History and fire house chats

Kootenai County’s population is about 150,000 people. Roughly 149,990 will not be attending Donald Trump’s inauguration as 45th U.S. president today.

The White House restaurant in Post Falls is about as close as most of us will get to rubbing elbows with the president or other political illuminati on this and other historical occasions of American governance.

That’s OK. The White House’s spring bowl is delicious, and patrons waddle out not just pleased with having enjoyed a fine Mediterranean meal, but immune to vampiric attack, thanks to all the garlic that’s been consumed.

The other White House — the one east of Kootenai County — is unreachable for most of us. Even if we could get there, we’re not inclined to influence decisions made at that level. We would go to witness history, to enjoy a three-dimensional American civics lesson, rather than press the president or members of Congress to effect change that would improve life for us here in North Idaho.

And life here is pretty darn good, in no small part because there is little separating us from those who represent us at the state level.

As a for instance, state Reps. Luke Malek and Paul Amador will host a town hall meeting Saturday at 10 a.m. at Fire Station 3 in Coeur d’Alene, 1500 N. 15th St. They’ll tell constituents what they’re doing this session, but more importantly, they’ll hear from folks who have questions or suggestions.

Soon, we hope, other Kootenai County legislators will join Amador and Malek in hosting town halls when they come home on weekends. The intimate atmosphere of a fire station or meeting hall and the ability of citizens to directly communicate with people they voted for or against transcends the circus-like environment in D.C. There, presidential press conferences — or what pass as press conferences — promise to sound more like pep rallies than informative, mature question-and-answer sessions on tough issues that affect millions of Americans.

Amador and Malek — and, we hope, other legislators soon — are rising above that. They aren’t going to merely tell you what they want you to know via Facebook or Twitter or email. North Idahoans of all stripes, young and old, Democrat and Republican, Trump supporters and critics, are welcome to meet with Luke and Paul tomorrow to interact, to help shape a better future for our community and state together.

Face to face works best, even if there’s a strong hint of garlic in the crowd.