RADICALS: Here’s who they are

Thank you Darrell Kerby for the timely and well-written “My Turn” on June 1 about the radical GOP takeover of Idaho politics.

Maybe I can shed a little light on “Who are these people?”

I have lived in the Coeur d’Alene area since 1954. In the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, we had a good productive mix of Democrats and GOP, mainly due to having an employment base of sawmill/timber industry and the Silver Vally mines. These industries were predominantly union-organized jobs with good wages and benefits.

By the end of the ’70s, these jobs were headed elsewhere and we were promoting tourist/service industry jobs with low wages and no benefits. Then the “mega churches” showed up to fill the void of community that was lost from the old industries.

These mega churches have gradually become far right white Christian nationalist movements. This is fueling a far right cult movement in Idaho politics.

Has anyone checked the stores for grape Kool-Aid lately?

WES ALDERSON

Coeur d’Alene