“That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.” The Declaration of Independence In our Republican form of government, the people select those that will govern. Gerrymandering is where those that govern select the people. Since the Reapportionment Act of 1929 the number of […]
It has recently been reported in both the Wall Street Journal and on CBS/NBC/CNN and Fox News that teachers leaving Blue States like New York and California that apply for teaching jobs in Oklahoma will be required to take a Civics test. Having a basic understanding of civics and American History should be a requirement […]
The following article is the opinion of the author and not the Gem State Patriot Sometimes you eat the bear, and other times the bear eats you” That was a saying that was often times repeated by my father to his three sons as we were growing up. Another ritual in our family was that […]
A Conversation with IFF President Ron Nate & Tea Party Bob Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer Idaho’s Ballot Initiative Wars: When the Legislature Fails, Citizens Must Act The battle lines are drawn for Idaho’s 2026 ballot initiatives, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Two competing visions for Idaho’s future are emerging through the constitutional initiative […]
North Idaho is largely populated by good and friendly people. People who volunteer their time for civic and charitable causes. People you would want for neighbors. People who inspired the joke: “I was at the local hardware store and while I was searching for what I wanted, three different people asked if I needed assistance…. […]
As one of the Gem State’s top universities, Boise State brings a spotlight to Idaho. The Broncos’ run to the College Football Playoff last year electrified the nation, and students from around the globe come to Boise each year to study at this world-class institution. Yet all is not well in the halls of academia. […]
Dear Friends, This week, as Chairman of the Idaho Medal of Honor Commission, I had the honor of recognizing four law enforcement officers for extraordinary acts of courage at our 2025 Medal of Honor Ceremony. These officers risked their own lives to save others, going far beyond the call of duty. They join more than […]
BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador launched Operation Robocall Roundup, a multistate effort by the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country. Attorney General Labrador and a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general are sending warning letters to 37 voice providers demanding that they act now to stop illegal robocalls being […]
Precise and accurate words are required in order to have precise and accurate debates that are grounded in logic. If one side of a discussion is grounded in logic and reason, and the other side only offers emotion and feelings, there is little opportunity for agreement. After 150 years of failed ideas, socialists, communists, and […]
When I was 25 years old, I proudly served on the USS Virginia as a Junior Officer. Looking back now, 50 years later, it was one of the best years of my life. I qualified as Officer of The Day Underway, I was taught to sail by Master Chief Fred Wright, and probably most importantly, […]
Origins of Idaho’s Grocery Tax: Idaho had briefly experimented with a 2% sales tax (including on food) in 1935 to raise revenue, but that early tax proved hugely unpopular and was repealed in 1937. Idaho’s taxation of groceries is rooted in the state’s adoption of a general sales tax in the mid-1960s. While many assume […]
The adage amongst both conservative and progressive political operatives is that “politics follows culture”. That is often times stated as a fact without understanding the cause. When cultural changes create new demands on governments, before they react to the changes, it is incumbent upon serious people to examine the causes. Like GLOBAL WARMING, EVOLUTION, and […]