Echoes of justice: Three legacies, one call
Where action, thought and memory meet By Kari SaccomannoReader Contributor Social justice is not an ideal we inherit — it is a world we build. It demands courage, clarity and a willingness to stand...
Tagged: idaho politics
Music hath charms to soothe a savage beast
By Tim HenneyReader Contributor The last era in which our beloved 250-year-old democracy was faced with extinction, as it is today, was the early 1940s, when we of the free world (Allies) defended ourselves...
The ‘carrot-and-stick’ method of legislating in Boise and how to change it
By Kathryn LarsonReader Contributor Our legislative session kicked off in Idaho this week. Buckle up. Last year, more than 1,000 bills were written, 789 bills published, about 350 voted on, 322 became law and...
Legislative update
Looking ahead to the 2026 session By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-SandpointReader Contributor Greetings, Monday, Jan. 12 is the start of the 2026 Idaho legislative session. However, a more than usual amount of legislative activity...
2026 year in preview
What could be in the coming year By Reader Staff While it may be a fool’s errand to predict the future, we’ve been doing it at the Reader every year since 2020 — getting...
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW
Recapping some of the biggest headlines of the year… pray for us By Zach HagadoneReader Staff At the end of the introductory paragraph in the 2024 “Year in Review,” we congratulated Reader readers on...
When it comes to protecting public lands, Democrats have the strong track record
By Lauren NecocheaReader Contributor For generations, Idaho Democrats have protected the places that make this state what it is. We believe our public lands belong to all of us, not just the highest-bidding billionaires. ...
Political poison pills
By Rep. Steve Berch, D-BoiseReader Contributor When is a seemingly benign piece of legislation deceptive? When it has a poison pill planted within it to facilitate an ulterior motive. This growing tactic is a...
Idaho just learned what happens without guardrails — vouchers would make it worse
By Lauren NecocheaReader Contributor Good governance depends on accountability. Idaho just got a hard reminder of why. The nonpartisan Office of Performance Evaluations released a 129-page evaluation of the Idaho Home Learning Academy, a...
Legislative update: Bill-drafting season
By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-SandpointReader Contributor The 2026 Legislative session starts on Jan. 12, so it’s time for drafting bills and preparing for advocacy work in the Capitol. Last month I wrote about a...
