Letter to the Editor
I like many others enjoy sitting down and reading some of our east Idaho legislators' updates on what’s happened in the capital during the session, but the last few weeks I have finished reading them and can’t help feeling uneasy. Not because they’re lying to us, but because they share the wins they see without mentioning anything about the extremists that are attacking our rights. Don’t get me wrong, Idaho has had some incredible victories over the last couple of years, but we have also had near misses of both the good and the bad. So while I of course celebrate the victories big and small, we also must address the uneasiness of it all. For instance, the unprecedented ousting of the majority leader and holding the state budget hostage. And how we need to protect our children from Libraries, but not bullying or unsafe child labor tactics.
House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma was made an example this session in historic fashion by being ousted in a private caucus for opposing a budget scheme that departed from our decades-old process. This process consolidated power into the hands of a few people, many of which don’t represent you and I. These skeleton budgets that are being passed neglect critical investments in transportation, education, and so much more leaving us the citizens of Idaho hoping that they fulfill their promises to come back and finish the job. These historic moves in our legislature reek of everything we hate about Washington and leaves behind our core Idaho values.
Four Library Bills have failed to pass in the last three sessions to date with the Idaho Library Association stating there is more on the way. What was the purpose of these bills? To put a bounty on our libraries and librarians if a minor reads a book that is deemed harmful to them. While also discriminating against people of different races and the LGBTQ+ community. It’s always spun as a way to protect Idaho children from pornography a thing that is easy to access on the family computer, tablets and phones. After overwhelming testimony against all of these bills in committee and polling that says almost 70% of Idahoans have trust in public libraries and librarians the bill was sent to the floor. How could our legislators ignore the overwhelming majority of Idahoans? All under the guise of protecting Idaho’s children.
Unfortunately, protecting Idaho’s Children stops at library books. With the Idaho legislature failing to pass House Bill 539 a bill that would require schools to notify parents or guardians if their child has experienced bullying, and provide them with materials to keep them safe in times of emotional and possible physical distress. How can we justify trying to protect our children from books, but not bullies? It doesn’t stop there, Senate Bill 1300 aims to remove 5 different codes that prohibits child labor in the state. Not only would it allow children to hold physically demanding jobs, but it would allow them to do it during school hours! Why would legislators allow Idaho’s children’s education to suffer? It’s quite simple, to flood our job market with cheap labor. The same thing we deplore about third world countries around the globe.
With a full budget yet to be passed and the Idaho legislature looking more like Washington D.C. than Boise, and our current representatives focused on protecting our children from books and not bullies and child labor, I think a fair number of us do feel uneasy when we read about the little wins or the sugar coated version of Boise. While of course, we shouldn’t just look at the bad, we must look at our legislative process as a whole. This is how we keep freedom for all Idahoans, not just the extremist. That’s how we know who to vote for in this upcoming-crucial election year in Idaho.
By Joseph Messerly
Soda Springs
