Opinion: Voters, don't fall for Rally Right

“I have just begun to fight!” said Admiral John Paul Jones. Admiral Jones’ enemy was the British, but we how have a different adversary in Kootenai County Republican politics. I am writing to expose this group and urge you to fight them at the ballot box.

Who is this adversary? A group called Rally Right/United Conservatives of North Idaho (UCNI) and their slate of candidates. They are hiding in the tall grass and catching people unaware. Rally Right/UCNI took over the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) while the average Republican was busy fulfilling their responsibilities to family, community and careers.

Rally Right/UCNI have had control of the KCRCC for the last four years. Their reign has produced some embarrassing and harmful results for local and state Republicans including the following:

• Loose fiscal management of donated funds. The current leadership has not allowed all members of the central committee to view financial documents in a thorough manner.

• They support the repeal of the 17th Amendment. The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows you to vote directly for your U.S. Senators.

• Rally Right/UCNI and their cronies throughout the state are responsible for closing the Republican primary to all but registered Republican voters. They don't want folks with an independent streak voting in the primaries.

If John Paul Jones were alive and living in Kootenai County today, he would be calling our citizens to battle over these issues!

Do your homework. Educate yourself before you vote. Make sure you question candidates on their stance on the 17th Amendment. I joined the Air Force as the Korean War was winding down to do my part to protect our freedoms. Once again, I find that my community, state and nation need my help to defend basic rights that we have taken for granted. I have just begun to fight. I plan on doing my fighting at the ballot box on May 20th.

What is the Rally Right/UNCI goal? They want to concentrate power in the hands of a few like-minded individuals. They do not believe you are smart enough to select your U.S. Senators and want to discourage you from voting and being involved in Republican politics. To discourage your participation in the voting process they have made local Republican politics so ugly, the average citizen is turned off. Rally Right/UCNI especially do not want people who prefer to call themselves independents voting in the primaries. They know that if the turnout for the May 20th primary is high, their slate of candidates will lose the election. They are counting on the apathy of the average Republican and independent voter hoping they do not vote!

How do you figure out which slate of candidates NOT to vote for? Once again, Rally Right/UCNI, assisted by some of the current Kootenai County Republican Central Committee leadership have attempted to trick the average Republican by forming a PAC called Kootenai County Republican Concerned Citizens (KCRC). This PAC is sending out literature in support of their candidates. How convenient that this PAC has the same initials as the local Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC), who have NOT endorsed candidates! I told you they were sneaky!

If you support poor fiscal management of donated funds to the Kootenai County Republican party, repeal of the 17th Amendment, or want a closed primary, then vote for their slate of candidates.

Where can you get the information on reasonable, rational and responsible Republican candidates? Take a look at the North Idaho Political Action Committee website at www.northidahopac.org for a slate of candidates who will fight to protect your right to vote for your U.S. Senators, and encourage broad participation in the primaries.

Too many of our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen have died or are permanently disabled from fighting for our country and our rights. This includes the freedom to vote. It is disrespectful to them and their sacrifice not to get out and vote. Every single vote counts, and an election can be won or lost by one vote! Will it be yours? Let's reclaim the Kootenai County Republican Party at the ballot box on May 20th.

Norman H. Leffler is a Coeur d’Alene resident.