Why our nation is in trouble
By Carol Cunningham
As the president of Bannock County Republican Women I need to disclose the following opinions are mine and do not necessarily represent any members of that organization or the Bannock County GOP.
As someone who promoted the Friday night Emergency GOP Meeting called to discuss the Idaho Insurance Exchange, I feel that I personally owe those who came to learn about the bill and share their views a big apology regarding how disrespectfully they were treated.
The reason the Precinct Committeemen (PCs) called an emergency meeting was because there was not a regular meeting scheduled before our Elected Representatives were going to vote on the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange bill that is being rushed through the house and senate.
Some of the elected PCs felt that it was important for our elected officials that are voting on that bill to hear from them, and those that they were elected to represent. The meeting began with Sen. Jim Guthrie and Reps. Kelly Packer and Ken Andrus explaining their positions on the bill.
A motion was then made to end the discussion/meeting and seconded and a vote was taken. I was shocked the motion was made and then even more shocked and disappointed that all of the public elected city, county and state representatives that were present (except one and half of the PCs) voted to end the discussion/meeting.
Of those voting on the bill, Sen. Guthrie and Reps. Packer and Andrus, the only one who voted in favor of the PCs and public being allowed to speak was Rep. Andrus.
With the motion to end discussion/meeting failing, the packed house was then limited to a very short 25 minutes to share their concerns and questions. After the discussion was closed an additional 2 minutes of discussion was maneuvered to allow Evan Frasure the opportunity to address the crowd and explain, yet again, how important it is for the GOP to back our elected officials, that we sent them to do a job, we need to trust their judgement and unite behind them and be good/supportive Republicans.
If our chair had allowed a response to this new item of discussion, I would have told Mr Frasure that is exactly why our nation is trouble. For too long we have blindly trusted our elected officials to honor their campaign promises and oaths. Because the citizens have been trusting they have become un-involved and un-informed.The price of that blind trust is a nation that is on the brink of bankruptcy and is losing security, freedoms and the opportunity to live the American Dream.
Blind trust is the perfect environment for corruption and for a honest man to lose his integrity. I would have asked that the GOP become more friendly to public input and more concerned about what we are doing and less concerned about winning elections. I would have reminded him that our form of government is from the people up not from the elected down. I would have added, that because of the importance of the parties, that elections have become about the parties and not what needs to be done and because of that our nation is being destroyed. When elections/parties are more important than our Constitution and Bill of Rights we all lose!
To rescue our great nation the public must become engaged and informed. We need to keep track of all elected officials and know their voting records and if those votes are allowed within the Constitution. We need to know what a new law is going to cost in tax dollars and perhaps lost rights. We also need to know what businesses, PACs and special interest groups are paying for their elections and why. Sadly contributions tracked in the Sunshine Reports and votes often go hand in hand.
I encourage every citizen and taxpayer to please GET INVOLVED. Ask questions, attend at least one GOP, Democrat, city, county or school board meeting every month, learn what is going on and MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Carol Cunningham of Pocatello is president of the Bannock County Republican Women.
I agree with your premise that out nation may be in trouble, but I am not quite sure of your reasons or that there are stated conclusions which apply to the problem. On the one hand you mark that the GOP asks its voters to be trustful of the electorate, and on the other
make a profound statement that the elcectorate itself is not allowed input.
If the crowd at your meeting had doubled or tripled and it would still only be allowed 25
minutes to voice their concerns. Could it be that the powers that be do not want to hear
input. That the GOP in Idaho is controlled from the top down with the House now even having to subscribe to a dress code like some
military prep school. And who makes the laws?
Not the people who are governed, but all the men and women at the top.
So your admonition to get involved is really a futile exercise for the voter. Why bother when a whole crowd is allowed 25 minutes. Better to stay at home and watch basketball.
No the real changes have to come within the GOP itself. Until and to such time that they really become a voice of the people, they will remain a lopsided representation at best; that advocates little or no change and is a trump for the status quo.
With the latest statistic that 85% of the dairy industry is held up by illegal immigrants
won wonders if their is not a double standard at play. This is going to be a hard one to explain away. Should the truth be known it is the power of the almighty buck that makes the laws, and human interest takes a back seat.
I agree with your premise that out nation may be in trouble, but I am not quite sure of your reasons or that there are stated conclusions which apply to the problem. On the one hand you mark that the GOP asks its voters to be trustful of the electorate, and on the other
make a profound statement that the elcectorate itself is not allowed input.
If the crowd at your meeting had doubled or tripled and it would still only be allowed 25
minutes to voice their concerns. Could it be that the powers that be do not want to hear
input. That the GOP in Idaho is controlled from the top down with the House now even having to subscribe to a dress code like some
military prep school. And who makes the laws?
Not the people who are governed, but all the men and women at the top.
So your admonition to get involved is really a futile exercise for the voter. Why bother when a whole crowd is allowed 25 minutes. Better to stay at home and watch basketball.
No the real changes have to come within the GOP itself. Until and to such time that they really become a voice of the people, they will remain a lopsided representation at best; that advocates little or no change and is a trump for the status quo.
With the latest statistic that 85% of the dairy industry is held up by illegal immigrants
won wonders if their is not a double standard at play. This is going to be a hard one to explain away. Should the truth be known it is the power of the almighty buck that makes the laws, and human interest takes a back seat.
“After the discussion was ‘closed’ an additional two minutes of discussion was ‘maneuvered’to allow Evan Frasure the opportunity to address the crowd.” Perhaps this should tell us why the Republican party is no longer trusted in this nation. Please let our elected officials do the job that they are being paid to do…representing the majority of voters of Idaho. We WILL have an insurance exchange, be it a federal exchange, or a state exchange, but it WILL happen. Good grief! Your side lost. Deal with it.
Ranger -
I’m curious about the dairy industry stat you quote. I hadn’t heard that. Is that Idaho, or the whole nation? And what does it mean? I can believe that 85% of the guys doing the milking are illegals, but 85% of the guys owning the dairies sounds a little suspicious.
Or Maybe it’s 85% of the cows are illegal immigrants?
Mrs Cunningham:
You simply have experienced how the local and state Idaho GOP leadership veil nefarious agendas under the guise of Robert’s Rules or in the name of the formalities of Parliamentary Procedure.
Remember, George Washington warned against political faction for the very reason of what you have just experienced.
I agree with your encouragement to get involved and actually have done as time has allowed.
However, I would encourage you to abandon party particularly the Idaho GOP which is most definitely not the same as the GOP in many parts of the country.
The Idaho GOP is not a political party, it is actually a coven which is directly opposite of what you advocate in your article. As long as you associate with it, you are supporting precisely what you have expressed you oppose.
gasman,
Indeed America did lose last time around. Got that right.
Jayson M -
As I recall, a “coven” is defined as as assembly of witches. Are you implying that Ms Cunningham and her friends arrived at their recent get-together astride of broomsticks?
Mrs.C
I am surprized that this behavior came as a shock to you. Stay tuned. The voters will be ignored several more times before this session is over. You’re right the country is in trouble and there isn’t a freakin thing you can do about it. Your vote doesn’t even count anymore. Getting involved politically will get you nowhere, unless you sell your soul,then you are just part of the problem. When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.
Democrats are ignoring the country and big time. They want a 62% increase in spending in the next decade and have the huge tax increases ready to not pay for it. You haven’t seen what ‘rude’ behavior results in have you? Go to North Korea for a shock course in it.
Democrats have no soul. They gave the rope to our enemies. Republicans aren’t strong enough to overcome the naive voters in this country.
Democrats have no Soul ? Hell at least we don’t sell our souls. Republicans are called covens because republicans sell their souls to the dollar, money is God of all Gods to Republicans.
Oh poor disgusted, remember a thing called 2 George Bush Wars, Medicare part D, a Trillion Dollar tax break for the rich. Republicans spend it , Americans pay for it.
The tax increase will come fair taxing of the rich and Corporations making profits overseas.
Gallup poll shows 72 percent of Americans support changing the tax codes, so people making more than a million dollars will pay their fair share of the 30 percent.
The polls show also 84 percent of Americans support increasing taxes on the profits of American corporations making huge profits overseas so they pay the same share of taxes as they do on domestic profits.
Don’t worry so much Disgusted, your rich Republicans such as your George Bush’s will still have millions for the groceries bill.
Mrs . Conningham.
I applaud your call to get involved and ask questions.
I am also like others here surprised of your view of the meeting. Like one poster said they need to get a clue, a Health care exchange will be the law of the land , Federal or State.
What makes some of them think by throwing a shit fit that it will stop the will of the American People and the law of the land ?
You are involved , I would like to ask you a question.
Why are Congressmen in Washington Dc , who get a life time retirement salary , trying to cut my Social Security and Medicare ?
Sound to me like they have already sold their soul to the devil.
Ray. M -
You don’t understand congressmen, and you don’t understand how the system works. How could congressmen “sell their souls to the Devil”, when they’ve already sold them to the lobbyists???
The Devil’s big problem is, the lobbyists have so damn much money, poor old Beelzebub got squeezed clear out of the market. He can no longer compete for congressional souls!
Do I remember George Bush’s wars. Yes, they’re now Obama’s wars for the past 4+ years and still not solved or ended are they? Those wars? Credit where credit is due. Oh, he started another one that isn’t going well, remember Libya, nothing solved their either. He also took the Muslim brotherhoods side in Egypt and it appears he’s on the same side in Syria that Al Qaeda is. Those wars? I dare you to blame them on Bush, but you will try, get a rant that one was wore out years ago. The ‘boy’ in White House hasn’t solve squat in how many years and counting. Probably won’t be solved in 8 years either since you didn’t ask.
No new taxes for just one part of society, no 23 new taxes in Obamacare alone for EVERYONE. Even for veterinary care in case you hadn’t noticed, the democrats are now taxing dogs and cats. How quaint.
Glad you know what polls mean, you don’t display much of a clue otherwise. Indeed 72% of americans do favor SIMPLIFYING the tax code. It’s huge, not a matter of taxing one specific part of society but more like taxing those who PAY NOTHING right now which last I looked was over 53% and rising. So, yes indeed make EVERYONE pay their fair share especially those who pay nothing right now. But tax those who pay MORE than their fair share now, tax them more? Is that how it won’t work?
When corporations move overseas it’s to make money they can’t make from doing business in the U.S. Apple is in China because all they require is a bowl of rice a day at best and Americans need huge amounts to live in the U.S. No as long as we buy what is Made In China it will continue.
How do you tell what is made in China. Read barcodes, you can read bar codes can’t you?
First 3 digits.
690-692 Made in China
00-09 USA & Canada
30-37 France
40-44 Germany
471 Taiwan
49 Japan
50 Britain/UK
But then name calling and insults get you farther, right? Yup, some stores at virtually Chinese from one end to the other.
Oh, yes, call me a republican once again after how many times I’ve told you I have the voter registration card to prove I’m independent. Lie, lie, lie and lie again.
“Why are Congressmen……trying to cut my Social Security and Medicare?” you ask and then in another article I tell you how much medicare has been cut and you demand I prove it. Make up your mind, this playing both sides is not coloring you very well. Don’t you remember you own agruments. Appears you don’t.
Sounds like your soul is muddled and confused at best. That is if you have one left.
Couldn’t resist could you c.R. Stucki?
Why our nation is in trouble? Someone saw it long ago, 1965 in fact.
“If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of it’s real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.’
“To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’
“And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
“If I were the devil I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
“Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
“If I were the devil I’d take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet? I could get whole states to promote gambling as thee way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work, in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing on what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, good day.”
Enjoy the war, you’ve very predictable. You will lose it given the way we’re going that was so painfully obvious years ago.
If you want more look up the Cloward-Piven strategy which came about the same time. 42 years later but still the same idea.
What happened at the “Open Meeting” after statements are made by the elected leaders and a “motion to close discussion” is one of many reasons why, after 15 years as a Community volunteer for the Republican Party, I discontinued my participation.
It seems, that Elected Politicians after being elected, remind us that we have a “Republic” and not a “Democracy” where the elected officials can do whatever their Personal Agenda dictates and to heck with anyone else’s opinion.
After Iraq, and we went to a $3 Trillion war justified by lies to the American People, I have really inspected the Republican Party. I concluded, these guys and gals, do Not represent the 99% of us.
They are lock step with Corporations, Billionaires, and Wall Street. They travel to the American Legislative Exchange Council, gather up bills they introduce as their own, written for and by the Union of Corporate Executives, ALEC. Stand your Ground, Right to Work for Less, Luna Laws aka Privatizing Education funded from Not for Profit Tax dollars, Voter Suppression laws, and Radio stations that saturate the airways convincing people who make minimum wage and less than $50,000 a year to VOte for them where once Elected, they vote for Corporations and Billionaire agendas.
There are positions of the Democrats I don’t necessarily like but the Republicans are in my Pocket, my wallet, and financially the 99% are being taken to the cleaners.
The Inequality that we have experienced over the last 30 years, came from Tax laws, sponsored by the Republicans, Corporations, and Wall Street.
People support a particulate party for Guns, Gays, God, Socialism,Liberal Capitalism and Conservative.
So much “Smoke and Mirrors” when the real reason we have so many problems in the USA is because We, the 99%, do not understand MONEY.
Our Elected Officials have a short list of priorities and a big one is “Spending our Money” and with Republicans it is gutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the safety nets of the 99% for low tax rates of the 1%, that benefit the Corporations, Wall Street, and Billionaires,
The only thing being “Conserved” by Conservatives is the Rich Man’s money, the 1%, at the expense of the 99%, the Middle Class and Poor.
Look at the Corporate Executives, usually about 1% of any Corporation workforce, being paid 90% in Stock, taxed at 15% tax rates thanks to a Loophole and none of the 99% can participate.
The Republicans and Rich understand MONEY.
Most of the 99% have no clue on how our tax
laws have made a small group, who wrote the laws, very very wealthy. 49% of the Wealthiest American households (149,000 of the 140 million households) are Former and Current Corporate Executives, thanks to the Tax Laws.
We better wake up. The 11 radio stations of the 1%, Fox and Limbaugh, are convincing us to “Choose the Right” and support the likes of “Move to Close discussion” of these guys.
I learned a lot as a Republican Volunteer, and 20 years ago, the Republican Party was different, Today, they have only support the 1% (thinking they will join them) while fleecing the 99% of us, the middle class and Poor.
Thank goodness for Social Media, Internet, Saltellite TV and Radio, where I don’t have to listen to “Choose the Right” and have a choice unlike South Eastern Idaho where there is no choice to find the truth.
Obamacare is not perfect($1 BIllion spent to defeat in 18 moths spent by the Health Care Monopoly), But with 55 million people locked out of health care, growing 5 million annually, One Million families in Medical Bankruptcy annually for Medical Bills, and Price Fixing of Health Care Services costs at 7% via a nationwide Computer Network(there is no competition Health Care Service is a Monopoly), something had to be done.
Everyone needs to look at any politician who expresses repealing Obamacare, should be scruitinized and not returned to Represent the people of Idaho in any elected position.
I plan to work very hard in the upcoming 2014 and 2016 election process to see these folks find another job.
Mike,
Too bad you quit, apparently somebody needed reminding about something and I suspect part of the reminding might be to you.
Article IV Section. 4.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.
re·pub·lic
/riˈpəblik/
Noun
A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president…
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, [...]
This clause, sometimes referred to as the Guarantee Clause, has historically been a part of the debate about the rights of citizens vis-a-vis state governments. The Guarantee Clause mandates that the federal government as well as all U.S. states must be grounded in republican principles, such as consent of the governed.
The Constitution does not explain what exactly constitutes a republican government. However, the Federalist Papers give us an insight as to the intent of the Founders. A republican form of government is distinguished from a pure democracy, which the Founding Fathers wanted to avoid; as James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 10, “Hence it is that such [pure] democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” (hint, turbulence and contention”, just like now?)
When someone uses the term “democracy” and uses the same definition as the term “republican” but says that’s a political party, then all sort of weird conundrums come into being. The original term is republic. Stick with it. Democracy by comparison is more like a mob than anything. Mobs can be destructive.
Democracy has come to mean that if a president is elected by 30% of the eligible voters then somehow that is a democratically engineered majority and the 70% who didn’t vote that way have to go along, i.e. ‘democracy’ in action.
Not a majority, not a mandate, just barely getting in by the ‘skin of a few percentage points’ and nothing more. Last I looked it was just over 51% which says stalemate at best.
Go back to the meeting please, even your input is needed, although I suspect you sound more like a democrat than a republican given your response.
Can’t work from outside, that’s a bully pulpit at best and unworkable.
So can we send you the bill for Obamacare as it isn’t funded is it? It will die of it’s own unfunded status. We can’t afford it, nobody can. No, we need to examine those who foisted it on all of us, no choice and say, no thanks.
Nobody is locked out of health care but yes, a bunch refuse to work and get their own while the rest of us are mocked for not buying them a ‘free’ policy. Obamacare isn’t free, not even close, it also appears to be more expensive than the previous setup, which wasn’t cheap in any sense of the word. But Obama says it’s REFORM, if it is, we can’t afford his version of reform, it will bust the bank and then some. Some reform.
Health Care Service is a (federal) monopoly. Got that right, first provider is Medicare for those retired, no choice and it doesn’t pay squat. You have to buy two more insurances not to go bankrupt, which is what most people who have no insurance think they can do, over and over and they can’t. 4 million people a year die with insurance, so insurance doesn’t guarantee anything other than a few bills paid, maybe. It’s nobodies panacea.
So, who exactly is Obamacare representing, not the people in any twisted, spin version of the idea. It’s socialism gone amok and destroying our way of life. When we run out of other peoples money to waste, then what? When interest payments are bigger than income, then what? Chinese will be dancing in the smog filled streets of Beijing? Probably.
There are lots of tax loop holes, you missed the ones that guarantee about 53% of taxpayers pay nothing in federal income taxes but you do remember the one for those other people who pay more than their fair share now, which can be construed as over the 0% that 53% pay?
No, dude, you give up far too easy. I wasn’t at the meeting and you need to be. Get over losing one small battle and look to the bigger battle. Like being able to figure which of the “social media” is right and which is blowing smoke & mirrors you way and you’re inhaling much too deep.
Oh, the democrats don’t represent the other 99% of us. You’re sounding like a certain group that popped up last year. Those people that aren’t in the news any more, those.
Nobody represents 99% of anything unless you’re a dictator and have to have 100% every time.