Posts published in “Malloy”

Writing about good people doing good things. That’s a big change for me.

For almost half a century as a writer, I’ve been focused mostly on politicians who try to fool people into thinking they are doing good things. In fairness, many of the political people I have known – from Arkansas to Indiana and Idaho – served with the best of intentions.

But today’s environment is not conducive to “good things” being done in politics. Hatred runs deep among Republicans and Democrats nationally and, with either party, the objective is not to “unify” the nation or serve the common good. The purpose is to gain power – absolute control if possible – and bury the opposition.

It’s no better on the state level, where Democrats don’t win major offices and the GOP is divided into two factions: Republican and “More” Republican. The goal on either side is to gain an overwhelming majority and control the state’s agenda, at the expense of any group that opposes those efforts.

I’ll leave it to the politicians to fight among themselves. I have taken a writing position (volunteer) with the Idaho Nonprofit Center in the Idaho Community Foundation. People in this world are not obsessed with an “R” and “D” by a person’s name, nor are folks worried about who’s a “liberal” or “conservative.” It’s about people working to make their world – and their communities – a better place.

These groups are following the politics, mostly in the interest of self-preservation. After all, politicians have been known to derail noble deeds. But the nonprofit world does not revolve around who’s occupying the White House, or governor’s office.

Check out these organizations: Women’s and Children’s Alliance, Faces of Hope, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Idaho Youth Ranch, Idaho Food Bank and Simply Cats. There are more – hundreds or more, in fact. And there are thousands of volunteers who are working for those worthy causes.

There’s more “goodness” here than any 10 Hallmark movies. And it goes beyond organizations associated with the Nonprofit Center. Civic organizations, such as the Lions, Rotary and Kiwanis are important cogs of their communities. Within these groups, more gets done in a week than a 90-day legislative session or a full calendar year of Congress.

One former president seemed to realize who America’s true heroes are. I had the pleasure of covering the 1988 Republican National Convention when then-Vice President George H.W. Bush talked about a “kinder and gentler nation” and the “thousand points of light,” celebrating volunteerism. With Bush, it wasn’t all talk – it was one of the cornerstones of his administration.

“We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves,” he said. “A shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light … we all have something to give.”

You don’t hear that kind of rhetoric on a campaign stump. One party is labeled as socialist, while the other is called fascists, with both aiming to destroy democracy in one way or another. Winning candidates are more apt to talk about elections having “consequences,” which ends up being bad news for the losing side.

We’ve heard a lot of talk over the last decade about making America “great again,” as if one person or a political movement can pull that off. But America is, and always has been, great – regardless of who is sitting in the Oval Office or seats in Congress. And it is the nonprofit organizations, civic groups and millions of volunteers will ensure greatness in the years to come.

Chuck Malloy, a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist, is a writer with the Idaho Nonprofit Center/Idaho Community Foundation. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

Recently, I sent a note to editors and friends saying I was stepping aside from column writing and pursuing other interests. Then the thought occurred to me that I should share my thoughts one more time.

Why am I leaving? Mostly because what’s happening in Washington, D.C., makes no sense to me.

Let’s start with President Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters from four years ago. It was a dark day in American history, and I cannot forget what happened that day, or Trump’s role.  It was not, as some supporters suggest, a “patriotic” event by honorable people.

But Trump won the election, fair and square, and he is our president for the next four years. It doesn’t mean I am obligated to write about it.

So now let’s look at just a few of his outlandish statements and actions. I do not understand why he wants Canada to be the 51st state or what there is to gain by imposing steep tariffs on our trading partners. I’m confused about his idea to turn war torn Gaza into a resort paradise.

There are some positives, too. I’m all for deporting illegal immigrants who are violent criminals – if that’s who we are detaining. And as much as people complain about Elon Musk, I’m all for getting rid of waste, fraud and abuse in government – if that’s what’s happening. Trump is correct when he says that government has not worked as it should for a very long time.

Unfortunately, Musk and his band of cost cutters are nibbling around the edges. We’d still be trillions of dollars in the hole if you eliminated the Department of Education, spent zero dollars on the military and got rid of the FBI. We won’t make headway on the $36 trillion deficit unless rules change on “entitlements” such as Social Security and Medicare.

Under normal circumstances, I’ve relied on our congressional delegation to help sort out what’s happening. It’s not so easy these days.

I haven’t talked with Congressman Mike Simpson more than a couple of times over the last decade. I’ve been writing about congressional politics in some form since 1978 and he is, at least for me, the most inaccessible member of Congress I’ve encountered over those 47 years. Congressman Russ Fulcher, who has been a reliable source over the years, has not responded to interview requests lately.

So that leaves Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, who (along with almost all Senate Republicans) issue rubber stamps for the Trump administration. They’ve approved cabinet appointments, regardless of the level of competency, and they certainly are not the ones to contact for critical views of this administration. I understand the politics and realize that our senators would go nowhere as outcasts. Crapo (who chairs the Finance Committee) and Risch (who chairs Foreign Relations) stand to be major players in the implementation of Trump’s economic and foreign policies – and those are enviable places to be.

I am not convinced that Trump will be leaving office in four years. I know what the Constitution says, but Trump doesn’t always pay attention to that. I can see him attempting to run in 2028, with Idaho’s congressional delegation – and Idaho voters – overwhelmingly backing him.

So while much of this doesn’t make sense to me, there are other things in my life that do. I am a member of the Lions Club, and one of my passions is to promote awareness about diabetes – a disease that almost took my life 20 years ago. I’ll be doing more public speaking on the issue, and perhaps some writing on the subject. I’m also throwing my hat in the ring for a seat on our HOA board of directors, which will allow me to learn more about matters that are important to our neighborhood.

I am thankful that health has allowed me to write these commentaries over the last 11 years, and especially grateful to editors throughout the state who have been kind enough to publish my columns. Throughout my work, I have connected, or reconnected, with so many wonderful people. But in my next chapter, there are new ventures in my future and many more good days ahead.

To borrow from the great Bob Hope, thanks for the memories.

Chuck Malloy is a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

Drawing a laugh from Alex LeBeau is easy – if you refer to the Idaho Association of Commerce as a “liberal” organization. LeBeau, the longtime IACI president takes exception to that reference.

That is, when he stops laughing.

“That is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard,” LeBeau told me. “We have elected more Republicans in the state than just about any other organization, except for maybe the Republican Party.”

Business operators in Idaho don’t tend to be “liberal” by any measure, and LeBeau – who has been the group’s president for almost 20 years – wouldn’t be sitting in the president’s chair if he were promoting some form of a “woke” agenda. Over the decades that I’ve been following Idaho politics, IACI has been called a lot of things. “Liberal” is not among the more prominent references.

“Our organization’s membership employs about half of the state’s population, and I’m very proud of our membership,” LeBeau says. “They work very hard to do the different things they do and make the economy great. You are going to have to tell me why that’s a liberal thing.”

Well … the organization generally backs Gov. Brad Little, who is widely panned by the GOP’s right-wing faction. And IACI supports the governor’s Launch program, which some Republicans have dubbed as a socialist scheme. As LeBeau sees it, the biggest objection for some is the fact that Little backs it.

“It’s another level of school choice,” LeBeau says.

He has a point there. Launch gives Idaho students an opportunity to further their education by training for high-demand jobs, giving students the opportunity to pursue career opportunities in the Gem State. One immediate benefit, he says, is that community-college enrollment in Idaho is going up, while other states are experiencing a downward trend.

House Speaker Mike Moyle, among others, have talked about “tweaking” the Launch program, and LeBeau is receptive to that idea.

“We’re perfectly fine with tweaking it. There will always be room for improvement when you have something new, but getting rid of it is not an option,” LeBeau says

In IACI’s world, the same can be said for keeping Little for a third term as governor. He has not announced his intention for seeking a third term in 2026, although signs seem to be pointing in that direction.

“We definitely will get behind the governor if he chooses to go for another term,” LeBeau says. “He’s a former chairman of our organization and he has been a tremendous leader for our state.”

LeBeau gives props to the governor for his recent state-of-the-state message, which outlined his agenda for this session. The governor talked about most of the things that IACI likes, including the Launch program, tax relief and money for highways.

“I think he touched on all the right notes in terms of doing what it takes to make this economy going,” LeBeau says. “I look at the state of the economy and the direction that Idaho is going … what are you upset about? We have the most freedoms, the best economy and the most opportunities. And people are saying they don’t want more of the same? I don’t understand what they are upset about, other than the fact that it’s Brad Little and they don’t like Brad.”

To the Idaho Freedom Foundation, the governor is “out of touch.” Ron Nate, president of the IFF, described Little’s state-of-the-state message as “90 percent platitudes, 5 percent rambling and awkward jokes, and 5 percent something – anything – resembling a conservative thought. In other words, disappointing.”

So, brace yourself for a spirited primary election campaign next year. LeBeau and IACI are ready for the fight.

“Leadership in government matters,” LeBeau says. “It matters to employers, employees and the quality of life. What we see in Idaho, and from the standpoint of a lifelong Idahoan, we’re in a great spot and I’d like to see it keep going.”

Chuck Malloy is a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

Idaho’s congressional delegation has spent years battling with the Biden administration and the Bureau of Land Management over the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project, which would have turned a stretch of southern Idaho into a sea of ugly wind turbines.

It took one day of a new administration to put the kibosh on the project and it was Idaho Sen. Jim Risch who wrote the executive order that was signed by President Trump. The senator may never have a more joyful assignment from the president.

Of course, Risch was not writing the order in a vacuum. He had conversations about the project with Trump and the senator emphasized the importance of stopping Lava Ridge during Gov. Doug Burgum’s nomination hearing for Interior secretary.

Risch probably didn’t need to do much to sway the president to his side. Trump made it clear during his inaugural address, with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris watching, that green new deals would be replaced with “Drill, Baby Drill.” So, it’s unlikely that the president gave much hesitation to putting his name to an executive order to scuttle one of the Biden administration’s pet energy projects.

For good measure, Risch had plenty of political support from Congressman Mike Simpson, Sen. Mike Crapo and Gov. Brad Little, among others.

The BLM had its reasons for wanting the turbines. The project northeast of Twin Falls, according to a BLM news release in December, “could power as many as 500,000 homes with clean energy, while creating hundreds of jobs and supporting local and regional economies.”

Folks were not buying the line. The political response from the delegation and beyond: “Not in our back yard.” They wanted nothing to do with hundreds of wind turbines sitting on nearly 100,000 acres, visually compromising the Minidoka National Historic Site – which served as a relocation for more than 13,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II.

Risch documents numerous battles on the Lava Ridge issue, going back to 2021. During that time, he opposed two nominees for Interior secretary, based on support for Lava Ridge. Risch and his colleagues wrote letters that were ignored. Simpson has a similar history of banging his head against a bureaucratic wall, including putting together legislation to stop Lava Ridge.

Then, in just one day of Trump 2.0, it all went away with the stroke of the president’s pen.

“President Trump demonstrated on his first day of office his commitment to listening to the valid concerns of Idahoans, Minidoka survivors and descendents, families, ranchers and sportsmen,” said Crapo.

Simpson chides the Biden administration for “blatantly” disregarding the voices of Idahoans. “The Lava Ridge wind project is unwanted and has zero place in our state. I stand fully behind President Trump’s decision to end it once and for all.”

Gov. Brad Little followed the president’s executive order with one of his own – called “Gone with the Lava Ridge Wind Project Act.”

The star of this show was Risch, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations who used his influence and personal working relationship with Trump to make this executive order happen. The two will have plenty of time to talk about Russia, China and Iran.

“I made a promise to Idahoans that I would not rest until the Lava Ridge Wind Project was terminated. On day one, President Donald Trump took action to keep that promise,” Risch said.

“Lava Ridge has been the embodiment of liberals’ disregard for the voices of Idahoans and rural America,” he said. “Despite intense and widespread opposition from Idaho and the Japanese American community, the previous administration remained dead set on pushing this unwanted project across the finish line. Finally, our nation has a leader who recognizes that people on the ground should have a say in how our natural resources are managed.”

Not all of Trump’s executive orders on day one had such a warm reaction, but this one put smiles on the faces of Idahoans – and the political leaders who found a way to kill it.

Chuck Malloy is a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

Sen. Lori Den Hartog of Meridian, the new Senate Republican leader, has identified the best reason why political leaders – from the governor on down – are backing expanded school choice (a.k.a. vouchers).

The public demands it – it’s as simple as that. Or, more cynically, the demand comes from out-of-state interests that are pushing the concept of state money going to private schools. However you want to look at it, voucher advocates are winning elections and the incumbents who say “no” are being bounced out.

Gov. Brad Little, who takes pride of his record on education, is now friendly toward tax credits for those seeking alternatives to public schools. He’s asking the Legislature to set aside $50 million for that purpose. House Speaker Mike Moyle of Star said bluntly in a pre-session news conference that the money should follow the student – to the chagrin of a couple of leading Democrats appearing at that same gathering.

So, that’s where the conversation in the Legislature begins and it will take at least a few months to sort out the details.

Den Hartog is no late-comer to the fight. She spent her school days at Nampa Christian School, and that’s been the home for her three kids. She has nothing against public schools, but the private school has been the best fit for the family.

“My parents believed strongly in the value of Christian education – what is taught in our home and at church on Sunday,” she told me. “And that’s the choice we made for our three children, and we made choices in our budgeting to make that happen.”

Now, she wants other Idaho parents to have similar options.

“It’s all about making sure people can find the right education setting for their children, and that can change – even with the same kid,” she said. “And the reasons are different.”

Over the years, Idaho has done much to provide school choice – from establishing open enrollment to creating charter schools and providing a better environment for home schooling.

“What we’re talking about during this session is just one more piece of the puzzle – providing resources to families, particularly to families that may not have the means to some of those choices,” she says. “We’re not trying to take anything from anyone. We’re trying to provide additional options for families.”

She rejects the notion that choice advocates want to raid public-school budgets or the general fund. Den Hartog doesn’t see a future of high budget deficits and massive program cuts as a result of modest efforts to expand school choice.

“We’re talking about a fraction of the state budget that competes with other priorities,” she says. “Part of the reason that it’s in the conversation now is this is what Idaho voters are asking for. These are Idaho taxpayer dollars, and these are Idaho kids whose parents pay taxes.”

Den Hartog does not join the chorus of public-school bashing. She doesn’t buy the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s analysis that public schools are glorified indoctrination labs for the political left, and she earns her “F” rating with the IFF by voting for education budgets.

“Our public schools do a tremendous job with the resources that they have, and it’s not all about test scores,” Den Hartog said. “Introducing a little competition in the mix is good. We saw that with open enrollment, where districts highlighted what they were doing well. If you have a monopoly and parents are not happy, for whatever the reason, what is the motivation for schools to respond?”

Over the next few months, we’ll see how many “choice” proposals will come to the table. An early frontrunner is a bill by Den Hartog and Rep. Wendy Horman of Idaho Falls (co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee). That would provide $5,000 tax credits to students who don’t attend public schools (up to $50 million) – with the priority going to those with lower incomes.

There will be plenty of pushback to the Den Hartog-Horman plan, of course. But if early political momentum means anything, we’ll be seeing some kind of subsidy for families seeking alternatives to public schools.

Chuck Malloy is a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com