In a season where Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on much, there are two issues where we do: voters face an important choice in November; and there are real differences between the two major parties.
For many years now, Idaho voters have overwhelmingly and repeatedly chosen the Republican Party as the party that represents their views and interests, both in Boise and Washington, D.C. Here are some reasons why.
The root issue is the similarity between Idahoans’ beliefs and the Republican philosophy – that individuals are the most efficient, dynamic and creative element in our society, not government. Private citizens are more effective at creating jobs, managing money and solving problems than government bureaucrats. While government can and should play a role in the lives of Americans, that role ought to be limited.
Everything a government does springs from a healthy and prosperous economy. Our national defense is paid for by taxpayers. The money to build safe roads and good schools comes from your pocket. When the government intrudes too much into the private sector with excessive regulations or burdensome taxes, it not only hurts the economy, it hurts government revenue and services, too.
With excessive government intervention, Idaho’s and America’s employers are often forced into hard choices: to pay taxes instead of hiring a new worker; to pay for an attorney to help them comply with new rules and regulations instead of providing health insurance; to pay the second-highest corporate tax rates in the world (as they do in the United States) or to relocate to a country where they are lower. When government demands too much, these things happen, and everybody loses.
Many of the things Democrats talk about in this election fall into that “excessive and burdensome” category. When Democrats promise a new program or increased spending, remember where they’re going to get the money to pay for it – your pocket. This is emblematic of the Democrats’ top-down, we-know-what’s-best-for-you philosophy. They want to tax you so they can spend your money, instead of you.
Recently, Jim Hansen, Executive Director of the Idaho Democrats, wrote that “Idaho needs to catch up with the rest of the West,” and elect more Democrats. Mr. Hansen, Idaho voters are plenty capable of deciding for themselves who they want to vote for, and they won’t stand for your patronizing attitude, based on a false stereotype that Idahoans are backward people.
Idahoans had enough of Democrat leadership under Bill Clinton. They saw the way he treated our military, our veterans, Idaho’s public lands and our water.
In contrast, Idaho Republicans believe the government closest to the people performs the best. We know supporting the Second Amendment isn’t just about hunting or posing with a shotgun. Strange how Democrats frequently forget that firearms are also important to self-defense.
Idaho Republicans understand that America’s dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue. We support an approach to energy production described as “all of the above.” Wind, solar power, hydrogen and other renewables are the fuels of the future. But that future isn’t quite here yet, so we need to use readily available forms of energy until then, like oil and natural gas reserves on the Outer Continental Shelf, hydropower and nuclear power. Republicans also understand that raising taxes on oil and gas will raise the price of a gallon of gas, not lower it.
Idaho Republicans have brought companies like Areva to the state, which means hundreds of jobs that will pay more than just a living wage. Republicans understand that in order for our economy to grow and create jobs, we need lower taxes, not higher. Republicans in our legislature created the rainy day funds to prevent recessions from gutting education funding.
Idaho’s Republicans, whether serving in the courthouse, the statehouse, or on Capitol Hill, have brought commonsense solutions to the challenges facing us all. That’s why Idaho has become the reddest of the red states.
-Sid Smith, Executive Director
For many years now, Idaho voters have overwhelmingly and repeatedly chosen the Republican Party as the party that represents their views and interests, both in Boise and Washington, D.C. Here are some reasons why.
The root issue is the similarity between Idahoans’ beliefs and the Republican philosophy – that individuals are the most efficient, dynamic and creative element in our society, not government. Private citizens are more effective at creating jobs, managing money and solving problems than government bureaucrats. While government can and should play a role in the lives of Americans, that role ought to be limited.
Everything a government does springs from a healthy and prosperous economy. Our national defense is paid for by taxpayers. The money to build safe roads and good schools comes from your pocket. When the government intrudes too much into the private sector with excessive regulations or burdensome taxes, it not only hurts the economy, it hurts government revenue and services, too.
With excessive government intervention, Idaho’s and America’s employers are often forced into hard choices: to pay taxes instead of hiring a new worker; to pay for an attorney to help them comply with new rules and regulations instead of providing health insurance; to pay the second-highest corporate tax rates in the world (as they do in the United States) or to relocate to a country where they are lower. When government demands too much, these things happen, and everybody loses.
Many of the things Democrats talk about in this election fall into that “excessive and burdensome” category. When Democrats promise a new program or increased spending, remember where they’re going to get the money to pay for it – your pocket. This is emblematic of the Democrats’ top-down, we-know-what’s-best-for-you philosophy. They want to tax you so they can spend your money, instead of you.
Recently, Jim Hansen, Executive Director of the Idaho Democrats, wrote that “Idaho needs to catch up with the rest of the West,” and elect more Democrats. Mr. Hansen, Idaho voters are plenty capable of deciding for themselves who they want to vote for, and they won’t stand for your patronizing attitude, based on a false stereotype that Idahoans are backward people.
Idahoans had enough of Democrat leadership under Bill Clinton. They saw the way he treated our military, our veterans, Idaho’s public lands and our water.
In contrast, Idaho Republicans believe the government closest to the people performs the best. We know supporting the Second Amendment isn’t just about hunting or posing with a shotgun. Strange how Democrats frequently forget that firearms are also important to self-defense.
Idaho Republicans understand that America’s dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue. We support an approach to energy production described as “all of the above.” Wind, solar power, hydrogen and other renewables are the fuels of the future. But that future isn’t quite here yet, so we need to use readily available forms of energy until then, like oil and natural gas reserves on the Outer Continental Shelf, hydropower and nuclear power. Republicans also understand that raising taxes on oil and gas will raise the price of a gallon of gas, not lower it.
Idaho Republicans have brought companies like Areva to the state, which means hundreds of jobs that will pay more than just a living wage. Republicans understand that in order for our economy to grow and create jobs, we need lower taxes, not higher. Republicans in our legislature created the rainy day funds to prevent recessions from gutting education funding.
Idaho’s Republicans, whether serving in the courthouse, the statehouse, or on Capitol Hill, have brought commonsense solutions to the challenges facing us all. That’s why Idaho has become the reddest of the red states.
-Sid Smith, Executive Director
1 comment:
There is a principle called Ockham's razor which is attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham. It basically states that – "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best."
The following are two simple ideas that effectively create the ideal social construct.
Simple Idea #1
1. Socialize ALL Land
2. Charge leases on ALL Land based on demand.
3. Return 100% of the resulting revenue to every man, woman and child in the form of a yearly dividend check.
4. Make the Universal Birthright of Land an Everlasting Standard in the education of every Child.
This effectively makes the average piece of Land Free for every Living Soul and restores our Natural Birthright as well as coupling our social construct to the Principles of Life.
Simple Idea #2
1. Remove EVERY FORM of tax
2. Implement a Tax on ALL new goods based on the resources they contain and the resources they use in production and delivery (this can easily be implemented with the current barcode system used at the checkout)
3. Use this system to encourage/discourage various resource usages (High tax on non-renewable/ecosystem damaging products and low/no tax on renewable/ecosystem enhancing products) and to encourage purchasing of local products.
4. Use the resulting revenue to fund infrastructure expenses and the restoration of ecosystems.
This effectively encourages the creation/use of longer lasting, high quality products as well as encouraging recycling and reuse of existing products.
Idea #2 effectively constrains the ravaging appetite of the capitalistic consumer society within the Boundaries of Sustainability while Idea #1 effectively encloses both Sustainability and capitalism within the Principles of Life.
That's it!!! Simple and Effective
A Friend
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