Sitting in our cabin, gazing out the window on our snow covered trees, reflecting on the coming year, brings feelings of both hope and concern.  Hope because I know that my God is in control of my life and whatever happens, I can trust Him to provide peace, comfort and wisdom.  And I expect Him to move in a greater way in His Church this coming year than He has this past year.  He loves His Church and wants to bless His people. I want to be a part of His latter day movement.
 
At the same time, I am increasingly concerned over the condition of our country.  I am concerned that we will see a year of enhanced attacks on the freedoms that we enjoy. At the forefront is the renewed attack on our gun rights.  What a perfect example of Band-Aid politics.  Trying to solve a deeply rooted personal problem by covering it with a Band-Aid rather than addressing the real issue—erosion of the moral culture of our society.
 
If we make a resolution for the New Year to take an active part in upholding and promoting high moral standards, perhaps we can stem the tide we are facing.  I plan to do this by regularly posting on my FB page and my web site, johncarlsonforidaho.com.  Perhaps we can have more impact than we think.

Our country has suffered from an increasing number of terrible shooting incidents where numerous people have been killed and wounded.  One thing stands out to me.  In none of these cases has there been a private citizen in the crowd with a gun who has been able to return fire in an attempt to take down the shooter. Why is it that in a country where the 2nd amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, no one is able to resist the shooter(s)?
 
My theory is that people who would be able to carry a weapon have been so intimidated by what they hear and read in the media that they fail to get the required training and permits to carry a weapon. The NRA is seen as an enemy even though they promote gun safety. The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program and the National School Shield program provide training and financial support to help safeguard our children. Who else is doing this?
 
Perhaps the US government which funds an organization that kills millions of unborn children each year should consider funding some organizations that could help prevent the mass killings that are occurring at an increasing rate in our country. The NRA , the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) could all provide adequate training for private citizens. 
 
There should be no “gun free” zones in our society.  Instead, there should be millions of Americans trained to take down any terrorist or deranged person with a gun who starts shooting people at random.  We know that at times it takes fire to fight fire.  We are in a crisis where that is the case.  Band-Aid politics will never do the job!!

There is a verse in Proverbs 22:6 that says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Perhaps the increase in gun violence we see in our society can be tied to this verse. When a child is trained up by responsible parents it has a positive impact on the person when they are older. All the negative press about guns makes positive training a challenge. But there is hope.

Not long ago I read about a number of universities starting classes on how to safely shoot and handle firearms. These programs are being supported in part by the gun and ammunition industry. And the number of students enrolling and the number of universities participating is increasing. Even training in the late teen and early twenties will have positive benefits in preventing gun violence.

For younger children, the NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is a gun accident prevention program that seeks to help parents, law enforcement, community groups and educators navigate a topic paramount to our children’s safety. They are on a mission to help you teach Pre-K through 4th graders what to do if they ever come across a gun.
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Instead of trying to cover the problem with Band-Aids, let’s focus on raising children with strong values of what is right and wrong. It’s the only real solution to a very serious problem in our country. Band-Aid politics is not the solution!

IDAHO COTTAGE FOOD BILL 2015

One of my strong interests when running for state senate was to implement legislation to enhance the opportunities of the small farmers of District 5 and the state by removing restrictions on value-added farm products.  Originally H106 was written to accomplish that, but was high jacked by H187 which would add limits and restrictions to value-added farm operations.

Individuals who currently sell at the Farmer’s Market who gross over $30K would have to limit their business.  This would force successful businesses to either invest in a commercial kitchen (a substantial cost) or limit their activity

Rather than supporting economic development and encouraging entrepreneurship, this bill would discourage individuals from doing cottage foods.  Research by Health & Welfare in Washington State (who has a similar law), found that there are only about 200 people registered to do Cottage Foods. Individuals are either ignoring the law or they are no longer doing cottage foods.

 Conversely, Wyoming has no $ limit, no registration & no inspection.  The law has been in place for a few years with no report of related food borne illnesses.

As an aside, H106 has the language that supports current practices and supports cottage food producers who produce non-hazardous foods. This bill would increase opportunities for value-added agriculture in Idaho.  Please show your support and contact your Representative

Rep. Carolyn Troy: (208) 669-0076 Cell (Text Ok) or email ctroy@house.idaho.gov

Rep. Clark Kauffman: (208) 326-4131 or email ckauffman@house.idaho.gov

As I watch the clouds scurry across the sky, casting shadows on the bright green field, a field that should have snow on it, I am contemplating the various issues that affect our state and our nation.  From protestors being arrested in Boise, to the national uproar over the Israeli Prime Minister’s message to the US Congress, to the Idaho Legislature’s discussion about allowing non-doctor-present abortions over the internet, I can’t help but think that the answer to these and the many other social problems that plague our state, nation and world lie much deeper than a new law or international pact.

The answers lie at the very core of human nature.  Those who see our nature as basically good would argue that given the right environment, we will all grow up to be good, law-abiding citizens.  I find it difficult to see any positive evidence of this in any society, regardless of its social structure.  Band-Aid politics is an attempt to make this type of system work by pasting our society with rules and regulations to make things better.  So far there is not much evidence that it works.

Reality suggests that we do not start life as basically good people.  Rather, we are flawed from the beginning. We need to emphasize the importance of the spiritual aspect of our lives and make sure that we have internalized the truths of God in order to have a viable, functioning society.  We have gone afar from this perspective and unless we return, we will find ourselves in greater difficulty in the years ahead.

Now is the time for state legislators all over the United States to convene to establish budgets, discuss issues facing the states, and enact laws that will impact constituents for years to come. In many ways we have moved to what I would call “band-aid politics.”

Band-aids are a great invention.  They are a quick, easy way to cover an injury in order to help the healing process.  Square, long, narrow, band-aids with pictures and colors to match the skin, make up a vast repertoire of band-aid options.  It is important to understand that the band-aid is not what does the healing, it only protects the sore while the healing takes place.

Over the past decades our society has moved from a more inner-directed society to a more outer-directed society.  In other words, from a society where people are controlled from a strong internal moral system to a system based more on the notion that if there is not a law against it, it must be okay. Thus, our politicians are spending more and more time with band-aid politics.  

More about band-aid politics in upcoming pieces.