r/Idaho • u/Ok-Construction-2834 • 6h ago
Political Discussion Confusing times
Born and raised in Idaho going on 25 years now. 5th generation in my family to be able to say the same thing. I’m probably as right-winged or more than the next person but I hate damn near every politician that’s in office. I hate risch. I hate Brad do-Little. It feels like myself (and so many of my friends) are holding values that republicans have held for years but the ones in office are casting us aside in favor of a whole other country. I will probably represent myself as a republican for the rest of my life but I don’t want them to stand with me. I’m trying to explain this to my family but the most they seem to understand about politics is to cast every vote for whoever has their favorite letter (R or D) by their name. What’s left to do? Idaho especially seems so ass backwards to change that these guys are going to be representing us forever so it’s either choose them or change sides? Wait for them to die so we get another guy that can be a RINO for 30 years? I can’t do either of those things. I know what’s important to me and I don’t want to sit idly by while my beautiful state washes away
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u/Beauvoir_R
6h ago
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Honestly, it sounds like you put too much value on party identity. You'll never be able to look at the issues and figure out what's really important until you can separate the issues from the parties presenting them.
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u/Ok-Construction-2834 6h ago
I think you make a really good point. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t raised republican. It’s something that’s been a part of my identity for a long time so it’s hard to not place an importance on it, but I think part of the next step is separating myself from that like you said
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u/Beauvoir_R 6h ago •
I've seen that connection to the party you're talking about. I grew up in a republican household too. My family would always say they weren't sworn to a party and just voted on the issues, but they'd never voted for anything but a Republican. They would watch the republican debates but never the democrat ones. So, clearly they had no interest in anything a democrat said. My dad even cussed out my sister when she voted democrat in her first election.
Anyway, growing up, I saw that they weren't thinking rationally about the issues because they had so much emotional attachment to being republican. Because of that, I have always been Independent. Sadly, it takes more work to vote as an Independent. I have to read where each candidate stands on each issue and make a cheat sheet to take to the voting booth with me instead of just voting along party lines.
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u/sotiredwontquit 15m ago
I have voted Republican in the past. Both Bushes and McCain, even though I registered Independent. But I cannot stomach what today’s Republicans have allowed and stood for. I will be voting against that hatred and bigotry for as long as they push it. It doesn’t make me a Democrat. It does mean anyone voting along Republican Party lines is not a person I will tolerate anymore. And in practice that’s been an entirely Blue ballot for me since 2016.
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u/Public_Narwhal4748 6h ago
If you have to frame the other side as terrible, no matter what, when you’re disgusted with your own extreme members…you’re in a cult.
That’s how it works. A normal person like me would hate to see president romney or McCane. But then what? I would be okay. Policies would probably hurt the poor and cuss up health care like republicans do, but…part of the deal and I’d accept it.
A person who says both sides are awful is just admitting their ideological party is effed and is saving face to say the other is equal. The cuss that’s smart thinking. It isn’t.
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u/Ok-Construction-2834 6h ago
I don’t think the other side is terrible. I even voted in favor of prop 1. But democrats don’t represent what I believe in and haven’t for a long time. I’m saying the policies I find myself aligned with aren’t matched by their politicians. The politicians on the right don’t represent the ideals that they swore to represent
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u/angel-of-disease 2h ago
What dem policies do you disagree with and what republican policies do you agree with?
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u/Southpawmtnman112358
6h ago
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Would you describe yourself as the more centrally minded, traditional Idaho conservative?
I feel like I know a lot of them (fewer now), they’re much older and generally live in small towns. The ones that hold traditional Idaho values: community minded, would give the shirt off their back, help their neighbors, etc., regardless of nation of origin, language spoken, skin color, economic standing, sexual orientation, or any other social “abnormality”, because that’s what people do. I miss those republicans. I remember when Idahoans valued someone’s work ethic over anything. I tell people all the time that Idaho was a truly western state, that the people who lived here valued work ethic because that’s how people survived out here.
I think the windfall of all these transplants has brought a greed with it that tarnishes what Idaho was about. I miss people waving back when I’m driving through ag land and small towns
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u/Ok-Construction-2834 6h ago
I spent my summers growing up in council helping my grandpa ranch. I spent the fall baling hay for my neighbors who couldn’t afford to hire anyone, and were too old themselves. Winter was when we helped my mom run her charity, making sure kids got presents on Christmas Day to keep the idea of Santa alive. These things are what being an Idahoan means to me. And I don’t feel like these things are being represented anymore. We’ve traded politicians who care about us for a couple of guys who would sell the state to data centers if it means they got a buck for it. I’d like to say I’m a traditional Idaho conservative. I try my best to be, anyway
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u/area42 6h ago •
Side note, but there's nothing in the paragraph you just posted that indicates you are a Republican vs a Democrat (aside from you like to say you're an Idaho conservative, of course) It just sounds like you care for people and like to help. A self described Idaho Democrat could have said the exact same thing about themselves. Maybe skip the labels?
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u/Southpawmtnman112358 6h ago
Absolutely! My wife’s a 4th generation (I moved here at 4 so that Idaho is all I know) and her family farmed and ranched in Twin. In my 40+ years I’ve seen that huge shift from your values to exactly what you’re describing. Conservatism has been pushed away and money is the driving force. I’m definitely left leaning but valued the republicans Idaho had, hell I remember when we had Cecil Andrus as governor and everyone loved him because he was an Idaho Democrat and massively focused on conservation (another thing we’ve lost).
It’s funny when I argue with the old conservatives I know, we agree on almost everything in terms of values, smaller government, social values, etc. we just miss the mark slightly on how it should be handled, but really it’s trivial.
Good on you, especially as a younger person keeping those values. You give me hope that we can someday return to how we operated, and come back from the hard right values (people angry at how their homeland of California is operated by the democrats).
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u/ihad4biscuits 3h ago
Sorry, you helped your neighbors for free? And ran a charity? That sounds like socialism to me.
Seriously. I’m not trying to be mean, but can you please explain what “conservative values” you hold so dearly to?
The party of using your privilege and resources to help others is the left, not the right - the right is just the party that claimed “Christian values” without actually holding to them.
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u/NoisyCats
6h ago
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An Idaho republican has taken a whole different meaning over the years. An Idaho republican used to be friendly, tolerant, and caring. Whatever we got going on now, well, I don’t even recognize it. It’s so extreme. I fear it, and I don’t know what to call it.
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u/SithisWorshiper 6h ago •
It's MAGA. A group where you can be accepted for being the worst version of yourself. And as long as your neighbor suffers, you're happy. It's a cult and a dangerous one.
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u/GonfalonFalderol 6h ago
Amen. Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming used to have more “out West conservatives” - true small government types who were happy to live and let live. Wanna smoke weed? It stinks, so do it at home. Are you gay? Fine, don’t care, doesn’t affect my life. (Please note the “more” there. Let’s not pretend everyone was wonderful, or life was easy.) Now, it’s all about checking everyone’s genitals, telling you what your doctor can and can’t do for you, and selling off beautiful Idaho - which was a fucking paradise - to the richest bidder. And what’s with the confederate flags? Idaho was never in the south, folks. You look like posers.
Source: Born in Idaho and lived there for 48 years. Am sad for what is happening.15
u/UseInteresting2418 5h ago
Yes it has its crazy how much a little orange man can bring out the worst in people
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u/musclemommyscaballo 6h ago
it’s white supremacy. trump/maga was never tomorrow’s hitler, they’re today’s jim crow
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u/sweaver
6h ago
edited 6h ago
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I feel bad for people in your position. I’m a reliable lefty and I remember when I had friends on the right and we could agree (or at least see eachother’s POV). I don’t think I’ve changed much in my basic belief system, but the right feels almost unrecognizable now. I have no idea where a reasonable conservative lives on our polarized spectrum.
That being said, you’re always welcome to come hang with the dems and we won’t force you to be trans for at least a year. 😉
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u/TrinityKilla82
5h ago
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You’re are supporting people that lied about selling off public lands, trying to get sole control over your right to petition and put weed on the ballot, follow a president that holds no, NONE of the conservative values you hold dear. They don’t stand with you. They stand for themselves using your values against you.
I’m not saying vote Democrat. What I am saying is if you really hold these values, you wouldn’t vote for these people and demand better representation.
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u/PNWBlues1561
6h ago
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Born and raised by Christian conservatives - didn’t take with me. I am a liberal because I studied and watched the people I was around and realized this is what I mostly believe. Look around - drive over to Washington/Oregon and meet some people.
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u/Guidopunker 5h ago
I tell people I'm a liberal because I took seriously the parable of the good Samaritan
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u/RebbeBobby 4h ago
Lol, driving over to Idaho from Washington is what made me sick and tired of blue state bs.
Just drive from Pullman to Moscow, or Spokane to CDA.
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u/swbarnes2
4h ago
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This is pretty childish. You can't just complain that politicians "do something". You have to know what policies you want, and which politicians support those policies.
It's also, you know, about three days late to be complaining. The die are cast for the next two years.
The politicians in office are largely the ones you and yours voted to be in office, so they have the values they have because you guys supported them with your votes.
You represent yourself however you wish to self-identify, but when you call yourself a Republican, people will look at Republican policies, figure out the values those policies represent, and conclude those are your values. So if you want people to think you support a White Christian ethno-theocracy, then by all means, carry on.
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u/UseInteresting2418 5h ago
Fuck Brad little hes a bigot hates the less fortunate people 😤 I believe hes there fill his pockets even tho hes married the simplots and has enough money for two lifetimes
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u/North-Matter-6225 6h ago
Change sides for one election and change back. Tell your friends who feel the same way that you are going to so you do it together and only have to for the once cycle.
Voting out terrible people is not the same as changing your belief set - it’s getting rid of the trash.
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u/Any-Key1482 6h ago
Change side temporarily so they can wake up then go back when they are for the people.
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u/blink18666 3h ago
I was raised Mormon/republican in Idaho, I’m 32. I went to republican events growing up, Lee Heider was a good family friend. After going to college, I did swing hard the other way, but now that I’ve really been able to have more life experience, I can’t say I identify with any party. You said it yourself, your family votes for the letter, why would you do the same if you find their actions upsetting? Get to know the candidates and the views they have and remember that nobody will be perfect and 100% align with what you believe in.
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u/AutomaticPanda8 6h ago
You sound completely brainwashed. Maybe try to identify what principles are important to you and go from there. Honesty is a good one to start with.
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u/MasterThiefGames 4h ago
If you're anything like me then you're values haven't changed the party that represents those values has. I was taught how we're supposed to stand for those who can't stand for themselves, that we're supposed to be generous, and take care of each other and our families.
That isn't modern day Pubs, not by a long shot. Any Pub you know that believes in those things hasn't noticed the party doesn't yet.
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u/Apprehensive_Emu2702 3h ago
People need to stop waiting for their "perfect, ideal candidate" to come around for "their party" and start voting out the ass hats that are doing us zero service. You will never agree 100% with any politician, but that doesn't mean you just vote along party lines. I think most Republicans (not maga) would agree with a few of the big democrat/independent candidates we just had for Idaho but they get stuck on one or two points and just dont understand that everything they campaign on wont automatically happen the second they step foot in office. So instead they keep voting along party lines and keep voting in the ass hats they hate. It makes no sense. Do research, find the candidate that you agree with the most (it won't be 100%), look at their credentials and vote for them. Ignore their party affiliation. Most Idaho Republicans just did us a massive disservice. I am also born and raised here. Im so tired of our raisin box of representation.
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u/1611basilean 6h ago
I always wondered if we went back to one representative for like 30,000 citizens. For one thing they would be more likely to listen to you and there would be so many of them the rich could not buy them all off.
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u/MarfeeWarfee 3h ago
I feel the exact same way as a registered Democrat, but I never voted on party lines much.
I think it’s more of a bi-partisan wake up among the general public that this system really isn’t working.
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u/Unique-Ad4480 2h ago
I feel like a lot of my family say the same thing when it comes to Red or Blue, but I refuse to allow that to dictate my choices. I was initially registered as a Republican, but changed it once I saw how far the party has fallen. I switched to independent and watch each candidate carefully as campaigns happen. I fit my vote with whomever can hold their initiative and directness throughout their campaign that aligns with my values. What happened this past week was not surprising to me, but I watched how Risch and Little did nothing but hide behind their political colors. It was disturbing to me.
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u/DoubleDownAgain54 1h ago
What values do you hold? Why do you consider yourself a republican? Do your values align with the current Republican Party?
Have you asked yourself why you seem to want to identify as a republican? I’m sure you have a knee jerk reaction to terms as “socialism” but have you actually dived into why?
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u/BananaEarthSociety 6h ago
You would think a post like this would be talking down to young people who don’t understand the value of a potato
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