For many years I was a proud member of the Republican Party.

I subscribed to the conservative approach to government. I understood we should be more careful in spending other people’s money than our own.

I believed that governmental institutions had a legitimate purpose, and that adequate funding should be provided to ensure their success.  I believed we should insist on efficiency but never shortchange or starve our governmental institutions into some degree of failure.

My support of Idaho’s Republican party philosophy and goals resulted in my induction into the Idaho Republican Party Hall of Fame in 1982.  The “1980s class” of inductions included Phil Batt, Don Samuelson, David Leroy, and Jim Jones.

As State Superintendent of Public Instruction, I worked hard to see that our public schools were adequately funded.  I believed, and still do, that our economic system and our form of government are dependent upon an educated citizenry.

The public school, where EVERY child is given a place at the starting line, is the absolute cornerstone of our democracy.

Republicans, in days past, did more than pay lip service to the idea that the BEST GOVERNMENT WAS LOCAL.

The belief was local city councils, county commissions, library boards, and school boards could find solutions without federal or state legislatures imposing their will on local priorities.

But today, our Idaho legislature commends the forfeiture of an athletic event, determines how many chickens a homeowner association must allow, and thinks nothing about notifying librarians, library boards, and parents that they cannot decide which books could and should be available to children.

Our legislators don’t even trust teachers, administrators, and school boards to deal with cell phones in schools. My list could include more examples of legislative overreach; however, the point is clear.

Yes, local control is revered during most political campaigns, but it’s totally ignored when legislators stop serving us and begin thinking for us.

For example, I hope people see beyond the proposed school choice laws. Those supporting school choice are “thinking” for us, not “serving” us.  The proposed laws DO NOT create options or expand student choice.

All of the choices mentioned in the proposed laws are already available.

The school choice proposals are about spending taxpayer money, not creating new school choices.

Ask yourself: Who will pay for an enrollment choice under the proposed legislation?

The answer is every Idaho taxpayer will be paying for it.

The proponents of school choice want you to think school choice helps economic disadvantaged families, by using terms like “Families earning 300% or less of the federal poverty limit.”

But the proposed school choice law does not give those families one cent.  Instead, it sends tens of millions of taxpayer money to private institutions, and religious institutions.

Let there be no doubt: It does not follow or remain with students or parents.

The school choice proposal will only REDUCE funding to public schools and to public charter schools by sending taxpayer money to private and religious schools, let there be no doubt.

I find it difficult to understand how taxpayers would want to take on the responsibility of funding parochial and private schools and thereby open the door to sending millions of taxpayer dollars to all types of religious and private schools.

The proposed choice legislation is THE BEGINNING OF using taxpayer dollars not for kids, but for private and religious institutions.   Do not limit your thinking to the types of private and religious schools currently operating in Idaho.

ONCE THE FUNDING DOOR IS OPEN, courts will ensure such funding must be made available, without discrimination, to all kinds of religious and private schools.

We currently underfund the public school system.  Why would we want to take on additional fiscal responsibilities for non-public schools?

These school choice proposals are a carefully conceived smoke screen to obscure the ultimate goal of destroying the public school system and privatizing the entire educational enterprise.

You need to look at the BIG MONEY INTERESTS, behind the proposed school choice laws.  BIG MONEY INTERESTS such as Club for Growth, a Washington, D.C. organization.  Why is OUT OF STATE, BIG MONEY INTERESTS paying for the school choice campaign in Idaho?

The idea is not originating in Idaho.  There are no well-meaning Idahoans who want to provide additional choice for a parent or student living in some small rural Idaho school district.  They know the outcome: less money for their public schools.

The real objective of the big money, out of state interest, is to minimize or destroy public education.  For proof, read some prior statements by the Idaho Freedom Foundation.

I can only hope that most Idaho citizens see the first step of school choice as nothing more than realizing the ultimate destruction of the foundation of our form of government.

In the current political environment, the Executive Branch seems to think they are supreme.  The judicial system has become highly politicized, and the legislative branch dares not cross the chief executive, or they will face a well-funded opponent in the next primary.

This “king” like situation was not even remotely considered by our founding fathers.

The Republican party that I once knew no longer exists.  It has been taken over by the rich and powerful who are more interested in interrupting or destroying our society and institutions than in governing and serving the people.

The Republican party of old is gone.  What has evolved leaves me out.

In the meantime, I search for a political party home that I cannot seem to find, a party with devoted Republicans and patriots who strongly support public schools and public institutions, without any desire to eliminate not only public education, but also public security, such as the FBI.

My fervent hope is that the people of this country will find a way in the next election to put us back on the path our founding fathers envisioned, a government of three equal branches with checks and balances restored and an adequately funded public school system that can meet the needs of all the children of all the people.