Why Is This Man Smiling?
Will Joe Biden's Administration treat Idaho differently than the Trump Administration? Governor Little praised the communication between the Gem State and the White House during the last four years. Idaho benefited from its Republican Super Majority. However, we now have a Democratic Administration; how will they view a state dominated by the Grand Old Party?
President Biden openly bragged that he has reached out to Republican Governors in recent public comments. We have reached out to Governor Little's office to see if the president did call our governor. So far, we have not heard back from the governor's office.
Unfortunately at the federal level, Idaho has lost its political clout thanks to Biden's victory and the Democrats taking over the United States Senate. (Editor's note, thank you to the state of Georgia for that one.) In the last Congress, our two senators ran two of the most powerful committees in Congress.
Senator Jim Risch was the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. The senator set the agenda for the committee and helped guide our foreign policy. His numerous television appearances raised the profile of the Gem State. The new chairman is Senator Robert Menedez of New Jersey. Idaho's loss is New Jersey's gain.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio will now run the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Our Senator, Mike Crapo, was the chairman in the last Congress. Senator Crapo is a deficit hawk who understands the need to tackle the national debt. Senator Brown has a different philosophy on government spending.
Here's a link to the entire list of Democratic Chairman in the Senate.
Idaho will continue to be an example to the rest of the world of American Values. Perhaps our congressional influence will return in two years?