Malloy: IFF’s silly ‘freedom index’
With its overwhelming Republican majority, Idaho has a reputation of having one of the most conservative legislatures in the nation. But glancing at the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s conservative “freedom index” for the 2016 session, Idaho looks more like Massachusetts. Nearly half of Idaho’s 105 lawmakers (51) were given grades of “F” on the foundation’s report card and 24 others were rated as a “D.” Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill of Rexburg has the same grade as the Senate’s Democratic floor leader, Michelle Stennett of Ketchum (F-). Legislators such as Rep. Tom Loertscher of Bone, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder of Boise and Sen. Steven Thayn of Emmett, who have spent their careers touting conservative ideals, were judged as among the most liberal. Of the three, only Thayn was given a passing grade (D-)/Chuck Malloy, Idaho Politics Weekly. More here.