Congressional Republicans responsible for ending shutdown, not starting it | Opinion

Shutdown

The Statesman’s editorial board blamed Idaho’s congressional delegation for the government shutdown. Representatives Simpson and Fulcher voted for the House’s funding plan nearly two months ago, while Senator Risch and I voted to reopen the government 15 times. It’s Democrats who — for 41 days — consistently voted to continue the shutdown.

The shutdown ended exactly as Republicans said it would. Senate Democrats realized we were serious when we said we wouldn’t allow them to use federal programs Americans rely on, like SNAP, WIC, telehealth services and military pay, as leverage to extract hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

Republicans and Democrats agree we need to address rising health care costs for all Americans. But simply extending the Biden COVID bonuses was never an acceptable solution to that problem. A straight extension would have meant continuing to send billions of dollars to insurance companies for unused plans, all while premiums continue to rise and the deficit continues to grow.

As Democrats finally come to the negotiating table, we can discuss meaningful reforms that address the root causes of rising health care costs, rather than mask them with unsustainable spending.

U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, Boise

Health care

Would you still oppose expanded health care if you weren’t exempt? As a retired U.S. Navy veteran with 26 years of service — including in-country Vietnam — I’m grateful for the recognition veterans now receive. But I have a question for Idaho’s congressional delegation.

Under the Trump administration’s 2025 “Bigger, Better Bargain” plan, millions of Americans face cuts to medical coverage, including reductions in Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid support. Yet members of Congress and your designated staff remain exempt. You continue to receive a 72% federal subsidy for your own health insurance — regardless of income or location.

Would you still oppose expanding ACA coverage if you and your staff weren’t exempt from the cuts? Would your position change if your own families — and the families of your staff working in Idaho — had to face the same uncertainty and rising costs?

Public service should be rooted in empathy, not exemption. If you believe in the dignity of work and the value of sacrifice, then stand with those who serve quietly — military spouses, rural workers, and families who bear the brunt of policy decisions.

Extend the care. Share the burden. Lead by example.

Clinton Dunn, Dayton, Idaho

Thank you

I want to thank everyone who put their heart and soul into this campaign. While the results aren’t what we hoped for, I’m proud of what we accomplished. We shifted the conversation about taxpayers, neighborhoods, and the need for a council that must listen to its citizens.

I also want to thank my incredible team. In just two months, we came together and ran a remarkable operation. Though we didn’t win last night, we laid the foundation for great things ahead. To my dedicated volunteers, door-knockers, phone bankers, and donors: thank you! You showed up with heart and hustle.

Mark my words: the issues that powered this campaign are not going away. I’ll keep fighting for fiscal sanity, attainable housing, and a city that hears every resident—whether from the dais or the doorstep. I will continue holding our mayor and council accountable for their decisions and work to bring the forgotten men and women of Boise back into the political process.

Thank you, Boise, for the opportunity to run. Onward! Our work is just beginning.

With gratitude, your neighbor,

Lynn Bradescu, Boise

Shutdown

American veterans, do you wonder who, at least partially, is responsible for this totally predictable governmental mess? Kindly look in the mirror. You all had the information, data, over 10 years of history to process your voting decision. Choices were good or evil, and you chose Trump and all that would surely follow: disrespect for the rule of law, unwarranted pardons, corrupt business deals, etc. Now the question is can anyone, organization, institution or movement undo it all? I guess our nation and the world will have to wait and see. Divine Order anyone?

From a Vietnam veteran,

Jim Franklin, Meridian

Regulations

It’s time for Idaho to update its regulations to keep pace with the rapid growth in the building industry. Effective regulations should protect consumers and support the industries they govern. However, Idaho’s current rules primarily benefit a select group of contractors who don’t have good, proven track records. And bad actors face minimal accountability when they deliver subpar work or deliberately exploit others.

Trade associations and suppliers representing the industry have voiced support for reform, which should be a signal to the governor and legislature to rethink their opposition. With home costs already out of reach for many Idahoans, the current regulatory framework offers consumers little financial recourse for addressing poor work quality. And the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses is awash in an unmanageable workload of complaints that can take up to a year to investigate.

Idahoans believe in a less expansive role for government regulations. But that doesn’t mean letting the contracting industry run like the wild west. Consumers looking to build or remodel a home still bear the responsibility of vetting who they hire. But with the deck stacked against them under current rules, our government is making that job much harder. That can be changed in the next legislative session.

Brad Toft, Horseshoe Bend

Civility

If we want Congress to work together, let’s start at the dinner table.

As we gather around holiday tables this season, we have a powerful opportunity to practice the very thing our country needs most: the ability to disagree without disrespect.

Our family meals are a microcosm of the macrocosm — a smaller reflection of the world we live in. If we hope for Congress to work across the aisle, we must model that same willingness to listen and engage across differences in our own homes. It’s what Mahatma Gandhi meant by, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Organizations like Braver Angels are leading the way, helping Americans build the skill of civil discourse -- the art of disagreeing agreeably. It’s not about avoiding hard topics; it’s about learning to stay curious, calm, and connected even when we see things differently.

We must take responsibility for our part — not just at the ballot box, but every day. Democracy is more of a verb than a noun: not something we sit back and watch, but something we do.

Liz Alexander, Nampa, president of the Rotary Club of Nampa and state coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby