GOP: Don’t follow the leader

Opinions by Dan Gookin and Christie Wood hit the nail on the head. Since around 2000, the local GOP has evolved into what amounts to a cult, grooming sheeple and discouraging critical thinkers. Since Brent Regan arrived on the Idaho political scene, he has become king maker and chief provocateur for a rebranded GOP, and not only in Kootenai County.

The tentacles of the Idaho Freedom Foundation run deep in Idaho politics. IFF and KCRCC have a common goal: packing every elected position with ideologues fitting their narrow-minded John Birch and religious views.

The evolution of the local party has driven many good Republicans to switch party affiliation. Telling people how to vote, worship and to dictate morality, that is plain un-American.

While KCRCC is laser focused on establishing a one-party dictatorship in North Idaho, the state GOP is equally deficient, wasting limited legislative time on partisan feel-good social engineering rather than critical long-term sustainability matters such as health care, education and opportunity.

Low taxes, alleging socialist plots and ditching the executive branch do not guarantee healthy sustainable growth. In fact, it limits industries which would otherwise consider Idaho attractive.

Many elected representatives understand the damage caused by GOP leadership, but they are afraid to stand up to it. Yes, it is a cult, and it is unhealthy, and it does run contrary to Republican values.

The time is now for Idahoans to apply the sniff test and to start paying attention. Do not just follow what they tell you; ask whether handpicked party puritans are good for our community or whether they are sheeple who will just do what party leadership tells them to do.

REID HARLOCKER

Hayden