This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Post Register. People constantly ask me this question: “How do we encourage people to participate?” We have a primary election coming up. In 2022, according to the Idaho Secretary of State’s office, 23.1% of people of voting age turned out. I get why it’s frustrating to vote […]

Here in Idaho, we talk a lot about a “culture of life” and “family values.” But do our actions and policies reflect these lofty ideals? For example, we know from data and research that the best way to prevent abortion is to provide access to safe and effective birth control, as well as age-appropriate sex […]

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Post Register. The 2024 legislative session might be inching closer to an end, but the bad bills just keep on coming. Unfortunately, some of these bills—many of which are simply bad policies for made-up “problems”—are very similar to what we saw earlier in the session. After an […]

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Post Register. We’re a month into the legislative session, and Idaho’s citizens are practically begging our legislators to respect librarians, fund education, and stop trying to change the definitions of words that have actual legal, scientific, and medical meanings. The budgeting approach has been changed to something […]

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Post Register. Last year, an attempt to introduce vouchers to Idaho failed. But, while Idahoans want to see more investment in our public schools, our legislators are at it again. We’ve already seen what happens when school vouchers are introduced in other states like Iowa and Arizona.  […]

Originally published as an op-ed in the Post Register. As we gear up for the legislative session, there are two questions to ask ourselves as we watch the posturing in Boise: I’m active in our community, working with nonprofits and speaking with people intimately connected to some of Idaho’s issues. I hear about the dissatisfaction […]

Originally published in the Post Register as an op-ed. We’re fond of saying that we live in an “information age.” Just about anything you want to know (and even things you don’t want to know) can be found within seconds using a computer that fits in the palm of your hand. Unfortunately, it’s hard to […]

Originally published in the Post Register as an op-ed. We hear a lot about “freedom” here in Idaho. Certain elements are SO SURE that the big bad federal government will tell them what to do that they pass all sorts of laws designed to tell the rest of us how to live.  I’ve been pondering […]

Originally published as an op-ed in the Post Register. “Would you let your child read THAT?” It’s a common refrain. Usually accompanied by someone waving around a book they found only after hunting through the adult section of the library in an attempt to find something “bad.” For folks like this, a restricted library card […]

Originally published as an op-ed in the Post Register. People often ask why I’m so passionate about state and local politics. The answer is simple: it’s where we, as citizens and community members, have the best chance to make an impact. There’s not a lot I can do to influence what goes on at the […]

Originally published as an op-ed in the Post Register. “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” This version of the quote, attributed to Winston Churchill, has been on my mind recently. When looking at some of what’s taking place around us, it’s not hard to pick out patterns. Consider: History […]

Published in the Post Register. When it comes to voting, we often pay attention to the “sexy” races at the top. We get excited every four years during a presidential election, but we often forget the importance of state races. We heap praise or blame on the president, depending on our “team” and what’s going […]

Miranda Marquit and Rep. Barbara Ehardt debated in September. Watch the debate and decide whose positions you better align with.

Published in the Post Register. Where do we put our focus? To hear some local politicians, you’d think the most pressing issue we have in Idaho is George Soros funding drag queens in schools. Of course, most of us know that George Soros probably doesn’t know what’s going on in Idaho—and certainly isn’t spending any […]

This op-ed appeared in the Post Register. Our Idaho Democratic Party platform focuses on values. It’s simple and straightforward. Rather than parsing out pages and pages of specific policies, the platform focuses on what matters. In fact, you might be surprised to find much in common with the values stated in the platform. This week, […]

This column appeared in the Post Register. “[L]aws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. … We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.” — […]

This was published in the Post Register. “This isn’t who we are.” We say that a lot lately. Many of us were relieved that a U-Haul full of Patriot Front men were detained, rather than being able to carry out an attack on a peaceful and joyful Pride gathering in Coeur d’Alene. We were even […]

This was published in the Post Register “You’re not one of those liberals, are you?” The other patrons of the winery were talking amongst themselves and got to the “where are you from” stage of the conversations. One of them said he was from California, but made it clear he wasn’t a liberal. He came […]

Originally published in the Post Register May 20, 2022. George Washington had a point when he warned us against getting too caught up in political parties.  Our political system is increasingly difficult to navigate these days, especially when we look at primaries. Political parties get to set the rules for their primaries in states like […]

Published in the Post Register. Let’s talk a little bit about family values. We spend a lot of time insisting that we want to support families. However, when you look at some of the policies that we have, it becomes clear that we talk a big game, but we’re not ready to invest in our […]

Published in the Post Register. It’s Financial Literacy Month. I love this month because, well, as someone who makes a living by writing, podcasting and speaking about money, I don’t think enough can be said about this subject. While bringing more attention to our relationship with money is an important part of understanding our finances, […]

Op-ed from the Post Register. This year’s legislative session has shown us something here in Idaho: We need to be involved. Rather than addressing issues that matter to us, our so-called representatives and leaders have instead focused on culture war issues that do little more than harm the most vulnerable among us. These days, transmittal […]

Published in the Post Register Is it sine die yet? That’s the question many of us ask ourselves as we approach the end of the legislative sessions. And, really, there’s a good reason for it. During the last several years, as each legislative session showcases our so-called “leaders” as they pass increasingly extreme bills, we […]

Published in the Post Register “This isn’t who we are.” We hear that a lot around the time of the legislative session. The Idaho House is passing increasingly extreme bills. I wish it were an exaggeration to say that the House has passed legislation criminalizing librarians (HB 666) for the books children check out. I […]

Published in the Post Register For the past several years, Idahoans have listed, among their top priorities, education, healthcare and housing. As we watch the legislative session, we should be asking ourselves the following questions: What is the outcome we’re hoping for? What is the outcome that’s likely for this legislation? Does this legislation help […]

Published in the Post Register Access to the system is one of the most important principles of our representative republic. Our country falls under the umbrella of a democratic system of government. The ability to access the ballot box and vote for those who represent us is a cornerstone of a thriving democratic and representative […]

Published in the Post Register Every year Boise State University releases a survey of Idahoans’ legislative priorities. The top five priorities for 2022 include: Education Jobs and the economy Healthcare Housing The environment Noticeably missing from the top five priorities — as it has been for the last several years — is taxes. The people […]

Published in the Post Register “It will take money — not mothballs — in the state treasury to build the Idaho of which we all dream.” – Idaho Governor Robert E. Smylie (R), 1966 There was a time, before the 1990s, when Idaho’s elected officials believed that investment in our community was worthwhile. Well, today, […]

Published in the Post Register. The end of the year offers us time to reflect. I’ve been reflecting on how we can do good in the world. Sometimes it feels like there are so many big problems — and that there’s not a lot we can do to influence the decision-makers. As we move into […]

Published on the Post Register. As we approach the end of another year, it’s common to look ahead. Some of us set goals or get excited about new projects. We think about what we want to focus on. Should we pay more attention to our health? Is it time to get serious about our finances? […]

Published in the Post Register. Just what is return on investment (ROI)? When we talk about it in money terms, we’re usually talking about profitability. How much financial profit do we get when we invest our dollars? Investing in communities, though, is an entirely different proposition. Too often, we fall into the trap of assuming […]

Published in the Post Register. Are we paying attention? More and more, it’s important to pay attention to what’s going on with our school board and city council elections. These aren’t always the sexiest elections — but they’re often the most important. While it’s exciting to get caught up in a presidential race or look […]

Published in the Post Register. “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and will never be.” — Thomas Jefferson “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” — Eleanor Roosevelt I’ve been pondering the nature of freedom since […]

Published in the Post Register Why are we paying to defend unconstitutional laws designed to disenfranchise us? That’s the question I asked myself when I saw that the Idaho State Legislature had been billed right around $185,000 by the private counsel it hired to defend the anti-initiative legislation passed during the last session. It’s not […]

Published in the Post Register. Thomas Jefferson pointed out that sufficient leisure and education are necessary in order for us to have an informed and engaged electorate. I thought about this a lot a couple of weeks ago as I attended City Club to listen to Rep. Mike Simpson. We talk about being engaged politically […]

Published in the Post Register. According to the annual Boise State public policy survey, Idahoans’ priorities included education, jobs/economy, healthcare, coronavirus response and housing. Constituents have been clamoring for meaningful help with property taxes for two legislative sessions now. While it’s true that property taxes are mostly handled at the local level, the reality is […]

You may know Representative Barbara Ehardt as a basketball coach. She’s a nice lady and has given good service to Idaho Falls. However, in Boise, the story is a little different. Do you know her real record in the Idaho Legislature?  It’s disappointing, but, unfortunately, Ehardt has failed to represent us on several key issues: […]

Ed Marohn, a former Idaho Falls City Council member, was one of the first people to suggest that I might run for office. I’m honored that such an amazing human and part of the community would endorse me.

Jackie Larsen, a retired nursing administrator, knows more than most the importance of protecting people and adopting policies that promote our health. Thank you so much for your kind endorsement.

I remember admiring Linda Milam as I was growing up here in Idaho Falls. She’s the first mayor I remember. I’m so humbled that she would endorse me for state legislature.

I’m so lucky to know Jerry and Ann Shively and call them friends. Thanks so much for the kind endorsement.

My friend John Radford has been an amazing asset to our community. Thanks so much for the endorsement!

I’m so fortunate to know so many amazing people here in D33. Thank you for your trust in me, and I hope that I can earn your vote.

Let’s do this thing. This year is a little different. Here’s what you need to know about voting this year. Here are my top tips for voting this year. MAKE A PLAN to vote. You will probably need it.1. Go to https://IdahoVotes.gov and sign up for an absentee ballot.2. You can also sign up to […]

Unlike SOME people, who voted against the higher education budget THREE times, and voted to repeal all education and teaching standards with no replacement, I ACTUALLY support education. The courts have given Reclaim Idaho the chance to collect signatures for their education petition online, and this means you can do something to help. You can […]

One of the best ways to make your voice heard is to VOTE. Engagement is hugely important, and the more involved we are, the better off we are as a society. Plus, we’re more likely to get public officials that actually reflect our values and respond to our interests. IdahoVotes.gov is actually a pretty solid resource. […]

There’s A LOT going on right now that makes it clear that many of our current “representatives” don’t have our best interests in mind. 1. A few legislators gathered for a meeting (let’s not pretend like it was a special session of anything) to prate about WHATEVER. These are the same folks that couldn’t be […]

Guess what? Idaho has updated its website so that you can request an absentee ballot for the November election. Head over to IdahoVotes.gov and request your ballot. We don’t know what the next few months will bring, so now is a great time to sign up to receive your ballot by mail. Also: Save the USPS. Learn […]

We’re always talking about what things cost and what we’re willing to pay for. So let’s talk about it. 1. Cuts to education: Our “leaders” say they value education, but at the first sign of trouble that’s what gets cut. Are we really interested in investing in education? Or is that just something that legislators […]

Every morning, I see a pin in a crystal trinket holder on my dresser. It reminds me that apathy isn’t an option. It’s a reminder that we can make our corner of the world a better place, and that it’s possible to make a difference. Sometimes it’s hard to get excited about what’s going on […]

Just a quick overview of the Idaho Rebound Cash Grants program, and how it compares to the PPP. It’s important to note that if you have a PPP loan of more than $10,000, you aren’t eligible for the Idaho program. However, for those who have been struggling with the PPP loan stuff, the Idaho grant […]

Watch my video about voting in the May 19 primary. You need to follow these steps to ensure that your vote is counted.

On April 30, 2020, I sat down virtually with Aaron Swisher and we answered questions about the economy, what’s going on, and what it means for your money. Aaron Swisher is an economist. I’m a nationally recognized financial expert and just finishing my MBA. Both of us have long experience with financial issues and real-world […]

It’s going to be a busy week. Here’s some of what you need to know. 1. Gov. Little has issued a plan to re-open. You can get the details here: https://rebound.idaho.gov/…/2020/04/opening-up-guidlines.pdf If you’re hoping to be tested for COVID-19 antibodies, Crush the Curve is offering locations for the test. East Idaho News has details: https://www.eastidahonews.com/…/new-covid-19-antibody-test…/ 2. I’m […]

When we look at national elections, it’s easy to get discouraged. After all, sometimes it feels as though we don’t have much say. On a national level, it’s impossible for everyone to be happy with the nominee. And that’s ok. However, the great thing about our system is that we have a chance to make […]

The 2020 legislative session was one of the messiest yet. Rather than looking at the challenges facing the state, our the folks in Boise have instead focused on passing one divisive and extremist bill after another — banning affirmative action, banning transgender athletes, banning abortion with no exception for the health of the mother. Rep. […]