Idaho GOP is Right to Question Higher Education Funding

Mainstream media, its fellow Democrats, and moderate Republicans are in meltdown. As usual, they’re appalled by the growing constitutional movement in the state GOP. Much of the angst is a provision in the party platform that says the state shouldn’t be in the business of higher education. For the most part, this provision is aimed at the Launch Program, a gussied-up system of rewards for political donors under the guise of a scholarship program. But the wording of the resolution is far more expansive.

I agree that defunding higher education is a tall political order. I suppose it enjoys some strong public support, however. It does force us to have a serious discussion about the role of government. The people who drafted the resolution pointed out that the state constitution outlines very narrow responsibilities for the government.

You may not like the Idaho Freedom Foundation, but a piece posted by the outfit points out that many of us may be unaware of the scope of projects being funded by all of you, the taxpayers. Do we need a commission to study and police possible discrimination against the left-handed, the tall, the fat, and any other subset of the general population? Keep in mind that the people who profit from government largesse fund the whining lobbyists who argue that if we don’t exalt politeness, people will be mean to others, assault others, or worse, kill others. The same special interests often fund political campaigns. And your pocket gets picked for a public good.

We should also note that much of higher education has become a Marxist indoctrination mill. Are you happy your income is being confiscated to recruit your kids into a philosophy you find a threat to our Republic, our traditions, and our future?

When you consider that our state receives a great deal of money from the federal government (also funded by your taxes) and that we’re headed for a fiscal cliff as a nation, it's better to have this conversation now than later.