MY TURN: Regan’s his name; divide and conquer is his game

Kootenai County has become a microcosm of growing delusion, deep community division and a rapid dissolving of ties that once bound us together. Unchecked, this status promises an era of political instability and civic anarchy.

This troubling condition inspired many concerned citizens to come together to challenge the destructive activities taking place within the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee membership. The response from incumbent KCRCC members and their supporters was an unrelenting barrage of misinformation regarding their opponents, like calling them Democrats and “leftists.” Most of these NIR-endorsed opponents are the very people who have contributed for years in making our county a welcoming and prosperous environment that attracted these attackers to move here in the first place.

The most consistent purveyor of divisive tactics is Brent Regan. His May 31 column warrants a response with facts. 

Regan asserts that persuasive testimony by KCRCC members caused the county to abandon efforts to allow Kootenai County citizens a voice under which form of government our county would operate. He further falsely contends the change recommended by the study commission would have eliminated multiple elected offices and replaced them with appointed positions. Then, he insists, “The KCRCC protects your right to vote.”

Holding most relevance, with an emphasis on making Kootenai County government more responsive to the needs of the county citizens, the Optional Forms of Government Study Commission majority originally recommended, in part:

To transfer only administrative responsibilities from the Board of Commissioners to a County Administrator.

To increase the number of county commissioners from three to five, with all remaining ELECTED.

All other county elected officials to include the clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, coroner and the prosecutor “SHALL CONTINUE TO BE ELECTED" with no change in their term or duties.

As is so often the case with Regan, his claim is false. Had the recommended changes been approved by the Board of County Commissioners, placed on the ballot and approved by voters, the recommended changes were designed to also save taxpayers money.

It seems reasonable to ask: What causes someone to disconnect from reality? Also, what causes a county Republican Party chair to want to deny fellow citizens a right to vote; a pattern of purposeful denial communicated by the authoritarians who have hijacked the KCRCC majority and the Idaho GOP leadership. 

The divide and conquer approach used by Regan is neither unique nor constructive as it seeks to foster hostility and strife. It is a strategy used historically to manipulate and control societies. In fact, this strategy is in direct opposition of what our discerning Founding Fathers intended for our nation and its citizens.

For those of us bearing an affinity for civic unity, community civility, productivity and stability in governance, we are repelled by the divide-and-conquer approach to politics and life. There is room for everyone at the table to have a say; after all, everyone has a financial and personal investment in our community and its success. 

When you shirk your responsibility to be a well-informed, active participant in your community and its politics, you set yourself up to be dominated by others. Your needs, desires and your individual value may be ignored by authoritarian individuals.

Successful non-oppressive governance requires a willingness for thoughtful compromise and a rejection of the divide-and-conquer approach to management. 

Regan constantly tries to convince us that he and his loyal court members are some kind of heroes doing us great favors. Rather, they are actually a threat. In seeking to polarize public opinion by encouraging infighting, their actions and ultimately weaken community cohesiveness and lessen any chance of forming common good and community solidarity. 

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Deborah Rose is a Kootenai County resident.