Yeah, ironic that they complained that the Enola Gay exhibit was unpatriotic, when it was the patriotism of a swarm of scientists that made that mission possible.
Democratic Party candidate for Idaho State House of Representatives, District 13 seat A, Nampa, Idaho
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Yeah, ironic that they complained that the Enola Gay exhibit was unpatriotic, when it was the patriotism of a swarm of scientists that made that mission possible.
Yes, they are attacking the Smithsonian because they want to control what counts as history or facts. But it's also weirder than that... The Super-Weird Origins of the Right’s Hatred of the Smithsonian newrepublic.com/article/1992... via @newrepublic.com
Sorry all! Life has been crazy busy this past month, but today is the day to celebrate workers, and stick it to the billionaires! Join us at Memorial Park in Caldwell, at 3:00. Bring your favorite fruit or snacks to share and signs. www.facebook.com/share/15Mx7a...
The salmon runs at Brooks have been amazing this year! Those bears are going to have to lose weight just to fit into their dens this winter! 😆
And while it's stupid and a waste of money and skills, I'd much rather the National Guard be doing yard work than trying to police the streets without any training.
Look, I don't want to be in a position where I have to decide whether or not to vote for Newsom for POTUS, either. But we're going to have something we didn't have last time, and that's a primary process. Fight like hell for your preferred candidate then. Till then, you're just borrowing trouble.
Complaining about the condition of local roads is such a staple in municipal politics, it's basically a cliché. Still, I was caught a bit off guard today when I was canvassing for Eric Myricks for Nampa mayor. A guy told me, "if you drink milk and drive down the road, you'll end up with butter." 😆
Once they're done restoring all the Confederate monuments, they'll put one up for her.
This just infuriates me. Our Republican-led legislature is as sloppy as it is cruel, and this is one of the best examples of it. If a teen hasn't died as a result of this, it's only a matter of time. We can do better. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/29/i...
And yet, they don't support universal mental healthcare. They don't offer any solution at all. They accept mass murder as part of daily life in this country. It doesn't have to be. We can do better. We need better leaders. And we know how to do that.
What's sad is, we lost the photovoltaics race a long time ago because we refused to invest in the technology. There's no reason we couldn't have become the world leader in PV innovation. But a lot of money was instead spent to *prevent* that from happening. And that was before this regime took over.
This makes me furious. They were in such a rush to hurt trans kids, they never cared to think about what other consequences there would be.
Same advice I give everyone: Take care of yourself first. It may be that you need help doing even that. That's okay. That's normal sometimes. If you just can't even right now with all of this *waves around* then ain't nobody gonna blame you. It'll still be here when you're ready. Unfortunately.
Sitting down to dinner at Fiesta Guadalajara with Nampa Dems and Eric Myricks, mayoral candidate. I don't see any babies, so he's going to have to settle for just shaking hands 😉
I was just thinking today about how hard the community is getting hammered, even without recent events. You've got friends and allies, even if you don't really know them.
He's pushing the right buttons now, but it was only a few months ago he was platforming some pretty questionable people on his podcast. He's a classic "whichever way the wind blows" politician, and many people can see that. Those of us who can, will treat him the same way... useful until he isn't.
Executive orders are not law. Because we don't have a king. That's what the Founders wanted to avoid above all else. If we start treating EOs like law, then forget about burning flags. We'll be effectively burning the US Constitution.
Also, LOL at "socialistic systems". Buddy, how did you get to the office today? Was it our socialistic public road system? Since you're such an able-bodied adult, maybe you shouldn't be allowed to access our socialistic 911 emergency system?
“I think jumping into that area would be good again,” replied Rep. Josh Tanner, an Eagle Republican. “… You are talking about able-bodied working adults living off of a socialistic system.” So the guy working 2 part time jobs but who still can't afford insurance... screw that guy, I guess?
Step 1: Create predictable budget crisis. Step 2: Resolve artificial crisis by repealing voter-mandated Medicaid expansion. Step 3: ??? Step 4: Profit? The GOP leaders in Idaho don't care what Idahoans want. Maybe it's time we replace them with people who do. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/25/i...
By the way, crime statistics are not difficult to look up. The most dangerous city in the US isn't Washington DC or LA. It's not Chicago or NYC. It's Memphis, and it's not even close. If reducing crime was the goal, that's where you would start.
"Yeah, he's an asshole, but I like his policies." I had a band director in high school who yelled a lot, but he got a pass because he was otherwise good at his job. This ain't that. This is like if the director was stealing from the school, groping the students, and couldn't read music.
Had a good time today knocking on doors in Nampa, talking about Erick Myricks running for mayor! It's labor-intensive and most people don't answer their doors anyway. But when you do get to actually talk to people face to face, you learn a lot, and you make a bigger impression than a random text.
2021- "Hey we have a budget surplus! Let's cut taxes! Government shouldn't provide services!" 2022-2024 - "More surplus, more tax breaks!" 2025 - "Umm... guys... does anyone remember how to fund the government?" idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/21/s...
Hello #Nampa... want to help elect a mayor who's actually interested in helping the community? Join us Saturday with Eric Myricks! www.mobilize.us/canyoncounty...
Taxes aren't inherently good or bad. It depends on what the community needs and how effective the government is. When I see politicians brag about how low they've cut taxes, what I hear is, they don't want to help the community. They think it's sink or swim out there. It doesn't have to be. #IDpol
Make good trouble!
Besides the immorality of knowingly allowing children to go hungry, I think there's a good body of evidence linking hunger to low test scores. We say we want our kids to have a good education. Well, they have to be fed and safe and healthy before you can do that.
I'm definitely a fan of term limits, even if it may apply to me one day.
I'm fine with some amount of deregulation or streamlining the process where it makes sense, where it doesn't result in worse outcomes for ordinary people. But it makes no sense to boot people off of assistance just because it took them longer than two years to significantly increase their income.
A common theme here is a focus on helping out developers, but not struggling families. In fact, they suggest kicking people off of housing assistance after 2 years. HUD secretary, Crapo emphasize deregulation and tax incentives in housing roundtable idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/19/h...
Oh, I was just showing off and guessing at the ID. Didn't see you'd named it in the alt text. Of course since you said Grand Canyon, that made it easy. It was basically cheating, hence the ;-) Hold up a redhorse from the midwest and I'd have kept my mouth shut. 😀
Flannelmouth sucker? ;-)
Yep. We should be seeking him out to find ways to help more, not making him jump through hoops with no guarantee of ever getting anything for it.
A consequence of sending armed troops into American cities over politics is that it sends a message that we are already in a civil war. That city dwellers (proxy for Democrats) are dangerous enemies who need to be controlled. That may not be the goal, but it's working its way into our subconscious.
He's in an impossible position. He has to deal with us. Has to. And for now, that means his options are bad and worse.
Thanks. "Political prisoner" is the exact term we use when dictators imprison people who they just don't like. It's by definition an illegitimate act. That they feel comfortable using that term... well it's not great. For any of us.
I'm concerned that laws are being discarded in favor of vibes, and people just seem to be fine with that.
I can't for the life of me understand how this is legal, and why it's not front page news around the country. A lawmaker in Texas is essentially being held captive in the statehouse because she won't consent to a round-the-clock police escort. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...
It's a tough realization, but the "tolerance paradox" seems to now apply to our general politics. I'll still look for compromise where I think folks are acting in good faith, but that has become exceedingly rare.
Freedom from doctors, freedom from education. It really is the IFFs plan.
Rubio is giving people permission to ignore death, suffering, and injustice if it makes them uncomfortable. As long as you can still watch Netflix, it's okay if Russia tortures civilians and kidnaps children. It's shameful.
Canvassing in #Nampa be like
Hey fam. Chat? Peeps? Nampa. Hello #Nampa. Did you know we're voting for a new mayor this fall? Did you know we're actually going to have a good option? Meet Eric. He's gonna make sure your voice is heard. #IDpol ericfornampa.com
I mean, I'm glad they're excluding schools from this self-inflicted budget crisis, but don't tell me Idaho makes public schools a priority when we refuse to fund them adequately and seem dead set on getting rid of them entirely.
“It’s in our DNA here in Idaho to balance the budget, cut taxes, and right-size government so we can continue to make public schools our top priority,” Little said in an emailed statement. Since when?!? Idaho governor calls on state agencies to cut budgets by 3% idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/15/i...
A strong economy? Prices are up, budgets are getting slashed mid-year, and Republicans like Brad Little are still patting themselves on the back. It’s bullshit, and they know it.
Like many issues, this one isn't being argued in good faith. Their goal isn't fair sports or safe restrooms. Their goal is the control of people they don't approve of. If you compromise or give in on this, they won't be satisfied. They will move on to the next way to dehumanize them.
Agreed, tired of seeing some Dems throw trans folks under the bus or pretend they don't exist just because it's a politically easier move in this moment. Are we the big tent party or not?
I don't understand why it took until now for me to hear that joke.
That's what I expect the committee to offer up, unfortunately. Some deregulation or changes in regs might be useful, but we need more than that if we want to help ordinary folks. Maybe I'm wrong, we'll see.
"Republican Rep. Brent Crane... said in April 2024 that hospital legal counsel was being disingenuous with providers about the vagueness of the law..." Brent Crane will save us from these nasty docs who want to *checks notes* help women with ectopic pregnancies. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/14/r...
You wouldn't want to actually do this to the kids, but I wonder what they would do if a teacher put up a sign that said, "Some of you are not welcome here". Or "We cannot legally say if any of you are welcome or not." Because that's the message sent when we don't allow the Everyone is Welcome sign.
I appreciate the updates. Very interested if they ultimately propose anything useful.
I mean, for starters, there's also sugar from sugar beets 😉
Well, right now I'm just researching. It might make sense to begin planning something... whether a bill or a proposal to present to a local government or something... whether I win the election next year or not. After all, I keep saying we need to do good work even when we can't hold office.
It's just like my response to "we can't let lazy people get SNAP or Medicaid". Ok. So, you want people in your community to become malnourished or sick or live on the street or die. In the place where you live. If that's your position, then say so. Or else offer a better solution. I'll listen.
Since I'm running for the legislature, I am focused on solutions at that level. But that might mean establishing a system or framework to help county or local government do something themselves, rather than the state running the whole show. We (supposedly) love local control here after all.
Yes, there is a legislative committee looking at the issue. We will see if they offer any suggestions other than "let developers do whatever they want." Maybe they will have good ideas. It's theoretically possible! I don't expect that, but I'll be happy to be wrong.
The Idaho GOP party platform is 20 pages long with 19 sections, and the only mention of housing is that they don't want undocumented folks to get free housing. I just can't get over that they don't see this as a priority. Don't they talk to, like, anybody? #IDpol
I keep trying to use Threads, I will have to use it regularly once I ramp my campaign back up, but it just feels so much more random and soulless. Just don't enjoy it.
Thanks for posting! Interested to learn more... helping the unhoused is a different issue than just the general housing shortage, because there's often other factors involved.
Plus Ketchum has been trying some things and I want to see how well those turn out. Seems like a mixed bag so far, but that's how we learn what works.
Thanks! Narrow changes like that seem doable... hard but doable! I've also been interested in bigger schemes like public-private partnerships with mixed income developments. Since it keeps private business involved, seems like a little easier sell to conservatives. www.vox.com/policy/39217...
Idaho housing is in the news again today, and not because it's awesome and affordable. I've got ideas for how to help, and I think it's a top priority. The Idaho GOP though? Well, let's look at their party platform... nope. Housing doesn't even make their list. Let's do what they won't. #IDpol
I hear ya! I've had the same experience. There's a lot of "the perfect is the enemy of the good" out there, especially online.
Correction, $140k. My point stands. He's well off, but he ain't buying a sports team.
I love how he's going after Zohran for being "rich" because he makes $120k a year. In NYC. Yeah that's comfortable, but it's 3 bedrooms and a nice vacation every year comfortable. He doesn't fly his private jet to Dubai to go car shopping for the weekend. He still buys his own groceries.
You can't tell folks they're wrong. Even with evidence. Even if they claim 2+2=purple. Prove to them it's really 4, and they'll shout louder about how you can't suppress the truth about purple. But you can talk about how you finally understood addition and how that helped you understand the world.
That's definitely part of it. Nobody likes to be told that they're wrong. Even being told you can do better isn't always comfortable. This guy comes along and says not only are you not wrong, you're perfect and never need to change. That's much easier than acknowledging your own biases.
There are folks who want that, but I suspect the end goal for the likes of Stephen Miller is more like what's happened in Hungary. Which is pretty bad, but not quite bad enough to make people take up arms. But it's impossible to predict much at this point, other than we have hard times ahead.
Exactly. Are they actually doing something... helpful? But it does make sense. They're cutting a tax and not replacing the lost income. The legislature will probably address that by cutting funds for education or something. End result, smaller government. That fits their philosophy.
Nice. Didn't realize he was so prolific, but not surprised. Like you said, he's played with everyone. Still got his chops, too.
Oh it's a whole thing! Culminates in Fat Bear Week in the fall, where you vote on your favorite Fat Bear right before they go into hibernation. They have several live cams up all summer and fall with moderated live chats.
As for the initiative itself, I'm reserving judgment for the moment, other than to criticize the fact that they don't propose how to replace the lost funds. That said, the grocery tax / tax credit system has always seemed backwards and regressive to me.
As for why they think ballot initiatives are only for lefties, maybe it's because conservatives in states led by Democrats have an easier time getting compromises in the legislature and so don't need ballot initiatives, whereas GOP-led states have a winner-take-all philosophy? Just a thought.
Moon says this will be different from other ballot initiatives because it's grassroots. That's a wild accusation about other initiatives like the Medicaid expansion. There were SO many volunteers involved with that, it was the definition of grassroots activism. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/11/b...
You ever watch the bear cams at Katmai National Park? There's a whole community that chats together while they watch the grizzly bears. They know each individual, their history, personality, drama, it's great. And there's cubs and yearlings of course as well.
Well, by the time I got home and took care of what I needed to, I didn't have much more than an hour. But it was a good hour, talked to some folks, one may even get involved. And that's how you build a community. At least, I hope so!
The DC situation today has me pretty unnerved. Might be just another clown show, or might be the start of something deeply harmful. And I can't do much about it either way. But I can go knock on doors today after work and ask folks to get more involved in local politics. So that's what I'll do.
Nah, she's not gonna grow up to be a geologist. She's a geologist *right now* 😁
It can also be multi-purpose, something they had on their list anyway and the Epstein scandal made this a good time to try it out.
Because the priority here is to make sure we all know who's been virtuous enough 🙄
I think part of it is that people hope the Singularity will lead to immortality, and so people want it to happen in our lifetimes, and so we are primed to get our hopes up. And then there's the people who just hope they'll get rich. Both motives can cause folks to chase wild geese.
As an outsider, it sure doesn't seem like the current method is the path. Everything is focused on imitating what humans have already done. Not so much on actual thought or creativity. Original thought does not seem to be the goal.
I hate that it's like this. Don't ever feel bad for taking care of yourself first. We only have so much mental and emotional bandwidth. That's why the rest of us who aren't targets have to step up and speak out more.
Absolutely. We don't require ID to live in our communities. If our legislators believe it's okay to have people going hungry in our communities so long as they're not citizens, they should say so. I'll happily debate them on that.
That struck me too. No denial that she loves killing random pets. It would be an easy thing to rebuke. She's the one who told the story to begin with, presumably because she wanted to seem tough and strong. Maybe she thinks speaking against random dog shooting makes her seem weak?
The rule of thumb is, it's okay to punch up. People with power and privilege can handle it, it comes with the status. It's also not just about her appearance. It's her dramatic efforts to change her appearance to conform to MAGA norms, which have evolved into their own aesthetic, Mar-a-Lago look.
Is it possible we may feed folks who aren't citizens, or who aren't here legally? Yeah, maybe. Is it also possible for us to feed everyone in the state who needs it, regardless of their immigration status? Absolutely. Allowing people in our communities to go hungry is a choice. We can do better.
The Idaho legislature likes to say they're defending Idahoans. At the same time, they seem to enjoy cruelty towards Idahoans who don't fit their narrow definition of who belongs here. That includes the poor. It's insane to make it harder to use a food bank. Nobody is served by this. #IDpol
As usual, our legislature has been as sloppy as they are cruel. Efforts to police public aid always result in people being denied services who are entitled to them. I'd rather give food to 10 people who don't "deserve" it than deny food to one person who needs it. And everyone deserves to eat.
The Idaho state government is hardly a bastion of liberal wokeness. It's worth noting that even they acknowledge that voter fraud is incredibly rare. Gerrymandering and voter suppression, being done out in the open, are the threat. Not conspiracies. www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2025-08...
I believe in equal rights. I believe everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity by default. This shouldn't be a political statement, nor a controversial one. Apparently it is, though.
If you like crooked lines, uneven floors, and low ceilings 😆
I bought my little 900 sf, 120 year-old house in Nampa about 10 years ago for $110k. My mortgage payment is about $700. I know! It's currently valued at almost 3 times that. If I was a renter, I absolutely could not afford to buy this house now.
Feels like a good time to remind you about Red Cards. They don't have to be red. And they're not just for immigrants. The US Constitution still, at least for now, protects all of us from government overreach. And no telling when any of us are going to need protecting. www.ilrc.org/red-cards-ta...
My personal goal in getting involved with politics, beyond helping people and making Idaho better for everyone, is to establish our own local brand and political cred. We're not Democrats, we're IDAHO Democrats. We're Nampa Democrats. Don't worry about what those other guys are doing. #IDpol
Yep, you develop the attitude of "uggh another rainbow, garbage fish, why can't we have brookies instead?" And then you get here and it's flipped.
There will definitely be a big need for any assistance we can give. PP does a *lot*.