Republicans have sold out Idaho to become Trump supplicants | Opinion

GOP failed to contain Trump

It is no surprise that Republican congressmen and senators both here in Idaho and throughout the country are hiding in their offices or mansions, unwilling to face their own constituents in live town-hall meetings. And why? Silent, do-nothing lap dogs Jim Risch, Mike Crapo, and Russ Fulcher have failed to uphold their oath of office.

They have failed to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States, allowing a would-be dictator to destroy our economy and national infrastructure, as well as alliances sealed with American blood during World War II’s fight against Hitler and Nazism, and a democratic union of freedom loving men and women of all colors and creeds.

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew massive, wildly enthusiastic crowds in Nampa and Missoula in mid-April, making easily understood case that Trump and his shadow co-president Elon Musk are engaged in a corruption scheme to gut the Veterans Administration, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, while giving huge tax kickbacks to billionaires.

Whether corrupt, incompetent or asleep, Risch, Crapo and Fulcher need to wake up and listen to their constituents. As the old saying goes: Lead, follow or get out of our way.

Chris Norden, Moscow

Due process is being abolished

There’s a lot of attention on the abduction, transport and imprisonment in an El Salvador prison of Kilmer Abrego Garcia. But he was just one of a group of immigrants who were sent to that prison on illegal flights without the due process guaranteed in the Constitution. Now, Trump is suggesting that he wants to do the same with American citizens. He claims this will only happen to “terrorists,” but without due process, all we have is his claim about them, and even terrorists are guaranteed due process in the Constitution.

This practice is eerily similar to Hitler sending Jews and others to concentration camps. The same illegal processes are involved. The only missing ingredient is executing them, and Trump says he has no control over what happens to them.

This latest lawlessness of the Trump White House must be defeated. The courts’ rulings against him must be obeyed.

Walt Thode, Boise

Child credit vital for families

Raising a family is equal parts rewarding and demanding. As a mom myself, I have seen firsthand how the rising costs of child care can impact families in my community as parents attempt to balance work, providing the best care and education for our kids, and the associated financial strain. Access to affordable, reliable child care is essential to enable parents to stay in the workforce while providing their children with a strong foundation.

That is why the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) has been such an essential resource for working families and is one of the only tax credits specifically designed to help parents afford child care. The problem is it hasn’t been updated in more than 20 years, so it doesn’t take into account the increased costs facing child care facilities amid rising rents and inflation.

Sen. Mike Crapo has long been a respected voice on economic policy in Idaho and an outspoken leader on the Senate Finance Committee. I have always appreciated the senator’s steady, thoughtful approach to issues directly impacting families in our communities. This is an opportunity for him to continue leading by ensuring this updated CDCTC is included in the final package.

Andrea Pond, Eagle

Happy lawmakers went home

I breathe a sigh of relief when the State Legislature adjourns. The assault on personal freedoms are put on hold till next time around. The Cato Institute ranks Idaho 49th in terms of personal freedom.

They have multiple variables in compiling their index, but it simply comes down to the fact that Idaho just has too many rules and laws to limit freedoms. These limits are coming from our very own Legislature.

We the people need to put limits on our lawmakers. The way to go about this is to limit how much time and what resources are spent in the legislative session. I propose a citizens’ Initiative to limit sessions to a fixed number of days that doesn’t interfere with the state Constitution. I think 30 business days would give them enough time to get in and get the job done. Prioritize beforehand, decide what is most important, vote, then head for the doors. Our initiative could be DOGE-style, cut funding by limiting Per Diem. Our legislators could stay in session longer, but it would be on their dime. We need liberty for all.

John Hurley, Castleford

Crapo should live up to his oath

Sen. Crapo, you graduated from Harvard Law School in 1977. You took the Attorney’s Oath to practice law. The oath begins with your promise to support the Constitution of the United States. The oath you took as senator amplifies the promise you made as an Idaho lawyer with your additional promise to bear true faith and allegiance and to defend the Constitution.

President Trump and members of the executive branch of our government have and are ignoring, defying and violating clear provisions of the Constitution and the separation of powers it embodies, federal statutes, and the pronouncements of federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Most importantly, they have violated the free speech rights of lawyers, law firms, universities and citizens. Your oath as lawyer and senator requires more than silence in the face of attacks on the Constitution and the rule of law. They require objection, censure and legislation where the executive branch exceeds its authority.

Speak up. Speak out. Tell President Trump and your constituents in Idaho that you understand and will defend the Constitution and the rule of law. Your alma mater, Harvard University has just done so. Now it is your turn.

Dave Lombardi, Boise

Delegation lets rights vanish

It is hard to overstate the absurdity of self-described conservative leaders remaining entirely silent while the president floats the deportation of American citizens and the revocation of birthright citizenship. These are not offhand remarks. They are test balloons to see how so-called conservatives will respond, and that response is appalling. The so-called defenders of the Constitution are nowhere to be found.

For years, we have heard the sermon: Liberty, limited government, originalism, rule of law. But when the leader of our nation muses about using federal power to strip Americans of their citizenship, these same flag-waving patriots suddenly forget how to speak. You cannot quote the Federalist Papers one day and cheer on soft authoritarianism the next. If your “conservatism” only applies when your team is not in charge, it is not a philosophy — it’s cosplay.

Alexander Maas, Cascade

GOP has abandoned veterans

Nearly thirty of the guys I served with in Vietnam came home in plastic bags. Their names are all on that black wall in Washington, D.C.

But the president says they’re all suckers and losers. Who knows? Maybe he’s right. The last truly necessary American war ended in September, 1945. Every war since then has been a war of choice — not necessary, not beneficial to anyone (except defense contractors and other war profiteers), and far too costly in dollars, and in lives.

Now the president is going after the Veterans’ Administration, making suckers and losers out of me and others who came back alive. I was in school, exempt from the draft, but like a lot of other guys, I volunteered because I believed it was my duty.

Some guys fled to Canada, some went to prison, some stayed home with bone spurs. These days, some of us who stepped up are wondering if we should have stayed home too, in light of how our commander in chief wants to treat us now. So if you want to thank us for our service, tell the president to keep his hands off the VA.

Charles Yates, Caldwell