Water Sovereignty

Why protecting Idaho’s Water is so important

I am writing this newsletter for two reasons: first, to debunk the whisper campaign that is going around claiming that I voted against Idaho water rights, and second, to educate on why I believe in protecting our water from the overreach of the federal government through federal funds.

I want to start by sharing a story about my in-laws, who were captured and put into work camps during WWII. My grandpa was from the Netherlands, and my grandma was from

Ukraine. They would often recount that the first ones to be captured and controlled were the farmers and ranchers. The idea was simple: if you control the water, you control the food, and if you control the food, you control the people. Unfortunately, much of our Idaho agriculture is burdened with federal shackles, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Here is a quote from Environmental Working Group (EWG) “Despite the rhetoric of "preserving the family farm," the vast majority of farmers do not benefit from federal farm subsidy programs and most of the subsidies go to the largest and most financially secure farm operations. Small commodity farmers qualify for a mere pittance, while producers of meat, fruits, and vegetables are almost completely left out of the subsidy game”. What are the consequences of statements like this? That our small farms will eventually become extinct, and the large operations will have to comply with federal regulations or risk losing funding and facing repayment.

Fast forward to 2023, what we're witnessing is an increase in federal subsidies for farmers and a growing amount of federal funds that Idaho is receiving, which is currently unsustainable.

Idaho's entire budget of $13.9 billion depends on the federal government to cover 40 percent of it, and it appears that this percentage will increase again this year. I have asked, and I will continue to ask, what will happen when the National Debt, which currently stands at $34 trillion and counting, comes due? How will Idaho sustain itself with over 40 percent gone? Which programs will we prioritize? Going to digital currency is not an option for me; I will never vote for that.

Below is a screenshot from the 2023 Appropriations (top picture) and a picture of Senator Herndon, who is on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC), showing the increases they are predicting for this year. Click HERE for more research on Idaho budget.

How do we lose our State Sovereignty and water rights? One small increase in dependency on federal money at a time. It's a slow fade when we give ourselves away.

I share this because I want you to understand why I voted against almost all of the appropriations with federal money attached, including the water appropriation bill S1181 that increased federal dependency to 49.1 percent. Voting against these bills is not a vote against Idaho farmers' water rights. I am the only one in districts 24-27 who is protecting our water sovereignty from federal government overreach. Growing up as a potato farmer's daughter, I understand the importance of water, and I will always fight to protect our agriculture and water.

I also reviewed every single bill we voted on concerning water, and you won't find a single one where I voted against our farmers' water rights, NOT A SINGLE ONE!

I've conducted research on federal mandates and found that there are always strings attached. I came across One Hero, which provides a quiz on federal grants. Here's a screenshot of a question, and the answer is (E) Both A & B are correct. Gotta love how option B states that they are designed to force states to comply with federal policy. (I'm being sarcastic, of course.)

I will always be transparent, and I will always speak the truth, even when it is difficult to hear. I will always fight for Idaho because it is worth defending. If you want to keep me on the front lines as your State Senator, you will have to fight to keep me! I need your help to debunk the whisper campaigns, to assist with meet and greets, to write letters of endorsement in your local papers, to provide locations for signs, to make phone calls, to knock on doors, and, as always, to contribute.