The Idaho GOP recently killed a resolution that sought to establish support for The John Birch Society. Their major reasons for doing so highlight differences between establishment Republicans and the fervently constitutional organization.
The “JBS resolution,” which even supporters admitted was atypical, had already been adopted by two Idaho county Republican central committees — those of Kootenai and Benewah counties. That alone caused a great tizzy. It involved a county commissioner who was shown the door as he walked away from the party over its support for the JBS; it gave the local press something juicy to write about; and it created quite a flutter in the left-wing-dominated Twitterverse, where many prolific, and as some argue, irrelevant, keyboard activists congregate to protest.
The resolution was adopted to symbolically recognize the JBS for what it is — an organization dedicated to providing education and organized action “in accordance with moral and Constitutional principles.” It is recognition that Idahoan JBS members and supporters have worked, and continue to work, hard to build support for constitutional principles that result in more individual liberty and personal responsibility.
Once approved by the two central committees, the JBS resolution was submitted to be adopted by the state GOP, where, advocates believe, it had the votes to pass. But it was killed by a resolutions committee before it could be voted on by the Republican State Central Committee. The JBS communicated via text, phone call, and e-mail with many involved. Resolutions Committee Chair Trent Clark said via e-mail that the resolution was tabled for the following reasons:
- The JBS and the Idaho GOP are misaligned on their stances regarding a Balanced Budget Amendment, and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
- The committee could not obtain the JBS’ non-discrimination policy
- The JBS declares itself Christian organization, which would contradict the Idaho GOP’s anti-discrimination policy
The first point is true; the second contains some murky elements; and the third is false and, further e-mail correspondence with Clark revealed, the result of a misunderstanding.
JBS Opposes the BBA & USMCA
Clark made it clear in his e-mail that the JBS’ stance against the Balanced Budget Amendment alone would have killed the resolution.
The JBS makes no apologies for its stance on working for years to prevent a BBA or Convention of States. BBA proponents operate on the faulty logic that if only there was a constitutional amendment that told lawmakers to stop spending too much money, a great, beautiful savings account would open up. There is no reason to believe this. Many lawmakers violate the Constitution in their sleep. What would make those in Congress — Democrats and Republicans — start adhering to the law with this particular amendment?
The JBS stance on fiscal responsibility is that if government were scaled back to its constitutionally permissible size, balancing the budget would become inevitable. About 80 percent of federal government spending is unconstitutional. There is no constitutional permission for grotesquely large and expensive institutions such as the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, or the Department of Health and Human Services, to name just a few. Not only have these institutions drained taxpayers’ bank accounts, but they’ve caused immense harm. The dismal results of public education offer a prime example of how taxpayers have been robbed to finance the dumbing-down and Marxist indoctrination of the populace. And where does one begin with HHS’ role in the medical totalitarianism Americans are experiencing?
As for the USMCA, the JBS opposes it because it provides an excuse for unaccountable entangling bureaucracy. Chapter 30 of the USMCA establishes a new governing bureaucracy in the form of an unelected, unaccountable Free Trade Commission that oversees various lower regional committees. The Free Trade Commission can make changes to the USMCA without the consent of Congress, which completely undermines Congress’ power to regulate trade with foreign nations. Ultimately, the USMCA is part of a startling but purposeful strategy used by globalist elites to integrate individual nations into regional unions with an overarching unaccountable bureaucracy.
Disagreement between the Idaho GOP and the JBS on these issues demonstrates how the party that is supposed to preserve freedom and prosperity has been failing. National Republicans have been complicit in the erosion of liberty, national sovereignty, and wealth. And their influence reaches to the state level. Idaho Republican Party Regional Chairman Bjorn Handeen says he was told the Idaho GOP consulted the Republican National Committee prior to the decision. Clark, however, denies this. “No one ‘consulted’ with the RNC,” Clark said in an e-mail to the JBS. Whatever the truth may be, it’s clear the Idaho GOP holds the same stance as national Republicans.
JBS Anti-discrimination Policy
A major tool of establishment media has been to paint the JBS as everything but what the organization actually is — an activist organization comprised of diverse people who fight, via education and organization, for individual liberty and national sovereignty for every single American. However effective media smearing might have been in the past, it’s a tool that’s losing its edge. The blatantly dishonest nature of major media journalists, coupled with the availability of more media alternatives than ever before, has helped millions of Americans realize that just because something is in the newspaper doesn’t mean it’s true.
For the record, the JBS is an organization with members from coast to coast, even internationally, of many ethnicities and religions. This is and always has been a verifiable fact. The standards JBS members have to meet are that they be of good character and they subscribe to the constitutional principles of freedom. The JBS does have an anti-discrimination policy, one that has been utilized whenever a member or employee has violated those standards. The JBS does not tolerate racist or anti-Semitic views, or any other unethical, discriminatory behaviors.
The Idaho GOP says it tried to get information from JBS headquarters regarding the organization’s anti-discrimination policy, but was unable to. This may be true. But there is no record of that attempted inquiry. To be fair, a lot of e-mails and phone calls arrive at headquarters. But those who truly want to get a hold of someone at JBS headquarters can do so.
As for JBS declaring itself a Christian organization, which Clark said was a reason for killing the resolution, that is verifiably false. Anyone can go to jbs.org under the About tab and read the part that says, “The John Birch Society does not subscribe to any particular faith or denomination. Its membership has included individuals of such diverse religious backgrounds as Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholics, Latter-day Saints (Mormon), Jews, and more.” Clark acknowledged he misunderstood the JBS religious stance based on the initial greeting on the jbs.org, which is completely forgivable.
Conclusion: Freedom Is on the March
The fate of this symbolic resolution doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change that Idahoans are marching toward constitutionalism. It shows that Idahoans realize that the same old politics hasn’t and does not work.
Idahoans, like millions of Americans, have had enough. They’ve awakened. The JBS has warned for more than 62 years of the tyranny that is assaulting America now — the tyranny that is literally sending people to your doorstep to jab you and plans to ban anyone not getting the vaccine from the economy. That tyranny is here. The JBS has exposed, through scores of books, videos, pamphlets, and magazines, the malevolent forces that have been working to bring that day here. A network of global elites — who steer policy and culture with their connections to government, media, academia, foundations, and even financial entities — wants to destroy America and submerge the world under a global totalitarian government to be ruled by themselves. The world is experiencing in real time the attempted implementation of this plan. If Americans do not stand up, they will lose all freedom.
If you’d like to learn more about the JBS and how you can get involved in restoring liberty, visit jbs.org. Start there. Look over the action projects and get involved, subscribe to The New American, and be on top of what’s really happening. And then contact a coordinator and learn how you can join the intelligence agency of the freedom movement.
