Commentary
As a conservative Republican, I’m deeply dismayed at lack of voices from GOP condemning McGeachin
As a conservative Republican and president of the Ada County Lincoln Day Association and the District 19 legislative chairwoman and precinct committeewoman for Precinct 1913, I’m deeply dismayed by the lack of voices from the right directly condemning our lieutenant governor’s recent appearance at white nationalist conference, sharing the roster with known Holocaust deniers and […]
The Idaho Legislature is coming into my exam rooms to make your health care decisions
As a family doctor in Idaho for nearly two decades, I have the privilege of caring for people through some of the highs and lows of life. I share in the joyous occasion of caring for many patients with desired pregnancies, and I’m also there for patients and their loved ones as they contend with […]
White nationalism is morally abhorrent and runs counter to a free economy
Idaho’s extremist Lieutenant Governor, Janice McGeachin, disgraced herself, the office she holds, and our state yet again by speaking at AFPAC last week. AFPAC is a white nationalist conference founded by Nick Fuentes and attended by those who promote exclusionary practices that harm both our economy and republic, including antisemitism, sexism and homophobia. In addition […]
Idaho’s grocery sales tax is an issue at every legislative session. Have thoughts? Let’s talk.
Sales tax on groceries is an issue that comes up every legislative session. I believe most folks agree that we shouldn’t tax food. We require it for our subsistence. Why would we tax something that is a staple of life? There are two methods of not taxing food. The first is simply to not collect […]
As legislators consider voucher scholarship bill, they should reread the Idaho Constitution
Sometimes you wonder if certain members of the Idaho Legislature have even read the Idaho Constitution. For all their pronouncements about honoring and faithfully following the U.S. and Idaho Constitutions, they pay precious little regard to them when passing legislation that fits their agenda. Legislators have ignored their duty under the Constitution to adequately fund […]
In Idaho, we should heed George Washington’s warning against extreme political partisanship
George Washington, America’s first president and one its greatest, was born on the 22nd of February 290 years ago. Lacking Methuselah’s longevity, he is no longer with us. But the wisdom he left with us has turned out to be right on the mark. We can save our state and Nation if we heed his […]
Hot springs, cool beetles: Insects in Yellowstone go to extremes to survive and thrive
When people think of animals in Yellowstone, the “charismatic megafauna” usually jump to mind — beasts like elk, bison, wolves, moose and bears (oh, my!). But the national park is also home to a hearty collection of insects that have developed unique capabilities to thrive in Yellowstone’s extreme thermal environments. The geology, chemistry and microbiology […]
80 years later, there are still lessons to learn from Idaho’s incarceration of Japanese Americans
History is uncomfortable. Never is that truer than with the dark anniversary that the U.S. marked on Feb. 19. That anniversary is of the signing of Executive Order 9066 80 years ago by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, an order that unconstitutionally evacuated Japanese Americans from military […]
As Idaho Legislature considers resolution, children’s mental health deserves deeper discussion
After the last two years, you would think we’d all be health experts. We’ve trained ourselves to spot symptoms and methods to keep ourselves safe and healthy, but even amid a health crisis, we are forgetting to talk about mental health. While a recent resolution in the Legislature highlights the impact of child trauma, investments […]
Idaho should not let big property managers victimize hard-pressed renters
The Idaho House of Representatives has handed large property owners and managers a significant victory that will come back to bite many hard-pressed residential renters. House Bill 442, which passed on a 54-14 vote on Feb. 7, will allow landlords and property management companies to impose additional financial burdens on renters in cities where affordable […]
‘No better troops.’ The 1896 ride of the Buffalo Soldiers through Yellowstone National Park
Many would enjoy the adventure of a bicycle expedition to Yellowstone National Park. But imagine doing it in 1896, before pavement, lightweight cycles and modern camping equipment. The Buffalo Soldiers who made up the volunteer Bicycle Corps of the 25th Infantry Regiment were up to the challenge. An iconic photo from Yellowstone’s early history depicts […]
“The more things change …” U.S. Senate’s debate on the filibuster and civil rights is nothing new
When in the late spring of 1964 the United States Senate defeated the longest filibuster in Senate history and passed the landmark Civil Rights Act, the Senate’s majority leader Mike Mansfield called the matter of insuring fundamental rights to all Americans – the right to fair treatment in accommodations and employment, for example – “the most divisive issue in […]