In 1991, British rock band Jesus Jones released what would become their biggest hit. “Right Here, Right Now” was an anthem about the sudden end to the Cold War and how it felt to live through that moment in history:
The United States of America had so many opportunities in that moment, but we mostly squandered it by doubling down on globalism, free trade and open borders, and nation-building abroad. Many of the current social, economic, and geopolitical problems that the Trump Administration is trying to solve today stem from decisions made in the short time between the end of the Cold War and 9/11.
Today we are presented with another unprecedented moment in history, perhaps greater than the one we had in the early 1990s. In fact, not since Franklin Roosevelt assumed office in 1932 have we had such an opportunity to change the course of history. This is one of those revolutionary moments where anything is possible, yet the risk of once again squandering it is too great to ignore.
The massive moves by the Trump Administration have given us room to operate, and we must strike while the iron is hot. Amazing things are happening at the federal level — deportations, massive bureaucratic reform, complete abolition of government agencies — and we have a chance to do similar things in Idaho if we play our cards right.
The 2025 legislative session was a success, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have yet to see some truly big picture outside-the-box thinking in Idaho. No state agency has been eliminated, while the budget, which grew 55% in just five years, has yet to be truly reduced.
As we look ahead to the 2026 legislative session and the Republican primary campaigns that will follow, we should both expect and prepare for big things. We ought to build on the unity forged in the shared fight against Proposition 1 and the momentum of this year’s legislative accomplishments. Now is not the time for conservatives to turn on each other. While we disagreed on a handful of issues and pursued different strategies heading into this session, that’s behind us. It’s time to focus forward.
Here are a few outside-the-box ideas for Idaho in the coming year:
- Eliminate state agencies that operate outside the proper scope of government: Gov. Brad Little often touts Idaho as the least-regulated state in the nation. A bold next step would be to eliminate agencies that are unnecessary or better handled by the private sector.
- Cut the budget, especially federal dollars: Idaho leaders often boast of balancing our budget, yet more than a third of our appropriations come from the federal government. Let’s see an audacious plan to reduce our dependence on Washington. If a program is important, Idaho taxpayers should fund it. If it’s not, we shouldn’t be paying for it at all.
- Conduct a full DOGE-style audit of the state government: Bring in outside experts — financial analysts, IT pros, and problem-solvers — and give them the green light to dig deep. Identify and eliminate the waste, fraud, and inefficiencies that drive up costs.
- Pursue more and deeper Medicaid reform: House Bill 345 was a step in the right direction, but the core structure of government welfare is flawed. It’s too easy to use Medicaid as a slush fund, racking up costs with the assumption that the federal government will keep printing money. We need to rethink how government approaches the social safety net from the ground up.
These are just a few ideas. What do you think? What other reforms could we accomplish in this pivotal moment if we truly believed we could do anything? Let’s not waste this moment. Let’s do what we can to reform government right here, right now.
Feature image adapted from cnn.com.
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About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
