State's top Republicans don't always follow party line

Dear editor:

Nearly every Republican candidate claims to be "conservative." Apparently all want the "badge."

It has been reported that the Idaho Republican Party is conservatively extreme in its political views. So, it seems appropriate to examine the extremity of those views.

The current issues getting the most attention are the Obama health exchange, who should manage all the public lands in Idaho and Common Core.

Every republican federal representative and senator, including those from Idaho, voted against the government health exchange.

Idaho Farm Bureau and the Farm Bureau from other states oppose government run health exchanges as reported in their policy statements.

Polled Republicans around the nation still oppose government run health exchanges.

The Idaho Republican Central Committee, from the beginning of the government run health exchange debate, has at every meeting voted against the exchange including a call again for its repeal in January of 2014.

It is reported that there are 14 states that have government run health exchanges. Idaho is the only Republican state with the governor, all its constitutional officers and over 80% of the legislature Republican that has installed a government run health exchange.

So, it begs the questions, who is on the edge of the Republican Party and why are they there?

Relative to the management of public lands in the western states, Nevada is more more than 90% public land, Idaho is more more than 62% and the other nine are averaging more than 60%.

Idaho Farm Bureau in its policy statement wants the state to manage all the public land within Idaho' boundaries.

Idaho Association of County Commissioners have passed a resolution calling for state management of all public land within its boundaries.

The National Association of County Commissioners have passed a resolution calling for states to manage all the public lands within their respective boundaries.

The National Republican Party, at its winter meeting in Washington, D.C., in January of 2014, in which Idaho National Committeewoman Cindy Siddoway, and National Committeeman Dainond Waffim, participated, passed a resolution supporting the western states management of public lands within their respective boundaries.

And the Idaho Republican Party has made resolutions supporting the position that the state should manage all the public land within its boundaries. This same action has happened in other western states.

Idaho's constitutional officers have not yet come out in support of public lands management by the state.

Again it begs the question, who is on the edge of the Republican Party?

Common Core is an issue which the state party and the NRC have passed resolutions in opposition. The future will yet determine the sagacity of this position. This resolution along with the others have been shared with our elected officials in the legislature.

The Idaho Republican Party Central Committee is made up of representation from all 44 counties in the state and at any given meeting there are 80% or more of the counties that are represented.

If Gov. Otter is involved in recruitment and campaigning against incumbent Republican precinct committeeman across the state it would be deeply disappointing to me. The Idaho Republican Party has made every effort to support and cooperate with Gov. Otter as appropriate..

We acknowledge that Governor Otter does not support the Idaho Republican positions on several key issues. However, we all agree that the proper role of government is best defined by the Idaho and RNC platform, which includes smaller government, lower taxes and preservation of our liberty or right to choose.

As we move forward, the Idaho Republican Party is committed to electing Republicans.

-- Barry Peterson