Heard of Flock? It's a powerful ALRP: Automated License Plate Reader.
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are AI-powered cameras that capture and analyze images of all passing vehicles, storing details like your car's location, date, and time. They also capture your car's make, model, color, and identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers, often turning these into searchable data points.
These cameras collect data on millions of vehicles regardless of whether the driver is suspected of a crime. These systems are marketed as indispensable tools to fight crime, but they ignore the powerful tools police already have to track criminals, such as cell phone location data, creating a loophole that doesn't require a warrant.
The Dangers of ALPRs:
-
Privacy Violations: ALPRs track your movements and store your data for long periods of time, creating a detailed record of your location history.
-
Risk of Misuse: Data from ALPRs has led to wrongful arrests, profiling, and stalking ex-partners by police officers.
-
Limited Benefits: There's no substantial evidence that ALPRs effectively prevent crime, despite Flock's unethical attempts to prove otherwise.
ALPRs are a serious risk to your privacy and civil liberties. These systems continuously record your movements without a warrant, probable cause, or even reasonable suspicion. Your driving history is rarely confined to the town or city where the cameras are installed. It's typically shared with thousands of other agencies nationwide (secretly). Once the data is out of your community, you have no control over how it's used or what rules apply, leading to instances of misuse.
What is Flock?
Flock Safety is one of the largest ALPR vendors in the United States. Their cameras are installed for police departments, businesses, and HOAs. Captured vehicle data is uploaded to Flock's cloud system, where participating agencies can search and share information across jurisdictions. Flock is not the only ALPR vendor, and other vendors still participate in similar practices. Find out more here.
Want to find out if you live or commute on routes where Flock cameras are present? Click here and enter your zip code. They seem to be especially prolific in Meridian.
Find out if you've been Flocked.
The Idaho Vanguard Podcast with Pine Irwin and Tyler, one of the founders of Deflock Idaho.
Flock cameras are popping up all over, and all over Idaho. Deflock Idaho is a movement that is working to get them removed, and remind city's and counties across the state that violating the Constitution is not in any one's interest. Talking with Tyler, one of the founders of Deflock Idaho we discuss the reality of the technology of flock style cameras, the increasing surveillance state, and the bi-partisan rejection of it across the state of Idaho.
DID YOU KNOW...?
The Change in Number of OB/GYN Physicians Practicing Obstetrics After the Dobbs Decision, published by the Journal of American Medicine Association on July 31, 2025, which found that between August 2022 and December 2024, Idaho lost 35% of OB/GYNs. Now, just 23 obstetricians serve 569,000 Idahoans across 37 largely rural counties. The loss of OB/GYN physicians practicing obstetrics, difficulty recruiting new obstetricians to the state, consolidation of practices in urban areas, and lack of an OB/GYN residency in Idaho has severe implications for access to women's health care in our state.
Cutting the subsidy for Medicare Part D one year early
The Medicare Part D program provides stand-alone prescription drug coverage to about 25 million of the beneficiaries who are enrolled who will be affected by the administration’s decision.
The Biden administration established the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration in 2024 to offset changes that would have led to sharp price increases in 2025. The subsidy applied through 2027 but this administration decided to cut it in October.
Average monthly premiums for standard stand-alone Medicare Part D plans come in around $34.50 for this year. The plans cover a set list of brand-name and generic prescription drugs. The CMS won’t announce new average premiums until September. It says that the base beneficiary premium for 2027 will be $41.33.
Do you trust them to keep their word? Even an increase of $10 a month = another $120 a year people on fixed incomes will have to cough up.
Wondering Who Was Behind the School Vouchers? Not One Democrat Organization.
For the third time in four years, Idaho’s top-spending lobbying group was the American Federation for Children (AFC), a Washington, DC-based advocate for private school choice. In 2026, the group’s spending mostly paid for mailers benefitting several lawmakers who supported House Bill 93 and are running for reelection this year.
AFC spent $26,705 on mailers supporting Rep. Chris Bruce, R-Kuna, plus another $10,981 for Sen. Christy Zito, R-Mountain Home, a member of the Senate Education Committee. Other beneficiaries included:
•Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, who co-sponsored HB 93
•Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale
•Rep. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene
•Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls
•Rep. John Shirts, R-Weiser
•Sen. Josh Keyser, R-Meridian
•Sen. Camille Blaylock, R-Caldwell
•Rep. Charlie Shepherd, R-Pollock
•Rep. Tanya Burgoyne, R-Pocatello
•Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens
AFC’s lobbyists include Jeremy Chou, a partner at Boise law firm Givens Pursley. The group declined to say how AFC is funded.
The group was founded by billionaire Betsy DeVos, education secretary during President Donald Trump’s first administration. SourceWatch, an online encyclopedia of political organizations managed by the Center for Media and Democracy, refers to AFC as a “dark money group that promotes the school privatization agenda.”
Here were the top-spending lobbying groups:
1. American Federation for Children (Washington, D.C.) $142,582.38
2. Idaho Dairyman’s Association (Twin Falls, ID) $46,954.60
3. Freedom Foundation (Olympia, WA) $30,818.88
4. Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association (Boise, ID) $30,631.34
5. World Liberty Financial (Wilmington, DE) $27,473.39
6. Idaho Mining Association (Boise, ID) $20,851.43
7. Idaho Freedom Action (Boise, ID) $20,721.43
8. Idaho State AFL-CIO (Boise, ID) $20,559.70
9. Veterans Guardian (Pinehurst, NC) $20,148.70
10. Idaho Family Policy Center (Boise, ID) $17,776.17
11. Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (Boise, ID) $16,435.46
12. Citizens Alliance of Idaho (Hayden, ID) $15,434
13. Idaho School Boards Association (Boise, ID) $13,485.49
14. Professional Firefighters of Idaho (Boise, ID) $13,013.49
15. Idaho Potato Commission (Eagle, ID) $11,632.58
The third-highest spender was the Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group that opposes unions. The Olympia, Washington-based group is not affiliated with the Idaho Freedom Foundation.
The primary entities behind the heavy lobbying, funding, and promotion of the program include these national advocacy groups:
•American Federation for Children (AFC): Founded by billionaire and former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, AFC routinely ranked as the top-spending lobbying group pushing for private school choice in Idaho.
•EdChoice: A national school choice organization that heavily supported the design, national momentum, and legal defense of the refundable tax credit program.
•State Policy Network (SPN): A coordinated national network backed by corporate donors and conservative foundations (such as the Koch network) that funds local think tanks to pass school choice laws.
•American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): A corporate-backed organization that drafts and disseminates model school voucher and tax credit legislation used by Idaho lawmakers.
As well as these local think tanks:
•Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC): Formed in 2022, this local policy center explicitly lobbied for the voucher program and launched the "Idaho Kids Win" campaign to promote it.
•Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF): An SPN-affiliated local conservative group that spent years pushing for education savings accounts and the privatization of education funds.
Governor Brad Little asked the public to weigh-in via a "hotline" phone number. The calls from constituents were heavily against the program. Altogether, Little's office received 37,457 phone calls and emails weighing in on the bill, and 86% were opposed. Yet he still signed the $50 million public-to-private fund diversion into law on February 27, 2025, following multi-year, multi-million dollar lobbying campaigns by these allied groups.
"Crossing Over" (meaning being a Democrat but registering as a Republican to vote for the least offensive GOP candidate in the Primary) is ineffective. We haven't had a real choice for Democratic candidates for a while - but now we do!
Registering as a Republican makes it significantly harder for Democratic campaigns to identify you for support, whether for volunteering, putting up a yard sign, or general Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts. This compromises data, wastes organizational resources, and hinders the ability to maximize turnout. It also leaves you out of being directly contacted for your District Democrat events and mailings Stay true to your principles. When looking at the numbers, Idaho appears even "redder" than it truly is! This affects how we see ourselves and how others see us.
Many move here thinking this is MAGA territory. Politicians decide they are representing the reddest of the red, and do so accordingly. We need to show the state that there are more of us than they realize!
Nelson Mandela once said, "May our choices reflect our hopes, not our fears." This sentiment is profoundly relevant now. We must stand firm, fight for our values, and support our Democratic candidates who need your votes—both in the primary and in the general election this fall.Focusing energy and resources on electing more Democrats is the ONLY way to restore balance and reason to the state legislature.
Look to these trusted groups if you or a loved one needs to know more about reliable abortion care:
-
A one-stop-shop for abortion seekers: I Need An A
-
Safe websites to buy abortion medication: Aid Access, Plan C Pills, Abortion Finder
-
If you need help affording abortion care, contact an abortion fund near you.
-
To protect your digital privacy when planning your abortion, click here.
-
For free legal help as a patient or doctor, call If/When/How’s Repro Helpline: 844-868-2812
-
For medical advice, contact the Miscarriage & Abortion Hotline: 833-246-2632
-
If you need to know the abortion law in your state, look to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Idaho ranks 51st in per-student spending.
School funding isn’t just about test scores. It’s about smaller class sizes, keeping great teachers, hiring counselors and nurses, maintaining safe buildings, and giving every student the tools to succeed.
Instead of fully funding our schools, the Idaho GOP pushes the cost onto local communities through levies and bonds. That’s not fiscal responsibility. It’s the state passing the bill to local taxpayers. Communities that can pass levies keep up. Communities that can’t fall behind. A child’s right to a safe, high-quality public education should never depend on their ZIP code or whether their community can afford another levy. Fully funding public education is not a partisan issue. It’s an investment in Idaho’s children and our future.
-Terri Pickens, running for Governor to unseat Brad Little
CONFUSED BY TERMS THROWN AROUND? SEE IF THIS HELPS.
What is Fascism?
The term originates from the Italian word fascio, meaning "bundle" or "group," and was adopted by Benito Mussolini in early 20th-century Italy. The most prominent historical examples are Mussolini's Italy and Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology. It exalts nation and often race above the individual, seeking to unify a society through dictatorial leadership, strict social hierarchy, severe economic control, militarism, and the forcible suppression of all opposition. Fascists oppose liberal democracy, socialism, and communism, arguing that individual liberties and class divisions fracture national unity. The individual's primary purpose is to serve the state, following the principle that everything is "for, within, and not against the state." Fascism is obsessed with the perception of national or cultural decline, and promises a "rebirth" or purification of the nation. Fascism thrives on creating "us versus them" dynamics, frequently blaming minority groups, immigrants, or political dissidents for a nation's woes.
What is Communism?
The foundational texts of communism were established by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto (1848). In the 20th century, communist ideology was adopted by various nations, most notably the Soviet Union and China. Instead of the state "withering away" as Marx predicted, these regimes often developed into authoritarian, single-party dictatorships. These governments established centralized command economies where the state controlled factories, farms, and resource distribution with the goal of sharing wealth equally among everyone based on individual needs.
What is Capitalism?
Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or businesses own the means of production (e.g., factories, land, and tools) rather than the government. Driven by the desire for profit, goods and services are exchanged in a free market, where prices and production are determined by supply and demand. The United States of America has been a capitalist society.
What is Socialism?
Socialism is an economic and political philosophy advocating that the community or state—rather than private individuals—should own and manage the means of production and natural resources. Its primary goal is to replace the profit-driven nature of capitalism with an egalitarian system where wealth is distributed equitably based on human needs. Production is oriented toward providing essential goods and services (e.g., healthcare, education, housing) to all citizens, rather than generating individual profit. Democratic Socialism: Advocates for a socialist economy managed by a political democracy, achieved through peaceful political reform rather than violent revolution. Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani are examples of Democratic Socialists. Social Democracy: A model heavily utilized in Nordic countries (like Sweden and Denmark) that combines a capitalist, free-market economy with extensive government regulations, welfare programs, and strong labor unions to ensure fair wealth distribution.
THE DUAL STATE. JUST LIKE THE NAZIS.
from Democracy Docket
Many Americans’ lives have not changed. They wake up, they go to work, they come home, they eat dinner, they spend time with their families and friends. For others, their lives have drastically changed. Their family members have been detained, national guard troops march through their neighborhoods, their voting power has been diluted.
This is the “dual state” that Ernst Fraenkel — a Jewish labor lawyer who fled from Nazi Germany — wrote about. As he observed, the dictatorship didn’t rise overnight. The laws and foundation of the Weimar Republic were slowly eroded over time, with just enough normalcy that citizens were comfortably able to turn a blind eye.
For those in the “normative state,” life was the same. For those in the “prerogative state,” it was a living nightmare.
This is a familiar sentiment for far too many Americans. Under the Trump administration, the United States is functioning as a dual state. The most obvious example is immigrant communities that are targeted by ICE agents. But there is another way that Republicans are weaponizing the dual state: voting rights.
While some voters will go to the polls without issue in 2026, that will not be the case for all Americans. This has actually been the case for years — and the Trump administration is exacerbating the problem.
Voters in majority-Black communities are met with long lines. They wait for hours. In some cases, they are not even allowed to have food or water. In white communities, voters walk straight to the voting booth without issue.
For students, voting is made difficult. They can’t use their state-issued student ID for registration and they struggle to prove their residency. For older voters, they meet no barrier to entry.
While the Supreme Court will move at a snail’s pace to allow fairer maps for Black voters and Democrats, it will move quickly to remedy issues for white voters and the GOP.
Those are just a few examples, and Republicans are making things worse every day. As GOP legislatures break up Black-majority districts, polling places are changing and voices are being diluted. Meanwhile, many white voters are comfortably unaffected by the changes. In fact, their vote holds more power and their voice is even stronger.
In America, voting is a breeze for some. It is a patriotic duty that they proudly participate in every year. It’s an exciting experience — as it should be! However, for others — particularly young people and voters of color — voting is a headache. It’s tedious and takes hours. Just when you think you’re registered, you need to prove your identity again. Just when you think you’re at the front of the line to vote, you find out your polling place has been changed.
This is not a just system. This is a dual state — working for some, but not all. Don’t be mistaken: that is not an accident. It is deliberate.