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John Livingston

Where Does Woke Come From?

The central preoccupation and conversation in our society today, in politics, in economics, and in religion and culture is centering around the idea of “Wokeness”. Many disciplines are claiming responsibility for introducing “woke” concepts into the worlds of law, business, academia, and our everyday social interactions. This idea did not just spring up “de novo” […]

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Bob's Words of Wisdom

Americans Aborted 63 Million Babies

Now we have Congressmen who want to replace them with Illegals You can’t make this stuff up: Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee said, “We need immigrants in this country,” “Our vegetables would rot in the ground if they weren’t being picked by many immigrants — many illegal immigrants. The […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

Presidential Caucus Fact Check

“I’m a lifetime Republican and I’m really worried I won’t be able to participate in the Presidential Caucus” said Jim, an 89-year-old combat veteran during a call with Idaho GOP Chairman Dorothy Moon. Jim called the state party headquarters after reading Sandy Patano’s “Opinion: Idaho GOP’s Presidential Caucus confusion,” an Op-ed full of misleading information, […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

A Vision of Freedom for the Future of Idaho

During the COVID years, the State of Idaho accepted $22.9 billion of federal money, including billions of dollars of Federal American Rescue Plan money. The legislature outright admitted in the bill that “ARPA funds are borrowed from our grandchildren.” Idaho is now channeling these funds into substantial new government programs while offering very little tax […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

In response to the Governor’s State of the State Address

Like many of you, I watched Governor Brad Little’s State of the State address this afternoon hoping to hear him promote smaller government and fiscal responsibility, values that conservative Republicans hold dear. I regret to say that I was left mostly disappointed. Governor Little began his speech with how Idaho has become one of the […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

The Idaho GOP is Growing, as Conservative Idahoans Embrace Message of Faith, Family, and Freedom

The Idaho Republican Party held its 2024 Winter Meeting last weekend at Harvest Church in Meridian. I am proud to say it was one of the best run meetings I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending. The Rules and Resolutions Committees worked hard into Friday night, and their work paid off when the State Central […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

History Reimagined

In 2021, concern was raised about the Idaho K-12 Civics and U.S. History standards, adopted in 2016. “Lack of specificity is both cause and consequence of a more general lack of rigor” (whatever that means). However, “Enormously broad injunctions and thin, disjointed, thematically scattered content” does describe one defect of these standards. In December, 2023, […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

Supreme Court Intervenes to Allow Idaho to Enforce Pro-Life Law

Dear Friends, I want to share some great news. Last Friday, I was informed the Supreme Court accepted our emergency application and stayed the erroneous ruling from the Ninth Circuit on Idaho’s criminal abortion law in Idaho v. United States of America. In addition, SCOTUS is also granting an uncommon writ of certiorari, taking the […]

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John Livingston

The Concentration of Power

Before I begin my discussion about the ever-increasing concentration of power into government bureaucracies at all levels, let me say that I have tremendous admiration and respect for people who put themselves and their families on the line to run for public office, and if elected serve, many times sitting at endless meetings and briefings […]

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John Livingston

Leadership

Arguments of the extreme have been the tool of the progressive movement since the early part of the twentieth century. Both Democratic and Republican progressives have painted conservatives in a corner. The progressive arguments have always been theoretical. They are never empiric. They claim the moral high ground without ever establishing a moral predicate. Such […]

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Bob's Words of Wisdom

What Surprises will this year’s Legislative Session bring?

I’m sure most Idahoans will be curious to see just our legislators have in store for us in 2024. Maybe some tax cuts? Don’t count on it. One thing is for sure since it is an election year, we actually might see some kowtowing to the voters who elected our NOT-so-conservative Senate and Somewhat conservative […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

The Business of Politics

The most powerful lobbying agency in Idaho is unknown to most Idaho voters. This organization wields enormous power and influence over every state elected official. How do we know this? None of them will openly criticize, or even talk about it. In 1974 the Idaho State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Idaho […]

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