Keep Christian nationalism out of Idaho | Opinion

Christian nationalism

The problems with Christian nationalism include unhelpful and wasteful policy. Specifically, recent actions to create tax credits in support of private education operate to exacerbate the recurring underfunding of public schools in Idaho. Private education tax credits and the requirement for Ten Commandments in every public school waste taxpayer dollars on unnecessary legal fees to respond to constitutional challenges. These challenges are based on the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion. Although many of the Founding Fathers were theists, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and other 18th-century Protestants were all deeply committed to religious freedom, including a strict separation of church and state. Jefferson wrote Virginia’s Statute of Religious Freedom, and Madison was the person who drafted the Bill of Rights. So I urge fellow Republicans to reject politicians who promote Christian nationalism.

Gene McGill, Boise

President on the roof

“Up On the Roof”

“When this old world starts getting me down

And people are just too much for me to face

I climb way up to the top of the stairs

And all my cares just drift right into space

On the roof, . . . . “

Did the song The Drifters first recorded in 1962 inspire the President of the United States?

Mary Feeny, Boise

Privacy

Privacy, principles and Idaho’s respect for the rule of law.

Our personal privacy and data are under tremendous pressure—often in places we least expect. Reports reveal unfettered federal access to our Social Security records, requests for individual state voter data and federal attempts to access children’s school records without warrants—all without our consent or respect for the law.

These issues raise critical questions about privacy, due process and the role of institutions—including private employers—in protecting our individual rights.

Across the country, we’re seeing businesses and communities become Fourth Amendment Workplaces or Cities. They voluntarily pledge to protect employee privacy by refusing to share information or access their property without legal authorization.

It’s a simple, powerful idea: respect privacy, uphold the law and build trust.

In Idaho, where liberty and constitutional values run deep, this commitment reflects who we are. It’s a stance businesses can take—not just because they must, but because it’s right.

Learn more at 4thWorkplace.org.

Georgia Smith, Boise

Prescription drugs

If Congress is serious about lowering prescription drug costs and protecting the local pharmacies we all rely on, they need to take on the powerful middlemen driving up prices: pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

PBMs operate in the shadows of our healthcare system, negotiating rebates and setting formularies, deciding which medicines patients can access and at what cost. They routinely steer patients toward higher-cost drugs that boost their own profits and reimburse independent pharmacies below cost, forcing many out of business.

The best way for Congress to reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients is to pass comprehensive, bipartisan PBM reforms. Policies that bring transparency to PBM practices and require fair reimbursement will protect patients and independent pharmacies alike. These reforms will do far more than gimmicks like the proposed “Most Favored Nation” pricing model, which fails to address the real drivers of high prices, and risks limiting access to innovative treatments.

Idaho’s rural communities can’t afford more pharmacy closures, and patients everywhere deserve a system that works for them, not for corporate middlemen. Congress must act now to rein in PBMs and put patients over profits.

Thank you, Sen. Crapo, for your leadership in advancing real PBM reform.

Pam Eaton, Boise

Domestic violence

A few weeks ago, while picking up groceries at a local grocery store, I witnessed something that shook me to my core. A man was strangling a woman inside a parked car. There was screaming, hair pulling and hitting. It was violent and terrifying — and it was happening in broad daylight.

I called 911 immediately.

Within five minutes, Meridian police officers arrived. The shift from chaos to calm was immediate. They handled the situation with professionalism and compassion — not only toward those involved, but also toward me as a bystander. I was visibly shaken, and they treated me with kindness and care. It wasn’t until I stepped inside the store that the full weight of what I had witnessed hit me. I stood there trembling, silently grateful that no one was seriously hurt.

Domestic violence is far too often ignored. It’s hidden behind closed doors, dismissed, or excused. As a bystander, I could have looked away — but at what cost? One in three women and one in four men will experience abuse. It’s happening in our homes, in our neighborhoods — and yes, even in grocery store parking lots.

I’m deeply grateful for the officers who protect our community with courage and compassion.

Paige Dinger, Boise

Idaho prison

I was disappointed reading the New York Post article depicting the conditions of the Idaho Department of Correction in reference to the Kohberger incarceration.

Having worked for the agency for a number of years, the NY Post description of the maximum security facility and staff is far from even remotely accurate. The staff is very much committed to professionalism, the prison is well-maintained.

The function of the press should be to present an unbiased account with verified information, to be impeccable with the facts, and not be economic with the truth.

Jana Becerra, Meridian

Education

I have a challenge for Governor Little and the Idaho Legislature. Every year, CNBC, the business news station, publishes a list of “America’s Top States for Business.” They list a number of parameters to rank each state. One parameter is education. Last year, 2024, Idaho was ranked 48 out of 50. This year, we dropped to 49. Certainly, with a little more effort from the governor and the state Legislature, we can drop to 50. If we can’t be near the top in education, we could strive for the bottom. Then they could hang a banner from the Capitol, “Mission Accomplished.”

Wayne Hollopeter, Grangeville

This story was originally published August 9, 2025 at 4:00 AM.