Idaho leaders are acting against the will of the people

By Bob McKeon
Reader Contributor

Well, are you all paying attention yet? Fifty million of our tax dollars just got stripped from us and our underfunded public schools by our deaf governor. 

The majority of our elected officials are not listening to us. Instead of doing the will of the people and putting this on a ballot, we were once again ignored. It is shameful that Idaho is second to last nationwide in public school funding. If this amount was put into each pupil we would be around the national average in per-pupil spending. 

Against the will of the majority of our voters, our constitutional obligations are not being fulfilled. The House committee hearing found 94% opposition to this bill. 

They are not done yet, people. Now they are pushing bills that would have the Bible read to students in public schools. They want to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public schools. Our Supreme Court ruled in 1963 that requiring the Bible to be read in public schools violates “the command of the First Amendment that the government maintain strict neutrality, neither aiding nor opposing religion.” 

I, for one, fail to see how teaching scientifically impossible fairy tales to students prepares them for real life: talking snakes, rising from the dead, immaculate conception… yeah, right. How about we teach them science and history?

I wish to thank Sen. Jim Woodward for upholding the will of the voters. I want you to know, sir, that I did what I could to get you re-elected. I had discussions and conversations with people. I drove around with my “Abort Herndon” bumper sticker on my truck for a year. I paid to have “Abort Herndon” T-shirts made and passed them out to influential community members. I registered as a Republican to get around just one of the many voter suppression laws that your party continues to push through. 

I am proud to be a “RINO.” It is my way of giving the finger to the people who support voter suppression in Idaho. 

I thank you, sir, and Rep. Mark Sauter, for upholding the will of the majority. Your political party would be more in favor if they could learn from your examples. Please continue to do the right thing. 

I would like to ask everyone to pay attention to the bills being pushed through our state government right now. Almost every one of them is aimed at taking away the rights of women, minorities, the LGBTQ community, etc., by the “freedom” party. Pay attention to the hundreds of thousands of dollars being poured into these efforts by out-of-state racist hate groups, most of them claiming Christian values. 

Whether you disagree with someone’s choices, lifestyles, opinions, etc., keep one thing in mind: They are Americans, same as you.

One last thing: I recently received a very cherished award that I am proud of. Ben Olson stopped by my workplace to inform me that I am now officially on the Reader’s hate mail list. Thank you very much! Stay tuned, more later. 

Remember, “Where there is oppression, there will be resistance.”

Bob McKeon is an opinionated old fart who has seen over four decades of politics in Idaho.