Are Californians Ruining Idaho? That’s the Wrong Question

A debate is raging in Idaho politics about Californians or other “outsiders” moving to Idaho and what the means for our state.

This isn’t a new debate because it’s been happening for years now. The debate took center stage at the statehouse during the 2023 legislative session. Many RINOs took aim at lawmakers, such as Brian Lenney (R-Nampa), who weren’t born in Idaho and have moved here from other states. 

Heck, I was born in Greybull, Wyoming and moved to Idaho when I was six. I’ve lived in Washington state for about a two and a half years. We also lived in Wisconsin for a year and a half before finally settling back in the state where I grew up.

The charge by the RINOs has been that non-native Idahoans don’t know what the culture is here and they we trying to turn Idaho into California. Californians, Oregonians, and Washingtontians have moved here in droves in recent years.

Are outsiders ruining Idaho?

For conservatives, the real question isn’t about where the person is from, but rather, what beliefs and values do “outsiders” hold, and do those values coincide with Idaho’s values of limited government?

Additionally, we have to ask if anyone living here is ready to take on the radical liberals who are mobilized in this state. 

In 2015 I started talking about the “Rocky Mountain Heist,” a documentary that showed how Democrats had taken Colorado from a very “Red” state to a “Blue” state in just ten years.

(You can read my three part series on the Gem State Heist here, here, and here.)

I warned that Idaho was on the same path if we didn’t start actively protecting what we already had in law, and greatly expand our efforts to take down the liberal agenda. I told as many Idahoans as I could that if we didn’t elect people who would stop Idaho from going down the same path as Colorado, California, Oregon, and Washington, then Idaho would fall as well.

In fact, I talked to individuals who came from the west coast about what happened in their states and what led to their downfall. I wanted to understand what Idaho needed to do differently than what they did or did not do in their respective states so we didn’t meet the same fate.

Overwhelmingly, the individuals I talked to told me: “We didn’t see it coming.” “We didn’t think it could happen here.” “It was too late by the time we figured it out.” “The Republican Party refused to fight back.”

Do any of those excuses sound familiar to you?

Now, I didn’t do a “scientific” analysis of what those individuals were saying, but the sentiment was always the same. They had failed to stop it in time or even recognize that it was happening.

Those “outsiders” then told me they left their states and came to Idaho in search of a community they felt was safe for their conservative values. They wanted a place that respected their religious views and other important values such as the 2nd Amendment.

In the meantime, Idahoans who have lived here for a long time were concerned that these outsiders were bringing their liberal values with them to Idaho. And to some extent, that sentiment is to be empathized with.

After all, if those states had all fallen to the progressive disease, why wouldn’t Idaho be next if it was spreading here from other states?

But interestingly, as I tried to warn Idahoans about what I was learning from these outsiders, I was told, “That can’t happen in Idaho.”

That’s when I knew we had a major problem in this state. The same apathy that had killed these other states was deeply entrenched here too.

I know a lot of native Idahoans who are lazy, apathetic, and don’t believe that Idaho can fall. 

I also know some Californians who thought they were conservative, but their view of conservatism was jaded by living in a state so far to the left, that their “conservativism” was no better than a Mitt Romney-type Republican. 

However, many of the “outsiders” who had moved here saw the same issue as I did. They saw a large swath of our native conservative populace who either didn’t want to see the fight on the horizon or refused to believe Idaho was susceptible to the progressive rot.

Idaho was in a major state of apathy, and to some extent, still is.

However, over the last five years, a large chunk of our constitutionally conservative-minded base has mobilized and began to get elected seats at the statehouse. Additionally, we have seen some of the real conservatives begin to win at local city elections where Democrats have been hiding for decades now due to our non-partisan races.

The tide is shifting, and those of us who don’t want to see Idaho turn into California are rising up to stop the radical left that has mobilized in Idaho.

Back to the original question: Are outsiders a problem for Idaho?

Well, outsiders are a problem if they are bringing liberal values with them. If they aren’t bringing liberal values with them, then they aren’t the problem.

According to Idaho’s newest media-favorite RINO, Rep. Julie Yamamoto (R-Caldwell), the “outsiders” are the problem. 

People like Yamamoto believe that if you aren’t a 70th generation Idahoan like she is, you are a menace to the state.

You see, the Idaho she wants is the Idaho that sticks their heads in the sand to what the radical left is doing. Yamamoto and other RINOs WANT bigger government, more taxation, and less individual liberty. The want to maintain the status quo and have a Republican Party where everyone is welcome…unless you are a constitutionalist of course.

There is a large chunk of Idaho’s Republican base who thinks just like her. They refuse to understand the real fight we are in. They refuse to stand up to the left and believe that “playing nice” will somehow appease individuals who are led by the evil one.

Yes, they’ll throw you a bone or two for election time, hoping you won’t pay attention to the socialist votes they have cast with their Democrat colleagues. They’ll be sure to put “conservative” on their campaign material because voting like a Democrat half of the time means their a conservative right?

That’s how people like pro-abortion, anti-2nd Amendment State Sen. Geoff Schroeder got elected. He pretended to be someone he isn’t in hopes that you won’t dig into who he truly is. That’s the method of operation for Democrats or extremely moderate Republicans in Idaho. Just deceive people until you get in power. You can read more about Schroeder here.

The truth is, I will stand with any Idahoan, no matter how long they have lived here, as long as they are “all in” on the fight to stop the radical left, and will hold politicians like Yamamoto and Schroeder available.

If you’re a 15th generation Idahoan who claims to be a Republican, but wants to stick your head in the sand and ally with the liberals, I’m going to fight you politically with everything I’ve got.

I would hope that my fellow constitutionalists will also stand with anyone who is in this fight to save Idaho. We must set aside what small differences we have and ensure that Idaho doesn’t fall victim to progressive ideology.

The progressives in both parties still control the statehouse. We have to do better at election time.

We can’t keep electing people like Brad Little (Governor) and Scott Bedke (Lt. Governor) if we are going to preserve Idaho’s values.

Yes, Little has signed some bills which have been great, such as the ban on males in female sports or banning the mutilation of minors. He didn’t really want to push those issues or he would have talked about them and been vocal in making them happen. He signed the bills because he saw little other choice in the matter.

Little isn’t like Gov. Desantis in Florida who actively promotes an anti-liberal agenda.

Idaho’s capitol city of Boise has fallen, and other liberal cities have become even more liberal. Expect Boise to get more and more liberal. The city can’t be saved in my opinion.

That is the blueprint in other states. Flood the metropolitan areas with so many liberals that the rest of the state has no say in what’s happening.

There is still time to save this state, but we have to stop blaming people based on where they come from and look at what they actually believe and value instead.

This is our time and we have very little left to make Idaho a safe haven for constitutional and anti-liberal values.

(Thumbnail image from BearArmsDesigns on Etsy.)