Leaders should never forget that they work for the people who elected them. But as Donald Trump and Elon Musk pursue a reckless agenda of mass firings and devastating funding cuts, Idaho’s Republican politicians are nowhere to be found. Instead of standing up for Idaho students, farmers, and workers, they’re bowing down to dangerous authoritarian rule. And our state will suffer.

Take Idaho’s research institutions. Our colleges and universities leverage federal investments from agencies like the National Institutes of Health. We can be proud of the Idahoans leading 63 studies on issues ranging from easing harsh chemotherapy side effects to improving Parkinson’s therapies. These investments create jobs and save lives, but Trump and Musk have put them on the chopping block.

Agriculture is also at risk. As bird flu spreads, Trump and his allies are firing the very scientists responsible for containing it. Meanwhile, the Inflation Reduction Act investments freeze leaves Idaho farmers in the lurch, wiping out promised funding to improve water efficiency, modernize equipment, and open new markets. The U.S. Agency for International Development has long provided farmers with a reliable market by shipping food surpluses produced in Idaho and nationwide to countries in need. Yet Trump and Musk shut down the entire agency in a matter of days, defying congressional appropriations.

Then there’s the CHIPS and Science Act, a once-in-a-generation bill to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing. The legislation helped Micron, one of Idaho’s largest employers, break ground on a $15 billion facility, creating thousands of high-paying jobs. Now, Trump and Musk are considering renegotiating or walking away from these commitments, threatening Idaho jobs.

Meanwhile, mass firings are costing hardworking Idahoans their careers and putting lives in danger. Recent mass firings mean fewer wildfire crews, understaffed air traffic control, and gutted recreational opportunities on public lands. Idaho’s rural communities, which rely on federal investments for land management, disaster relief, and infrastructure maintenance, will bear the brunt. As wildfires grow more destructive, slashed firefighting resources could spell disaster.

Trump and Musk are attacking smart investments in Idaho’s economy that create jobs and improve lives. These investments were written into law by Congress, which is granted the authority to appropriate funds by the U.S. Constitution. No president has the authority to undo them. But as Trump and Musk dismantle key building blocks of our economy outside the lawful process, Republican leaders remain silent.

Why are they gutting vital services? To hand out even bigger tax breaks to the wealthy.

Idahoans deserve leaders who fight for them, not politicians who put billionaires ahead of everyday Idahoans. The question for Idaho’s Republican leaders is simple: Do you work for the people of Idaho or Trump and Musk? Because you can’t do both.

Onward,

-- Lauren Necochea
Idaho Democratic Party Chair