Weekend Response: The Imports

Two ex-Californians write in defense of  Californians who have moved to Idaho:

Mark Clayton writes:

The majority of Californians moving here, most notably from the Riverside area he refers to, are not liberals. Inland southern California remains one of the state’s last bastions of conservatism and we are the ones moving here. Contrary to your statement that we cater to treehuggers , same sex marriage, Muslims and the ACLU, is laughable. Idaho’s liberals are home grown, just cruise around the North End of Boise and you can almost smell it. We southern California refugees speak English, pay taxes and will make sure this state stays red and will not send another liberal like Frank Church to Washington ever again. As far as not being able to drive, c’mon, get off your tractor and go with the flow of traffic.

One last thought, right on Bill Sali.

The “get off the tractor” isn’t teasing some folks will take kindly to, but still an interesting letter, particularly when combined with Brian Glennon’s letter:

Mr. Bradbury attempts to paint all of us newcomers with the same brush. Many of us came here to Idaho because we share the same social and political norms found here. The California we knew and loved changed, not for the better. California left us … so we left California. Crime, overcrowding, pollution, gangs and the ACLU are all things that offend us, so we became refugees in search of a better quality of life. We found it in Idaho. For the reasons stated above, we, maybe even more than Mr. Bradbury, will do all we can to ensure that Idaho doesn’t go down the same path that California went, and will vote accordingly. We know first hand what can happen because we have been there.

Now, of course I should state that not all of the left’s leadership or membership comes from Idaho, there are many imports: old hippies who do want to recreate California values here in Idaho.

This has not been the trend. The newcomers have been far more conservative, which explains a move from liberal Republican Orval H. Hansen in Congress to a more conservative breed of Republican represented by Mike Crapo, Bill Sali, and others.

On the same note, I think newcomers have made Idaho’s Democratic Party more liberal. For the most part, gone are the days of Cecil Andrus and John Evans. With the exception of Branden Durst (D-18), Margaret Henbest (D-16), and Mary Lou Shepherd (D-2), the Democratic legislative delegation is hard left.

So, I think one can say that imports have made the GOP more conservative and the Democrats mor liberal.

In an unrelated note:

Gary Bennett writes in today’s letters:

Boiseans were recently treated to the God and Country rally and to the Live Earth concert.

One was a peaceful gathering of loving people who truly care about the human race and the other was a raucous rally of rowdies in support of a divisive policy, a failed politician and a nonexistent Bronze Age deity. (“Let us prey,” the preacher said to his fellow pastors.)

Was Mr. Bennett even at the God and Country rally? The letter doesn’t say. However, I’ve atttended the event in the past and whatever complaints you might have about it, it’s not about politics. It’s about celebrating God and the men and women who serve our Country. It’s quite a shame that some on the left can’t appreciate the men who serve our country.

As for Live Earth, I wouldn’t speak so glowingly of a hypocritical pat yourself on the back for saving the Earth while emitting 74,500 tons of carbon in the course of the concert.