RINO in Repose

Somehow, I knew the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee was going to come into this story.

And because I offer anyone the benefit of the doubt, I will agree with the notion the “Businesses for Growth” and the BCRCC are separate entities, as this story indicates.

However, color me unsurprised if that separation is on paper only.

The BCRCC has taken a hard right turn over the last few years. Not quite into Kootenai County territory, but getting closer. They probably take this as a compliment.

Even better, the Post Register drills down to see who’s funding the group, finding perennial flies in the ointment Frank VanderSloot and (everybody’s favorite) Doyle Beck. (See screencap.)

They’re certainly entitled to spend their money any way they sound fit. But to hear Beck say he wants “transparency” while hiding behind a PAC like Businesses for Growth is kinda funny.

It just makes me wary. And weary.

For the record, I am a registered Republican. For reasons that stray far from party politics.

Also for the record:

1.       I voted in favor of turning Eastern Idaho Technical College into the College of Eastern Idaho (thus increasing my property taxes).

2.       I voted in favor of the bond to build Thunder Ridge High School in the Bonneville School District (thus increasing my property taxes).

Those two items alone brand me as a RINO per the BCRCC, because ANY increase in tax or fee is bad. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD. And that’s fine. I’d never pass any purity test offered by any political party, so I’m not going to start with the Republicans.

But back to this billboard and Businesses for Growth.

Sure, you don’t like current Mayor Rebecca Casper for reasons.

But anyone but Casper? That makes me want to vote for Casper, and I can’t, as I reside in the city Businesses for Growth would rather live in. Neither VanderSloot nor Beck can vote for (or against) her either, as they don’t reside in the city. Which is why they want to buy city residents’ votes instead.

This is no nevermind, as Businesses for Growth kinda misses the boat on growth anyway. Paul Menser, writing at his Bizmojo Idaho blog, says it better than I ever could.

And if Businesses for Growth wants to talk about expensive water, they need to look at living in Madison County, where growth is spectacular along their lines but water is maddeningly expensive, relatively speaking. We lived up there for more than ten years and were thrilled to move to a place where water isn’t metered. Yet.