Our role during the legislative sessions
- Chris Cargill
- Jan 4, 2023
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 21, 2023

The 2023 legislative session is already underway in Montana. In Idaho and Washington, lawmakers gavel into session on Monday. Wyoming begins its session on Tuesday.
There are many important issues to debate and discuss. Each state must adopt a budget. Governors will deliver State of the State addresses. Battles over education choice, taxes, homelessness and more will take up much of the oxygen. Through it all, we will be here as a resource for you.
There are certain things we will (and won't) do:
We will stand for freedom, liberty and free markets through our research and recommendations
We won't pressure lawmakers or call people names
We will produce ideas and analysis that inform the debate - and let those ideas do the talking
We won't attend a public hearing unless invited to offer testimony
We will review various proposals and legislation, offering analysis
We won't grade bills or any lawmaker
Bottom line - our focus is on the ideas, not the personalities. To that end, we've produced a study that gives legislators Ten Policy Ideas for the Legislative Sessions. The priorities include:
Education choice for parents
Income tax reform via revenue triggers
Transparency for gas taxes and school budgets
Remote testimony and live-streaming of government meetings
When the dust settles in Boise, Helena, Cheyenne and Olympia this spring, it is our sincere wish that our research empowered you, your family and our region to succeed.
"The squeaky wheel gets the grease." It's as if you've confirmed, via your diluted principles, what Jim Jones asserted in his IDEDNews.org article about MSPC being a fallback source for folks dissatisfied with the Idaho Freedom Foundation. That is, MSPC is just a weaker version of IFF...attempting to appeal to a wider subscribership. That said, I find nothing wrong with the conservative IFF or even with the Idaho Education News organization expressing their perspectives. However, this and other liberal organizations will not temper their tone...i.e., will not follow your overly-civil, play-nice guidelines.
The tone of your guideline principles indicates anemic capitulation...you're going to propose some worthy ideas and then cordially present them to legislators and "let the chips fall where…