous requirements is transparent: “I call these the Incumbency Protection Program,” Nate observes. “They’re all bills designed so leadership doesn’t want to be challenged in elections, and if they are challenged, they want to attack their enemies.”
These bills receive dismal ratings on the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Freedom Index: the lobbying bill scores -3, the campaign finance bill -5, and Moyle’s bill a concerning -6. According to Nate, they represent “three of the worst bills of the whole session” when evaluated against constitutional principles.
Budget Shenanigans and Fiscal Irresponsibility
The legislature’s approach to budgeting reveals a similar pattern of rushed decision-making and questionable priorities. With 24 agency budget bills printed in a single week, legislators have been pressured to approve spending without adequate review.
“Legislators in back meetings are being encouraged to vote yes because if they kill these budget bills, they’re going to be there longer,” Nate reports. “So ‘vote yes so we can all go home’ is the messaging.”
This pressure came to a head recently when Senate leadership attempted to limit debate on budget bills to just 90 seconds. Conservative senators like Cole, Zeiderveld, and Zitto pushed back against this maneuver, ultimately forcing an adjournment before votes could be taken.
Tax Cuts vs. Government Growth: The Real Numbers
While the legislature touts $400 million in tax cuts as historic relief for Idahoans, the reality is far less impressive when viewed in context. This represents just 2.8% of Idaho’s $14.4 billion state budget, and as Nate points out, “that’s not a cut necessarily – they’re still going to spend up 14.4 billion.”
Meanwhile, legislators themselves received $5,087 pay raises while the average Idaho family will see only $567 in tax relief. “Who’s the legislature taking care of?” Nate asks. “Themselves and government agencies.”
The Education System Crisis
Beyond legislative concerns, our education system faces serious challenges from ideological infiltration. Even in rural communities like Salmon, Idaho, controversies have erupted over pride flags in classrooms and students reportedly being penalized for expressing conservative viewpoints.
The root of this problem extends to how educators are trained. “You want to be a teacher, you go to college, you listen to your liberal professors, you learn the woke ideology, you become a woke teacher,” Nate explains. “And then we’re surprised when our public schools have become woke and liberal.”
Despite these concerns, meaningful school choice initiatives remain woefully underfunded at just $50 million compared to education spending exceeding $3 billion.
Reclaiming Our Constitutional Foundation
The fundamental issue underlying these legislative and educational failures is a departure from our constitutional principles. America’s greatness stems not from government but from the recognition of natural, God-given rights that pre-exist any government action.
“The First Amendment was a declaration of the people that those rights that we already possess shall not be infringed by our government,” Nate emphasizes. “We have these rights, and this Bill of Rights recognizes them and limits government from infringing on them.”
A Call for Vigilance
As Idaho’s legislative session concludes, citizens must remain vigilant. Watch the proceedings online, contact your legislators, and hold them accountable for protecting both your rights and your wallet.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation continues to serve as a critical watchdog during these final days. Their message is clear: “Don’t spend up all the money and then ask me for more, and don’t be infringing on my rights.”
Idaho stands as a beacon of freedom, but maintaining this status requires active citizen engagement – especially during these dangerous end-of-session days when rights and tax dollars are most at risk.
