Idaho Housing Costs are Out of Hand and there’s No Relief

I saw a local politician state that getting involved with housing costs isn’t a government responsibility. "Excellent Point, President Hoover," crossed my mind. People vote for their needs and wants, not some philosophy textbook. Hoover was right about the role of government. He then put his party in the wilderness for a biblical generation. The only Republicans who served in the Presidency were all squishes on domestic policy. The GOP didn't reclaim the free market sash until the arrival of Ronald Reagan. The three prior Republicans in between were all from the moderate Eisenhower tree.

I Can Smell an Idaho Housing Rebellion in the Air

When Idaho's congressional delegation rejected Mike Lee's proposed land sale, it was a reaction to opposition from outdoorsmen, who have organized under multiple banners, and they vote and have money to spend. Still, friends at Idaho Fish and Game have told me the number of people in the state who hunt and fish is a small minority.

There Simply Aren’t Enough Homes Available to Meet Demand

People who rent and are looking to buy homes are more, and they aren't organized. Not yet.

But go ahead and tell them they should be happy to work 60 to 70 hours a week and live in a prove-up shack! I'm sure it'll keep working. Or until someone comes along and promises to tackle the cost of housing, and that could be soon if any Democrats are willing to denounce the loopy ideas in their party and look to capture the vast center.

This morning, I did some sleuthing for a friend, planning a possible move to Idaho. My friend considers rent and housing here to be a bargain, but comes from a part of the country where median and average incomes are much higher.

While doing my diligence, I looked at the rental costs where I live and discovered I can expect a $200 a month increase when it comes time for my lease renewal. Rent will have doubled in 10 years!

How Long Will Idaho Voters Simmer?

We can't build units fast enough, unlike other people, and the locals are opposed to the loss of farmland. A vocal and well-funded minority is opposed to selling off a fraction of one percent of federal land for development. Another group wants no more outsiders, but since a lot of them keep having kids, where are they supposed to live when they grow up?

Ultimately, this is an issue for our federal delegation, but at the state level, there should already be a plan in place for how we would disburse the property. The big fear is a big fish buying big tracts and shutting us out. Funny, should someone in government be telling you what property you can buy and sell, and to whom you sell it? That's not a government responsibility, either.

In China, the President and his agents simply jail or shoot objectors. Here, people can still vote, and they occasionally get motivated when anger reaches a fever pitch. Or they start to believe they're being ignored.

Do you want to stave off the sudden rise of a Huey Long, or the sudden rise of a wandering party? In the words of Harold Macmillan, "Events, dear boy, events," when asked how a politician riding high can suddenly be brought low.

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