The Majority Report - July 28, 2024
Welcome to the third edition of “The Majority Report.” We love smiles and there are few bigger than on these smiling young Olympians as they march in to compete and represent their respective nations. That is as it should be. Ten Idahoans are competing in the Games and we wish them well.
They all represent years of training and competition to be the best on the world stage. Politics and differences are set aside. Athletes proudly compete to bring “home” gold, silver, or bronze victories. Yet, political incidents have already marred the opening. It is beyond sad and has sparked many criticisms and calls for boycotts as we will report further down.
"We'll always have Paris"
So said Humphrey Bogart in the classic film “Casablanca.” Paris, as classic and romantic as any city could be. Ernest Hemingway called it a “moveable feast,” one that once you had been there you could take it with you wherever you traveled. Now, not so much. Soiled by politics and intentionally so. The opening ceremony of this summer’s Olympic games was not just political but religiously political. It would be hard to be more so. The art and theatre, music and dance of the opening, costing millions of dollars, should have been a spectacle to behold. It was.
A spectacle of religious mockery and bigotry as DiVinci’s “Last Supper” was portrayed by actors in what is called “drag.” The art director of the opening said it was to celebrate “tolerance.” The spokesperson for the Olympics Anne Descamps doubled down, "Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. (The opening ceremony) tried to celebrate community tolerance." Right. “Community tolerance” for whom? Was the target of their message Iran, or Hamas, Hezbollah, or perhaps Houthi pirates? Did they not recognize that their show might disparage over 2 billion Christians in the world?
In truth, they simply don’t care. There is a limited “uproar” over the mockery, but they don’t care. A sponsor or two has withdrawn, but again, the Woke doesn’t care. They will pitch their “Oh, hark, we are sorry if we offended anyone, it was not our intent,” but it rings hollow to us because we know they don’t care. And that is the lesson for us. A lesson that transcends Paris and sporting events. In our own country, we must plan our political strategy to win against people who don’t care – don’t care that the Secret Service is compromised, don’t care that the DOJ and FBI have been weaponized, don’t care that our border is open, don’t care that homeless despoil our city sidewalks, don’t care that non-citizens vote – you name it and they don’t care. We must stop acting and campaigning as if they do. Their own comments make the point.
And to the Olympics, we can let their sponsors know that WE care. Here are just a few of them: Nike, VISA, Delta, Proctor and Gamble, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, and Michelob Ultra.
0 = 50
Happening now: In short, that explains the Boise School District’s grading policy, now under review. In 2017 they decided that giving students the grades they earned was just wrong. So they made the change – any score from 0-49 on an assignment or exam would be given a 50. Other districts nationally have adopted this model, but some have already moved back to traditional grading.
For super-woke Boise, they have a consultant from Canada who calls the shots. To be fair, maybe he’s right, but also maybe just one year during education funding debates on the floor of the legislature there should be a call to reveal all consultants and the fix-all solutions they sell.
One concern we have though is preparing students for a world of work. Will they expect 50% pay for not showing up? Will they automatically start with a 50% on the LSAT, or CPA exam, or other professional licensure tests – engineers, realtors, etc? We won’t all agree on this issue so it is good to be informed. Please read Carly Flandro’s detailed report on it.
And why must we tinker, ever tinker with centuries-old success? See the story link below.
Secretary of State’s Statement
Ballot Initiative: Idaho’s Secretary of State Phil McGrane penned a letter this week to our Legislative Council (Pro Tempore, Speaker and others) advising them that the citizen’s initiative petitions appear to be in order and that the issue(s) will be on the November ballot for voter consideration. These would include primary election changes from the current process to a “Top Four” election and an “Instant Runoff” also known as “Ranked Choice.” Here is his introduction to the Legislative Council:
“…every indication is that there are sufficient total signatures and signatures by legislative district to proceed to the General Election ballot. As the petition enters this next phase of the process and advances to the voters of Idaho, I feel it is necessary to make you, as members of the Legislature and overseers of appropriations, as well as the other parties involved, aware of some important considerations and potential implications regarding changes to our voting processes being proposed.
As Secretary of State, I serve in two capacities related to this initiative. First is that of the executive branch official charged with overseeing the initiative processes, receiving the filings, and ensuring that all appropriate steps are completed, including putting the proposed amendments before the voters of Idaho. In this role, my responsibility is to protect the people's right to petition and to ensure the processes outlined by the Legislature in Idaho Code Title 34 Chapter 18 are followed. The second is that of the state's chief election officer, pursuant to Idaho Code §34-201. Because this petition specifically aims to amend Idaho’s election code and process, my office, in conjunction with the county clerks, will be tasked with implementing the proposed changes. I am writing today in this second role of chief election officer.”
Secretary McGrane then outlines in detail the elections issues of these initiatives and the fiscal impact of them. You can read the entirety of his letter here:
Hot Topic of the Week - REDUX!
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) – Yes, we reported on this last week, there’s news!
Anyone who runs a business knows that “smart” matters, along with effort and many other factors. With DEI (thankfully) on the run with hopefully its Woke friends, comes a new Elon Musk-endorsed idea and plan. But not really new. Reported in the Wall Street Journal (July 24, 2024) as “MEI,” for Merit, Excellence and Intelligence.
As described by Scale AI Chief Executive Alexandr Wang, who helped popularize the term, MEI means hiring the best candidates for open roles without considering demographics.
“A hiring process based on merit will naturally yield a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas,” he wrote on his company’s website last month, adding that casting a wide recruiting net was important. “We will not pick winners and losers based on someone being the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ race, gender, and so on.”
Got it. Almost too simple. Follow the Civil Rights Laws of 1964, and hire the best people who will move your business forward and hopefully make it rock! Let’s do this!!!
*****
So there it is. And that is why we must win in 2024, and why we must work to protect Idaho and her Constitutional sovereignty regardless.
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July's Member Mingle!
Thank you Majority Leader Jason Monks (R-LD22B), for joining us at our first-ever Mix and Mingle! About 25 Idaho Majority Club members and officers enjoyed fellowship and plenty of food at the home of our Chairman, Travis Clyde, and of course Kelti. Small groups, one-on-one discussions, and group Q&A highlighted the evening, and that is what we do. Bring hard topics to a social environment with Idaho’s decision-makers. Thank you to all who attended and especially to Rep. Monks for taking all questions and for his friendship.
We have our next one scheduled for August, so watch your email for the details! And if you're not already a member, click below to apply!
We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Majority Report, and we look forward to seeing you at our next event.
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