By Mike Weland, Publisher
“The 2024 legislative session starts this Monday!” an Idaho Freedom Caucus email blared Saturday under the telling headline, “2024 Idaho Legislative Session: Tune Out Biased Media, Tune into Trusted Voices.” I run it not for its cackle-inducing unintended humor, but as a heads-up alert to the sensible that the silliness of the radical faction that rose unexpectedly and incompetently to power under the MAGA banner is still rampant. That their smug and righteous are still at it and still posing an existential threat to our government and our constitution.
A good rule of thumb in these interesting times; if it has the words “freedom,” “patriot” or “conservative” in its name, on their signs, hats or T-shirts or high up in their brochures, you can be certain you’re dealing with an entity or organization antithetical and inimical to anything the true definitions those high words embody.
“Idaho Freedom Caucus members have been working hard, drafting bills to protect the freedoms and liberties we hold dear in Idaho,” the email continues. I’ll step aside here and let the freedom-patriots tell it, and chime in at the end with my own humble observations.
If this is your first Idaho legislative session, be ready for a fast-paced environment where bills are rapidly introduced, debated, and voted upon. The biased legacy media will churn out a lot of noise that distorts the truth, so expect many distractions in the months ahead. To help you navigate this information overload, we’ve compiled a list of trustworthy sources that provide honest insight into Idaho politics.
Brian Almon has a reputation for thorough and even-handed commentary about Idaho politics and local issues. If you want to know who is funding attack ads on conservative legislators, the backstory behind the latest controversy, or the inside baseball of the Idaho Republican Party, we recommend you subscribe to his daily posts at Gem State Substack.
Regular columns by Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon are an excellent source of information about party business and ongoing issues related to freedom and liberty.
Finally, stay connected with Freedom Caucus members by following and subscribing to their newsletters. Each of them brings you the latest insights and updates on their commitment to Idaho and its conservative values:
Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld represents Twin Falls and is deeply committed to government transparency. Her Substack delivers unvarnished truths to her constituents and the entire state, regardless of who tries to shut her down. The fact her words have provoked strong reactions from many leftists proves she’s hitting the mark!
Nampa Senator Brian Lenney’s truth-telling has raised the ire of Idaho’s political establishment. He refuses to let corporate media distort his message, offering straightforward insights on issues important to Idahoans. His Substack is a must-read for all Idaho conservatives.
Cindy Carlson’s substack, “All In For Idaho,” perfectly describes her work as a state senator. She is devoted to protecting Idaho families and will always provide a candid account of the happenings at the Capitol.
We also recommend you sign up for newsletters by Sen. Scott Herndon, Sen. Tammy Nichols, and Rep. Heather Scott. They consistently deliver detailed and informative legislative updates.
These newsletters are a great way to stay informed while bypassing the legacy media gatekeepers. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Idaho political establishment doesn’t want you to read any of these, which is all the more reason to subscribe. Nothing scares a political machine more than an informed voter.
Be sure to subscribe and share the Idaho Freedom Caucus Substack, too! We will keep you updated about important issues and events during the legislative session. Stay tuned for a big announcement about our legislative priorities next week!
I’m back and dear me, ladies and gents, I am agog for that big announcement about their legislative priorities, let me tell you! Whoo, boy howdy!
Just kidding, I’m not. I can already tell it’ll be more of the same.
When an individual, group or organization feels it necessary to offer up words such as, “Tune Out Biased Media, Tune into Trusted Voices,” alarm bells should go off in the minds of every sentient being who reads or hears them. They are saying, in essence, “we know we sound far fetched, and we have no good answer to that. But if you’ll tune out all that other noise and focus solely on our lies and half-baked theories, we promise we’ll repeat them often enough they’ll start sounding reasonable. Trust me.”
When they combine such a statement with a slate of “trustworthy sources that provide honest insight into Idaho politics” that include such one-track characters as Dorothy Moon, Scott Herndon and Heather Scott, you already know you’re in for a straight down the line, trope-filled fest of neo-conservative tripe filled to the brim with all the MAGA words and catch phrases du jour, most if not all gleaned from the latest spiteful tirade and garbled hatefest that passes among the faithful of the cult for a good and reasonable political speech masterfully delivered by the only former president in American history (with the possible exception of George H.W. Lincoln himself) with the guts to tell it like it is, no punches pulled, no feelings spared. Not a a single damned lick of sense made, but boy … did he not own the liberals?!
Once again in Idaho and across the nation, proud MAGA Republicans will be unveiling their legislative priorities in the days and weeks ahead only to reveal yet again that they have no intention whatever to legislate … they are interested only in pushing their “conservative” agenda, keeping their MAGA Republican base stirred up and contributing and fomenting discord, division and discontent. They no longer try to hide the fact that they have nothing but contempt for the public they claim to represent.
They now boldly say the quiet parts out loud, contemptuously daring anyone to stand up to them or hold them to account.
There will be no GOP programs of ways to serve the public trust or improve the lives and condition of their constituents. The “true conservatives” in the party will again wave their pocket constitutions proudly in the faces of those they hope to intimidate even while advocating and working for the destruction of that venerable and consequential document.
Those who listen have already heard clearly the priorities of Donald Trump’s Grand Ol’ Party, and from far more reliable sources than those sheep who scored the most brownie points with their favored freedom feigning sect, continuing their clamorous attacks on all things woke, liberal or leftist, sing loud the MAGA Party line, voting just as they’re told and wrenching their arms patting themselves on the back while bragging noisily and without end of the near perfect conservative voting index bestowed upon them by the various freedom factions in recognition of their true and unwavering patriotism and unparalleled ability to do just as they’re told.
It’s the new MAGA Republican version of freedom, and it’s about as honest and trustworthy as a Fox or OAN news cast, the sources proclaimed honest by the freedom factions, the proud patriots or the proclamations of the former prevaricator in chief, Donald John Trump. Don’t buy it?
Tell me again how well James Comer and Jim Jordan are doing in their crusade to impeach Joe and bring down the “Biden Crime Family.” How’s that? Can’t hear you. Last I heard, all they’ve accomplished to date is to dig up more dirt on the man at whose beck they call.
How are Trump’s many legal motions doing at getting him out of the many fake felonies ordered by the corrupt Biden administration simply to interfere with his legitimate and poll leading romp back to the White House? Are you sure? The “election interference” contentions are holding up about as well as did his claims of election interference? For really really?
There comes a point when even the most die-hard member of any cult has to realize and accept that none of the cult leader’s assertions are proving reliable, none of his promises coming true. For those at Jonestown, that’s when fearless Jim threw his final Kool Ade party, at the compound in Waco, where Koresh called out for a bonfire and a Kumbaya sing along.
Those in Trump’s cult still believe in him, still stand ready to do all that is necessary to elevate a wanna-be despot back to a position of immense power. But the writing is there for all to see. His assertions aren’t holding up, his promises not coming true.
A bit of casual advice to all you fringe “Freedom” folk. Don’t waste your breath telling us who we should listen to or how we should think. Doing so merely confirms what we already know … you have few ideas of merit to offer. Work that angle. Develop some good and halfway reasonable ideas. And not for a cause, either, nor a religion or your particular moral ideals. Do it for the constituents, those whom every elected public official is there to serve.
Remember, your religion and moral values are yours alone, there to guide you. They are not there to be foisted or forced upon others, especially not via the legislative process set forth by our constitution, which promises instead that all men are free to pursue their own vision of happiness, to stand before their own God, to live in harmony with and be guided by their own moral compass.
We should all enjoy the freedom to live and justify our values by the example we set and willingly refrain from employing our strength of arm or dark determination to inflict our high standards upon others. Freedoms aren’t guarantees, merely the right of pursuit. And with right come responsibilities which can’t be abdicated lest we infringe on the rights of others.
If you self-proclaimed liberty lovers want to be heard by those of us who value our right and ability to think and learn for ourselves, please don’t tell us what we can read, who we can listen to or how or what to think. Don’t work to deny us the very freedoms you cherish and demand as rights inherent. Instead, live according to your beliefs and set for us an example. Give us sound reason why we should give credence to your values. We may still never agree, but perhaps we can agree to disagree, to work together when need be and keep a respectful distance when we don’t.