- The Gem State Brief
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- The Gem State Brief
The Gem State Brief
Curated by Locus Lectorum
Political realities of SB1023
State Capitol | March 31 | Gem State Chronicle
A thoughtful article examining the reality of state level politics in Idaho from a conservative lens in the aftermath of the medical freedom bill veto by Governor Little.
Man struck by car at DOGE protest at Tesla dealership
Tesla Dealership | March 29 | KIVI
An anti-DOGE protestor struck a pro-Trump protestor with their car at the Tesla dealership in Boise. The man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the driver was later arrested at his residence and booked for aggravated battery.
Bill to remove SNAP coverage for candy and soda approved by Idaho Legislature
State Capitol | March 31 | Idaho Capital Sun
The bill passed 48-20 in the House and 25-10 in the Senate. If signed into law, it will request federal approval to no longer allow SNAP vouchers (food stamps) to be used for purchasing candy and soda.
Transportation budget rejected over constitutionality concerns
State Capitol | April 1 | Idaho Capital Sun
The 2026 transportation budget was rejected by the Senate over concerns that $8 million was allocated to connect a State and US highway. Leader Lori Den Hartog raised concerns that this would violate Idaho's Constitutional prohibition on the legislature authorizing work outside of state land.
Star Mayor rescues man stuck in the snow for 24 hours
Treasure Valley Mountains | March 15 | Facebook
While City of Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick and his wife were out "jeeping" in the mountains, they stumbled upon the young man in his car. It took 4 hours of shoveling, tow straps, and traction boards, but he is now safe and sound.
Highlights & Insights
✍️ By Locus Lectorum
"Tariff Game Theory in Middle Earth" — An exploration of general tariff theory using the Lord of the Rings as a backdrop. (Caleb Cook)
📖 Other Recommended Read
"The Effects of Tariffs: How the Machine Works” — An analysis of the first and second order consequences of Tariffs from the famous investor Ray Dalio.
🏛️ Apologetics FactThe Fine-Tuning of the Universe: The constants of physics (like gravity, the strong nuclear force, and the cosmological constant) are so precisely balanced that even slight changes would make life impossible. For example, if the gravitational constant varied by 1 part in 10^60, stars and planets wouldn’t form. Apologists like William Lane Craig argue this fine-tuning points to intentional design by a purposeful intelligence, aligning with the Christian view of a Creator, rather than random chance. | 🗣️ Quote"Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books." – C. S. Lewis |
🏅 Person: James GarfieldOne of shortest-serving presidents in US history, Garfield was nonetheless a man of exceptional character and faith. He was a lay preacher and brilliant intellectual, eventually being drawn away from the ministry into politics where he ascended to the highest office in the land prior to his assassination. | 📕 Book: Return of the God HypothesisA powerful book from Stephen Meyer that argues for the existence of God from modern scientific discoveries and philosophical first principles. Technical, but still accessible, it provides an exceptionally robust case for Intelligent Design. |