Kellie Palm has written many columns in the Cd'A Press with deprecatory inferences concerning the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. It has always been my belief that in order to maintain unity within a political party, difference in opinion should be handled maturely in private debate rather than running to the public forum, which doesn't allow proper exchange of ideas. After repeated columns, however, where she has expressed misplaced and unfounded, disparaging comments concerning the Republican Central Committee and specific members of the committee, I felt it necessary to respond in the same forum. Hopefully, Republicans in the county who desire clarity and a differing opinion will benefit from this response.

The Republican Precinct Committee members are voted into their position by the Republican voters in their respective precincts. These precinct members, who are officially elected like any other officeholder, make-up the Kootenai County Central Committee and are the official Republican Party in Kootenai County. These precinct members then elect delegates to the State Republican Convention. The Idaho State Republican Convention delegates have many important duties including electing delegates to the Republican National Convention where presidential and vice-presidential candidates are chosen to represent the Republican Party.

After the primary elections, the locally elected precinct members elect their county officers and subsequently vote for a budget. Included in the budget is money which is given to the State Republican Party based upon the size of the Republican Party in Kootenai County which has grown over the years. The money sent by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee to the Idaho State Republican Party is used to pay for the Idaho Republican State office, the executive director's salary and associated needs. The Idaho State Republican chairman's position, however, is voluntary. This person receives no salary and even pays for their travel. Apparently, Kellie is unaware of these increasing budgetary issues because the Republican Party has grown in both Kootenai County and the state of Idaho, which is an obvious indicator of success. Inferences that money is unaccounted for is absolutely unfounded and erroneous. She can observe these expenditures anytime she wishes but we believe copies of the books for public consumption are unnecessary and inappropriate.

I have worked in the Republican Party in Idaho for more than 50 years. Prior to my moving to Kootenai County from the Silver Valley to work for Congressman then Senator James A. McClure which began in 1966, essentially every officeholder in Idaho was a Democrat. Democrat Cecil D. Andrus was governor for 14 years (from 1971-1977 and 1987-1995). Democrat John Evans was governor for 10 years (from 1977-1987). Democrat Frank Church was a U.S. senator for 24 years (from 1957-1981). Democrat Compton White Sr. was elected to the U.S. Congress eight times (1932-1946 and 1948). Democrat Gracie Pfost was elected to Congress for 10 years (from 1953-1963). Democrat Compton White Jr. was elected to Congress for two terms (1962 and 1964). All of Idaho's state executive officers (state treasurer, attorney general, controller, etc.) were Democrat except for the secretary of state.

Likewise, North Idaho was totally Democratic with the only exceptions being Bob Nonini's mother who was an officeholder in Shoshone County and one state legislator from Kootenai County. Kootenai County had no Republican county officeholders. It has taken years and much hard work to change all of these offices to the Republican Party.

James A. McClure was the first Republican U.S. congressman elected to represent Idaho's 1st District in ages. He was the first state elected official (congressman, senator or governor) to have an office outside Boise and I was privileged to be the district office manager for him for 24 years.

Kathy Sims was our Kootenai County Republican chairman for 12 years. She ran the Honda dealership in town, as well as the Blackwell House Bed and Breakfast while working as chairman. When she was elected as an Idaho state senator, Bob Nonini became our Kootenai County Republican chairman for eight years and then was elected to the Idaho State Legislature. During that period of time, Idaho changed from being perhaps the bluest state in the nation to a red state. People who haven't lived here long think Idaho has always been Republican but that is grossly inaccurate.

Our Lincoln Day Dinner is our only fundraiser of the year. The funds that we need to send to the Idaho Republican Party used to be very small because we once had so few Republicans in Kootenai County. Our funding quota to the state party has increased tremendously because we are now the second largest Republican county in the state.

Angela Cross was Lincoln Day Dinner chairman for 12 years and has done a tremendous job with the help of many people including her husband John Cross who is Region 1 chairman of the Republican Party. There are seven regions in the state and John was recently awarded with a lifetime achievement award by the Idaho Republican Party. (By the way, Russ Fulcher, who is running against Butch Otter in the Republican primary for governor also won the lifetime achievement award this year.)

Tina Jacobson was an honest, hard-working Kootenai County Republican chairman. She worked for U.S. Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth, U.S. Congressman Bill Sali and assisted in U.S. Congressman Raul Labrador's campaign. Neil Oliver, our present Kootenai County Republican chairman has done everything in his power to run a fair and balanced Central Committee despite the behavior of some who use the public arena for innuendos and name-calling when they have failed to accomplish their private goals.

Republicans believe in a moral foundation as a basis for interpreting the U.S. Constitution, Personal Freedom, State Sovereignty, a Small National Government to preserve personal freedom and state sovereignty, Strong National Defense to deter war, Individual Rights, Protecting Traditional Family, Private Property Rights, Local Control of Education, Personal Medical Care Choices and Sanctity of Life to protect from those in power who may want to expand their definition of unworthy lives. Democrats conversely, in general, believe that life is better for everyone by handing their freedoms, state rights, personal rights, property rights, education, medical care and money to a centralized government. Republicans don't believe that entrenched bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., are better at running Idaho and our family's lives than we are.

Though there is still much work to be done to improve Idaho (and no one is more aware of these issues than the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee), improvements are made when everyone works together pulling in the same direction rather than through disparaging public commentary. Hopefully, Kellie and some other likeminded writers to the Cd'A Press will seek to implement positive change from within thus empowering us all and truly make Idaho everything it can become.

Ruthie Johnson is a Hayden resident.