Categories
Opinions / Op-eds

Of Course We Can Afford More Tax Cuts

Republished, with permission, from the Idaho Freedom Foundation Three tax-cut bills — four, if you include an education tax credit bill — are before the Idaho Legislature. And yes, they are all affordable. A Little History Over the past five years, ongoing and one-time tax cuts have reduced the tax take by $4.6 billion, of […]

Categories
Opinions / Op-eds

The Pay Raise Fire Hose is Wide Open

Republished, with permission, from the Idaho Freedom Foundation Late last week, after several failed attempts, the Legislature’s Joint Finance Appropriation Committee (JFAC) set the state employee pay raise. Rather than a strict percentage, the pay raise, known as the Change in Employee Compensation (CEC), provides a $1.05 to $1.55 per hour increase range for most […]

Categories
Opinions / Op-eds

Idaho’s Proposed Social Studies Standards Embrace CRT

Republished, with permission, from the Idaho Freedom Foundation The Idaho Legislature will soon decide whether to approve the newly revised K-12 social studies standards (Standards) developed by the State Department of Education (SDE) over the past year. Last session, the Legislature adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 116, directing the SDE to create standards that emphasize the […]

Categories
Opinions / Op-eds

Idaho Protests Expose Trump Derangement Syndrome

What did we witness across Idaho this week? A parade of protests steeped in Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), spearheaded by the suspiciously active, far-left group 50501. Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls—it seemed like every town had protesters waving their accusatory signs and yelling about “democracy” and “justice.” For those of us paying attention, however, the […]

Categories
John Livingston

Warriors Not Firing Squads or All Possible Means

The weaponization of our legal system has led only to an increasing distrust of the American People of our Department of Justice (DOJ) and our Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). More importantly the American People’s trust in the “process of justice” has made the jobs of thousands of people at all levels of government who […]

Categories
John Livingston

The Price and Cost of Medicaid

After the last legislative session, a special task force was convened to explore how to save money in the Idaho Medicaid program. There are only three ways to save money in the Medicaid program: reduce the number of people on Medicaid, provide people with fewer services, and reduce payments to providers. After the 2024 session […]

Categories
Podcast

Conservative Coalition Pushes Back on Government Growth

A Conversation with Ron Nate & Tea Party Bob Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer Fiscal Reforms Face Federal Constraints Idaho legislators are advancing ambitious fiscal reforms amid growing concerns about federal dependency and ballooning state expenses, with particular focus on Medicaid expansion costs and tax relief measures totaling over $400 million. However, the state’s ability […]

Categories
Bob's Words of Wisdom

87% of Idahoans Want the Grocery Tax Repealed

I have concluded that our legislators have forgotten that they work for the people and here is why. In a recent survey, we find that “Eighty-Seven” percent of Idahoans want the Grocery Tax repealed, yet many of our legislators seem to think we are better off if we keep this tax. Idaho is one of […]

Categories
Podcast

Medicaid Expansion Education and Tax Reform

A Conversation with Rep. Josh Tanner (R-Dist. 14, Seat B) & Tea Party Bob Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer Fiscal Reforms Face Federal Constraints Idaho legislators are advancing ambitious fiscal reforms amid growing concerns about federal dependency and ballooning state expenses, with particular focus on Medicaid expansion costs and tax relief measures totaling over $400 […]

Categories
Opinions / Op-eds

Golden Age

We are on the cusp of either a Golden Age or ruin. Will we have the judgement and fortitude to make the right decisions? There is nothing in human experience that prepares us for the scale of a trillion. It may be intellectually comprehensible but we have no innate sense for how big a trillion […]

Categories
News

North Idaho Man Arrested for Possession of Child Sexual Exploitation Material

STATE OF IDAHOOFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERALRaúl R. Labrador [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested Nathanial Jensen (25) on Tuesday, February 11th, 2025, for (5) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material.    “Crimes that sexually exploit children are a cancer […]

Categories
News

Fulcher: I am Proud to Co-Lead the West Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01) and Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (UT-02) introduced the Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act. This legislation would repeal the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Conservation and Landscape Health final rule. “As a fourth-generation Idahoan, I am proud to co-lead the WEST Act,” said Congressman Fulcher. “This legislation defends the […]

Gem State Patriot News