The way we have voted for people who hold public office in our country has changed many times over the past 246 years, since the signing of our Great Declaration of Independence. Our form of government changed from a “Confederation of States” under the Articles of Confederation—which had a unicameral legislature and a very weak […]
My wife and I have been “Parrot Heads” our entire adult lives. When news of Jimmy Buffett’s passing on Sept 1st was announced, we were saddened, but we both smiled. We didn’t embrace his implied endorsement for MJH, but we did embrace his joy and love of life. His music crossed over from jazz to […]
(Abuse does not Negate Use) I have received many e-mails after my last Gem State Patriot article about government corruption. I again state that a corrupt act may or may not be illegal. The danger is when the act benefits a politician, or an enterprise doing business with the government. A developer asking for a […]
I have had to change this article at the last minute because the great victory that the preserve plantation legal team and our neighbors had anticipated for today was delayed for a few months and clutched from our outstretched hands by the pen of the Garden City Mayor and The Garden City Attorney. Both have […]
The Idaho Republican Party is broken. There seems to be two factions within the party that have for years been at odds with each other not only with regards to political philosophy, but also regarding issues of values and accountability. In a State that is 70% Republican, factions within the Republican Party in Idaho would […]
My family and I belonged for many years to St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Portsmouth Virginia. Founded in 1804. The Gothic structure survived fires, battles from two wars (1812 and our Civil War), provided sanctuary for slaves seeking their freedom, and served as a hospital in both the War of 1812 and the Civil War. […]
There are many words that I believe can be used to describe the way that (st.) Luke’s is acting in their treatment of Mr. Ammon Bundy. I believe Mr. Bundy has made mistakes both in his actions that initiated legal proceedings against him, and on several occasions in the way he has disrespected the court—especially […]
The idea that an organized legitimate political opposition to an existing elected government did not exist until our Constitutional Republican form of government emerged from the chaos of The Articles of Confederation. Beginning as early as 1790, before political parties had even come into being, the political landscape was littered with contentious and frequently violent […]
Columnist—Communication Specialist—Journalist—Reporter—Propagandist—Pamphleteer—Pundit—Public Relations Operative—Contemporary Historian—Political Consultant These are all names for people who tell a story. The problem for the everyday citizen is not only to discern the veracity of a story, but also to try to identify the ulterior motives of those who tell the story. And the same story can be told, and […]
For over 250 years in our country the moral, ethical and legal predicate that underlies our legal system stood on Natural Law and Biblical principles that were well known to the everyday citizen. These were taught to our children from their earliest years in elementary school through college and even professional schools. Today many in […]
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.” ~ Bary Goldwater Many know of this well-known quote from Barry Goldwater at the 1964 Republican Convention, but few remember Malcolm X’s arguing in its defense at Oxford University five months later. Extremism is in the eye of the […]
Lynn and I spent the better part of last Thursday at the Canyon County Fair. That county fair must be one of the best run county fairs in the country. Like the Snake River Stampede and The Caldwell Night Rodeo, these events are a celebration of life and lifestyles in Idaho. The high school Future […]