On February 25th, I attended a symposium sponsored by Kootenai County Democrat Party Central Committee. The title of the symposium was “Hijacking Democracy”. It was a packed house, SRO, sold-out event. Party Chairman Evan Koch’s opening remarks stated the event was in response to the appearance of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s appearance at the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee’s (KCRCC) Lincoln Day dinner. Koch deferred to the attendees from Spokane County and expressed the hope of turning the area into an inland northwest progressive community.
Chairman Koch then introduced the Master of Ceremonies and keynote speaker: Dr. David Adler. Adler runs The Alturas Institute, a political think tank out of Idaho Falls. Adler started the program off with a video of a news broadcast detailing how: “…rebels, liars, and conspiracy theorists” have hijacked the Republican party, emphasizing the rise to power in the House of Representatives of Ms. Greene and Congressman Paul Gosar.
The ongoing theme which developed throughout the symposium is the “Far Right” has hijacked politics both nationally and in Idaho. Adler made references to the recent SCOTUS decisions involving abrogating Roe v. Wade-Women’s Rights, disarming states and municipalities through the Bruen decision on firearms, vis-à-vis the Second Amendment. He supports term limits for Supreme Court Justices. He then went on to sound the alarm on the state level: The threat to the legal separation of church and state which is pending in Idaho as a result of the school voucher legislation and attacks on librarians over the availability of pornographic reading material, which in his words: “…deny an eye-opening education rich in color and diversity and whitewash American history.”
Other speakers made video presentations. Luke Mayfield of Reclaim Idaho talked about the tactics used to orchestrate group presentations and forums to promote his agenda – Medicaid for all. Democrat State Representative Ilana Rubel (Boise) spoke at length about the Republican majority’s war on human rights, women’s rights trans rights, and the rigging of the system through closed primaries, gerrymandering, and ballot initiatives legislation. She stated there is a campaign of terror and fear among those who want to run for office on the Democrat ticket. And the epicenter of that terrorist campaign is in North Idaho.
Kaylee Peterson from Eagle, who ran against Congressman Russ Fulcher then took the floor and explained the terror of people in her own Democrat majority precincts who would not even put a campaign sign in front of there homes for fear of retaliation. Ms. Peterson cited the recent acts of terror against public utilities in North Carolina and the rise nationally of political violence. People, according to Ms. Peterson are being demonized on social media by one word: Liberal.
Adler then introduced Dr. Sarah Lynch of the North Idaho Pride Alliance. Lynch is a retired USAF pilot and made reference to her “wonderful wife” and their children. She spoke of the counterdemonstration which almost took place at the previous Pride in the Park rally. She was grateful for the police response. She emphasized the need for interaction with school boards to promote curricula which further the LBGTQ+ agenda.
A brief satirical video was played. This was produced by CDA City Councilman Dan Gookin. The video ridiculed the speakers at the local CDA library board meeting who were protesting gay porn directed at children. The gist of Gookin’s video was the material should not be banned and involved parents should make the decision regarding their children’s reading material. It closed with an old newsreel cut of the Nazi book burnings of the 1930’s. The audience was amused.
Adler then took the podium to announce a break before the panel discussion on the crisis at NIC. Before signing off, he once again emphasized silence is complicity, vote by absentee ballot, vote for the school levies on March 14th , and President Biden is doing a wonderful job and should be reelected. This last remark was greeted with hearty applause by the audience. I did not stay, as the NIC situation has been documented and covered both in the Kootenai Journal and the Press. One thing which I took with me is the whole theme of “Democracy”. What is it really? Is America a Democracy or a Constitutional Republic? Do your own research. You will be enlightened.
