This year is one of the most frustrating and mind-blowing years I have seen as a 2nd Amendment advocate.
Joe Biden, the Democrats, and a number of RINOs in Congress are shoving gun control into our faces at a very alarming rate. There are more gun control proposals now than I have seen in many years and there is a good chance some of it is going to pass.
With all of that going on, you would think that the Idaho legislature would leap at the opportunity to push House Bill 300, a bill sponsored by Sen. Christy Zito (R-Hammett), that would help fill gaps in our “Second Amendment Protection Act” that currently exist in Idaho.
Instead, I am hearing that House Speaker Scott Bedke wants to update and re-publish a letter the establishment shared a few years ago.
That letter told Idahoans how awesome the legislature has been for the 2nd Amendment. It was a summary of some of the bills they had passed at the time.
They shared this letter throughout various districts across the state.
Okay, great. What does that have to do with HB 300 and its necessity?
First, let me be very clear, no one is arguing that Idaho doesn’t have the best gun laws in the country and we are not saying that the Idaho House or Senate is full of anti-2nd Amendment legislators. What I am saying is that some of them are severely misguided in their desire to block HB 300.
And yes, Idaho has some incredible laws in place right now to protect the right to keep and bear arms.
Idaho is currently ranked #2 (although statistically tied for first) on the Guns and Ammo ranking system for the most “friendly” firearm states in the country. When the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance started back in 2012, Idaho was ranked 32nd!
We have Constitutional Carry, open carry, very few places you can’t carry, a decent firearm preemption law, a pretty solid Idaho Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and most of the Stand-Your-Ground law that we need.
Does that mean that we don’t have ways that we can improve on our right to keep and bear arms? No!
Does that mean that we are supposed to sit back and do nothing? No!
We are in a war, and when you are the most powerful army in the world do you just sit back and say, “Well, we have the best army so there is no need to worry about anything now.”
I was lucky enough to be a member of the Idaho Army National Guard and a proud member of the United States armed forces.
The U.S. military is the most powerful fighting force in the world. Our equipment is better than any other country on earth.
Does the U.S. military constantly train and look for new ways to gain an edge over their enemies? Yes, they do! Does the U.S. military just tell themselves that nothing needs to be done because of all the previous accomplishments they have had in battle and new advances in equipment? No, they don’t!
The U.S. military, despite its advances in technology and victories over many enemies in battle, is constantly inventing new weapons and new strategies for dealing with enemies who want to destroy us.
It would be idiotic for our military to sit back and do nothing in the face of enemies who are changing their weapons and tactics.
Why then do some in our legislature insist on treating our right to keep and bear arms differently when our enemies are doing everything they can to destroy us?
Yes, Idaho is an incredible state for gun owners to live in but the laws we have now are not complete and some of them have had holes poked in them by the courts.
The liberal 9th Circuit has already poked several holes in Second Amendment Protection Act laws. Idaho’s laws that were passed in 2010 and 2014 are great but the courts have already said that portions of our laws won’t work based on opinions issued against a similar law in Montana.
HB 300 is designed to help fill some of the gaps from the 2010 and 2014 laws. No one is trying to take away what was accomplished in those years.
However, the attorneys who drafted HB 300 have told us that what we have now won’t work and won’t hold up in court so we have to adapt and change our strategy. They have told us that we must get new weapons in the fight to keep and bear arms.
Alexandria Kincaid and Don Kilmer did an entire presentation at the capitol to explain why our current laws won’t work and why HB 300 will help us in future court battles.
You can view the presentation here:
How many legislators will take the time to educate themselves and watch this presentation?
Has Speaker Bedke watched it? Is he going to so he can understand why HB 300 is so important? Who knows.
The legislature, if they block HB 300, is going to miss a huge opportunity to help gun owners. And at a time when gun owners need the legislature to step up, this is bound to have a lot of consequences.
Expect gun owners to use HB 300 as a key voting tool in 2022 and if gun control makes it into law, they will use it as a tool even more.
HB 300 NEEDS PASSED, Bedke better get off his duff and be one, a better Idahoan, and two protect the US Constitution as written.
The Idaho legislature is filled with too many “good enough” Republicans. “Good enough” to get elected over outright Socialists, but incredibly squishy when it comes to bolstering our 2nd Amendment (and ultimate line in the sand) protections.
There is NOT A SINGLE VALID REASON for the majority GOP legislature NOT to support HB 300. Representative Brent Crane – A COSPONSOR of HB 300- hasn’t even agreed to give HB 300 a hearing in the House, “because he doesn’t think the Senate will hear it.” His job has nothing to do with what the Senate will or won’t do. That’s a foundational reason as to why we have a bicameral legislature.
Patti Anne Lodge in the Senate wants a hardworking “freshman” Senator (Christy Zito) to kiss Patti’s “senior” ring. Lodge has repeatedly lied to Idahoans, stating that Zito never even tried to originate HB 300 in the Senate. Zito emailed Lodge directly on February 18th with this request, and Lodge simply ignored the request.
And now Representative and Speaker of the House Scott Bedke?! Do these people even represent the people of Idaho? Or are they allegiant to the institutional establishment and their “good enough” cronies, supported by outside special interests?
We the People should be the only special interests these elected officials serve.
The Second Amendment is not a partisan issue. Not a single Amendment in the Bill of Rights is partisan. Yet in today’s useless two party monopoly, one would at least hope the Republicans in Idaho would stand firm on the 2nd Amendment.
Each of the “leaders” below are REPUBLICANS. With “good enough” Republicans like these, who needs Democrats?
These obstructionists are blocking HB 300 because of their backroom, ego-driven politics. They serve themselves, not the people of Idaho. And there are more just like them in the Idaho House and Senate.
And those that are strong on the 2nd Amendment and HB 300? They better start raising their voices, demanding that HB 300 get a hearing and a vote in the House, so HB 300 gets sent to the Senate. Then we will see which legislators stand with the overwhelming majority of Idahoans that want HB 300 to strengthen our state’s 2nd Amendment provisions and laws.
Representative Brent Crane- bcrane@house.idaho.gov
Senator Pattie Anne Lodge- PALodge@senate.idaho.gov
Speaker of the House Scott Bedke- sbedke@house.idaho.gov
Lodge an Crane had better “extract their craniums from their rectums” an remember just who it was that put their asses in the position they are in. They are there to SERVE at OUR pleasure, not because they are so overly important but because they swore an oath to US as OUR representatives. HB300 either will be passed or their positions WILL.
Greg, Doug,
I agree with everything you said! In fact, I’ve been emailing Lodge and Crane a lot and even all of the names I found on the house and senate pages on Idaho.gov. Seems I have another name to add to my daily contact list, and rest assured I will send this to the rest of the house and senate members asking them to read and watch the video. Thank you for keeping us informed, thank you for working so hard to preserve, and improve our 2nd amendment rights. I’m so tired of being lied to and hearing about the childish political posturing, but I’m never too tired, and I won’t give up, or go away until my voice is heard and HB300 gets a hearing. It has to stop, and the only way it will stop is when all of our voices become so loud they cannot ignore them any longer! I hope everyone that reads this will get involved and start emailing all of the house and senate members!
I’ve tried multiple times to add the entire list of email addresses but it won’t accept and list them. So, as an alternative, here’s a link to my op-Ed that has all of them: https://idahodispatch.com/op-ed-how-long-until-enough-is-enough/
HB 300, get it to the floor and passed! We the people of Idaho donot want to see any of our constitutional rights going the way of this liberal socialist agenda to prop up Big government and continue to strip us of our freedom and liberty! Take the scales off your eyes and look around! What is wrong with you! Get it done!!
When oh when we these politicians who promise the interest of the people in the State of Idaho sovereign direction? They are failing and leaving Idaho our great state to be ravaged by Fed Govt over reach. STOP!!!
The States gave birth to the Federal Government, not the other way around.
The point was for Federal government to only be as big as truly necessary. For example: a national military.
What we are seeing is an excuse of necessity to grow Big Gov control and line the pockets of those who “play along”.
“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” – William Pitt
For EVERY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE to NOT acknowledge this and FIGHT against the overreach by excuse of “necessity” is shameful and constitutes a dereliction of their individual oath-sworn DUTY. PERIOD.
Get this bill heard and passed, or on my name, I will help expose the “representatives” who ignore the will of The People they swore an oath to defend until my time is up on this planet.
State’s shouldn’t even have much control over counties, counties over cities… and on down the line.
Serve your purpose and stay in your lane… and tell the Feds to stay in theirs as well. And tell them that Idaho WILL NOT give up their inalienable rights bestowed upon them by God our creator… granted upon death… only to be taken in death.
Thank you Greg, Christy, legal counselors, and all else who are fighting for OUR rights…
SHAME on those who oppose the natural rights of their very own electors!
Correction- *granted upon BIRTH… only to be taken in death.
Tommorrow we are promised Biden will execute an executive order involving guns…meanwhile our Idaho “lawmakers” are impeding a hearing on a bill ( HB 300) aka Small Arms Protection Act. I am a USMC Vet, ’68-’71, Father and Husband, and successful businessman. I am livid and frustrated at the behavior of Ms. Lodge, Mr. Crane, and various Senators, regarding this bill, and it’s main Sponsor, Senator Zito. Mr.Crane is a co sponsor and has shown little interest in presenting his bill for a hearing..What are these people afraid of, and whom?..that they would engage in such immature behavior and cronyism ! Only they can answer but it appears Ms. Lodge, Mr. Crane and others are loyal to the established institution in which they reside and not the good, hardworking citizens of Idaho. If…if this bill is so poorly written( as has been a popular excuse), or not needed( another popular excuse), or not presented properly( still another reason for not allowing a hearing) then why does it have the support of three Senators and twenty some Representatives??? Are they all inept as well? It is obvious the people in “charge of these matters “as to whether they are deemed worthy of consideration, …have lost sight of the everyday, working, men and women of Idaho. We have not lost sight of them, however, and it will be remembered how this specific issue has been treated and ignored. We will remember because the democrat controlled federal government will issue and attempt to enforce, an executive order which could very well make criminals out of law abiding citizens…and the Idaho Legislature doesn’t seem to have a problem with this! SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG INSIDE OUR CAPITOL!!
HB 300 needs to get pushed through ASAP. No more stalling. This bill is very important to strengthen our 2 amendment rights. Those that ignore the will of the people of Idaho, will suffer the consequences come 2022. We will vote you out.
Ms. Lodge and Mr. Crane Your behavior towards HB300 is Unacceptable!!! The teeny bopper games that are being played against Senator Zito and over looking this extremely important bill to Keep Idaho Great makes me question your loyalty to the people of Idaho, who you are supposed to serve. It makes me question who you actually serve if not for the people of Idaho….. Ms. Lodge & Mr. Crane have either of you had any Yen sent your way from China lately? Any checks coming in from the U.N. or are you both just playing games against a real servant of the people Senator Zito. Your unacceptable behavior regarding HB300 is a slap to every single veterans face who sacrificed so much to preserve these rare freedoms Such as our 2nd Amendment! Men die trying to preserve these freedoms while politicians like the both of you, spit on all of our veterans sacrifices for political gain or bribes! Our nation is in the fight of its life to stay free, and it is your sworn oath to keep Idaho free! The American people are getting sick and tired of political games that are destroying our children’s future. Do what is right and keeps Idaho free Ms. Lodge and Mr. Crain.
God Bless & Semper Fi
That oath is NOT to be taken lightly…
Sworn to protect our Constitution…
I understand that all House and Senate members were invited to the HB-300 Q and A at the capital last Thursday. Where were they? They had the opportunity to support, question and answer in regards to why this bill is so important to Idahoans. I was there. Were you? If no it’s time to get in the know as to why Idahoans want our representatives to represent us well and to hear and pass this bill.
What we have a case of is the Harlem Globe Trotters (Dems) and the Washington Generals (Rep). Everyone knows the globe trotters are going to win. However they have to play against a team that takes the “L” for the show. This is our political system on the federal and state level now. Republican politicians are far to comfortable playing a game that they know they are PAID to lose. All the while looking foolish while it’s happening. They love to grandstand on the occasional fast break they make get, but then miss the easy layup shot. HB300 is the layup shot. This should be the easiest bill to bring to the table. It’s a no brainer. However, the Generals would rather flop around on the court pretending that they have a chance, but know they aren’t really there for the “W”. Here is where We The People come in.
We know the game and we are tired of the politics. Our elected officials have forgotten that they serve us. Heck, most the people have forgotten that they are supposed to serve us. It has gotten to the tar and feather point with these elected servants. Hb300 won’t even be heard because Lodge, Crane, and others have forgotten who they are supposed to serve. They have been flooded with emails, phone calls, etc and very little if any response. When they do respond it’s lies and backpedaling. They need to be reminded that come re-election time WE WILL NOT FORGET if they choose to continue to play games. Enough is enough.
Now I must leave to bag the feathers and check the tar. It should be boiling by now. #micdrop
i hope it passes, another thing,,is christy zito should be our next governor ,,,,,she goes all out for us,,,and supports the constitution,,,we need her,,,,,,
Politicians and government employees are a top to bottom crime gang. Beware