Republicans, stand up to limited thinking

I am usually prone to ignoring the pontificating and stating of half-truth comments by Brent Regan, chairman of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, but the opinion piece in the July 29 Coeur d'Alene Press demands comment.

His ability to misrepresent facts, spin and spew fancy words, and twist truth is classic “Reganism,” as those of us who have watched him for years sum up his comments. It is truly scary how Mr. Regan’s involvement with limited thinking has invaded numerous parts of Kootenai County and North Idaho government.

Brent Regan is a complete hypocrite. His obvious anger and public statements against the county studying new forms of government legally available to the citizens of Kootenai County, and personally against the commissioner who brought this topic up for scrutiny, is without merit.

The commissioners who voted in favor of studying the options out there are giving the final word to the citizens; there is no final decision being made by any one or two commissioners. They have stated that from the beginning. But Mr. Regan continues to tell his followers they are losing their rights if anything is changed from what we have presently.

The reality is, if Mr. Regan gets his way and we aren’t even allowed to study and vote on the legally set forth options available to us as citizens in choosing our form of government, we voters are truly losing our right of choice. He’s trying to take that choice from us.

Why spend his time pushing his opposition and organizing his followers to disrupt these fact-finding meetings studying optional forms of local government? Because Mr. Regan knows his chances of getting one more elected BOCC member to follow his edicts is a lot easier than getting two or three more.

Case in point, Leslie Duncan threw her support towards Mr. Regan only when her first try at the BOCC position failed. Initially, she shied away from Regan and his extreme beliefs. Then during her second run, she openly embraced his philosophy, attended meetings with Regan, and changed her opinions on numerous issues to fall in line with his thinking.

Watching her at hearings when Mr. Regan is present, it’s easy to see her glance at him every time she makes a statement or casts a vote. He is actively involved in the direction Ms. Duncan has taken with the BOCC.

His recent invasion into nonpolitical roles as well, such as the NIC Board and Library Board, pushing his choices into roles they not nearly as qualified for as those running against them, shows how disruptive his insertion into elections can be to our local elected positions, many of which are supposed to be nonpolitical. The Republican Central Committee had no valid reason nor right to force anyone wanting their support to take a biased survey and “pass” what Mr. Regan decided made them a true Republican. How dare he make that call!

Mr. Regan’s article talks of “quality people” making good government. I can’t disagree with that, but what he terms “quality” are those who follow along with HIS line of thinking, and don’t challenge him on his determination to direct our county in the direction HE believes is the best way — one that follows along with the extreme John Birch Society beliefs.

That too has come to light in recent public comments from the Republican Central Committee; some are openly embracing this extremist philosophy that is full of conspiracy theories and anti-government interference in all aspects. One can only imagine a society/community with no government entities in your life; no police, no military, no zoning, no codes, no rules for all.

The country/your community would soon fall apart, as we already see in some cities such as LA, Chicago, parts of Seattle, Portland, etc.

Evening news shows the results of this line of thinking with skyrocketing crime rates, disrespect to others, dangerous living conditions for innocent citizens, etc. And without zoning and code rules, any community becomes a chaotic mess with inferior infrastructure and everyone declaring “they have a right,” without considering how their demands ignore the rights of their neighbors and fellow citizens. A society just cannot exist very long with that line of thinking. Is that really where we want to go?

No, Mr. Regan, that is not where the majority of our citizens in Kootenai County want to go. And definitely that is not the direction the majority of registered Republicans want to go. I am a registered Republican here in Kootenai County, and I am ashamed of the Central Committee’s direction and herd mentality. I have said publicly more than once, Brent Regan does not represent me, and I wish he would quit stating he does. When he states he and his Central Committee represent 58% of Kootenai County voters — that is a lie.

If those on the Central Committee did a bit more digging and due diligence in finding the facts that they so quickly are willing to believe from Mr. Regan, they would find his philosophy quite damaging to North Idaho.

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Bev Twillmann is a resident of Harrison.