Entrepreneurship for Idaho's Youth
Episode 13 Representative Josh Wheeler—Main Street Idaho Podcast Season 3
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Friend and returning guest for episode 13 of the Main Street Idaho Podcast, Representative Josh Wheeler of District 35 comes to discuss his efforts to promote entrepreneurship for Idaho's youth. In addition to his already impactful strides furthering Career Technical Education opportunities throughout Idaho, he's now turning his focus towards young adults in a new Lemonade Stand Bill.
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Brennan Summers, Host (00:00):
Welcome to the Idaho Main Street Podcast, where we talk about the issues that matter to you. Welcome back to the Idaho Main Street podcast. We're here with a man who needs no introduction, who unfortunately is out blazing me today. For those only on audio, I will describe with great detail that Josh Wheeler, our friend from district 35, is rocking. Would we call that plum a plum blazer?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (00:27):
I think plum is a good description. Brennan?
Brennan Summers, Host (00:29):
Yes. I learned all my colors from prom when my date would say I'm wearing mov, and I was like, is that a color? I don't know what that even means. So that is plum and looking good. Josh, how are you?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (00:38):
I am well, thank you, Brandon. I mean, you're getting what? A light topaz going on over
Brennan Summers, Host (00:42):
There. Is that a color? I think that's like a,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (00:45):
That's a gem
Brennan Summers, Host (00:46):
From the Gem states. I
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (00:47):
Was going to say we try to use gem colors where we can. Brandon
Brennan Summers, Host (00:49):
Topaz, we're going to fact check you on Josh. It's been a few months. Last time we were able to chat was April.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (00:57):
Yeah, we were in session still. That's right.
Brennan Summers, Host (01:00):
Yeah. You're wrapping up and you did a recap of all the good stuff going on, and a few things have happened since then. Let's see. Let's recap. Let's check the box here. Number one, you had a birthday, so you're a year older since then, which makes sense because it's been about half a year. You had a daughter get
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (01:14):
Married? We did. How was that daughter? Number three? It was a ton of fun. We were betrayed by the Idaho wind a little bit. We had to take it inside so we could have the band, live band with my daughters and wife and even my son. So the band was worth it. It was if nothing else, the band was a ton of fun.
Brennan Summers, Host (01:33):
Is that your last daughter to be wed or
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (01:35):
Nope. One more left.
Brennan Summers, Host (01:36):
Okay.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (01:37):
Daughter number four is a senior in high school this year, funnily enough, potentially pursuing her career in political science. That's what she wants to study.
Brennan Summers, Host (01:45):
Quick talk her out of it.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (01:47):
No, the problem was she went to Boise with me last year and got exposed to all the good people over there. Really enjoyed the conversations with legislators and decided, I mean, she was kind of thinking about it anyway, but now she really is.
Brennan Summers, Host (01:58):
There should be mandatory minimums on people who study political science as one of 'em. . It's more addictive than most of the substances in the
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (02:04):
State. It could be.
Brennan Summers, Host (02:05):
This is coming from a kid who got hooked at a very young age.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (02:07):
You did. That's
Brennan Summers, Host (02:08):
True. Yeah. My dad, UConn city councilman and me like, yeah, okay. Daughter's married. We like the son-in-Law.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (02:15):
Yeah, yeah. He's a great fit. The funniest story about them, so they're in college now, you know how hard it is to find housing as a young married couple. So they call us one day and they're like, Hey, we're really excited. We just interviewed for this job. We hope you guys will give us positive thoughts and prayers to get this job. Got housing with it. Oh, awesome. So then we're like, okay, well what's the job? Well, we're the night dispatch at a mortuary. So they live in an apartment over where the Hirsch parks,
Brennan Summers, Host (02:49):
So they get the job,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (02:50):
They got the job, they got the job. They've got housing just 50 minutes from the campus. So they love it. They can walk. And the truth is, I mean, he's going into sports medicine, she's trying to go into obgyn, and so they got no squeamishness about bodies and death and that kind of stuff. But I mean, for me, middle-aged man that I am, I'm like, oh, that schedule will be hard every other night that they're on call through the night. ?
Brennan Summers, Host (03:15):
Yeah. And it's at a mortuary. Yeah. Did nobody tell 'em that's a dying business? Oh, I couldn't help myself, Josh. I could not had to. The people I get to interview, I have to hold back all my puns.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (03:27):
You can't do the puns,
Brennan Summers, Host (03:28):
But with you it's fair game. We go back,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (03:30):
It's in the contract.
Brennan Summers, Host (03:31):
Oh my goodness. All , so everyone's probably wondering when it comes to everything that goes on from session ending, you gave us the recap last time you were here, and if those who are new to the podcast need to go back and listen, because you talked about some big moves that happened in Idaho policy with physicians,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (03:47):
The
Brennan Summers, Host (03:48):
Way we handled that with career technical education funding, all the fun stuff going on in Idaho, does it feel like the last day of school and then you're just on summer break? Or is it quite the opposite?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (03:59):
It's not quite summer break for sure. I mean, especially in Eastern Idaho, we have had some happenings all through the summer and fall. I think we're hoping that the agreement, the mitigation agreement with water will hold. I'm one of the least expert people to speak on that, but I mean, our farmers across the state and especially in eastern Idaho, really worked their guts out to try to find an agreement that was sustainable and that would let all of our, whether it's small family farms or big industrial farms, go forward with the resources that they need. I, so I feel like that was one of the biggest deals that happened in this off season. Obviously there's all the parades that happen in the summer and visit with constituents. I've really appreciated a lot of the constituents that have reached out to me this summer and fall.
(04:57):
I mean, some about water issues too, but I've had some constituents reach out to me about things that might seem obscure, like abandoned vehicle legislation and how our sheriff's offices are able to handle that and how the ITD handles that. And there's so many how the towing companies, I mean, just again, some of that obscure stuff. And it's really nice to have those conversations in the off season to get a better understanding about, okay, how can we take a run at this and bring a solution once we get back into next session? Things like that. I mean, I've had some conversations with people about childcare, about father's s, and it's really nice to have just a little bit of experience under my belt and to know, oh, here's the legislator that I could call on that I know who to talk to about that and bounce some ideas off of them. So again, it's definitely not as intense as during the session. . Well,
Brennan Summers, Host (05:53):
Sure. It feels like to still a sports analogy when you get in the session, such a short period of time as if you're in the playoffs. But then outside of session, I mean that's training camp. That's practice, practice. So there's a lot of, you wisely acknowledge you may not be an expert on abandoned cars or some very specific and important water issues, but you are learning who to go to
(06:16):
And you mentioned you've got a little experience on your belt. So one thing that did happen, and since we've talked last is you had a primary election and you had a general election, and were there periods in time where you thought in the middle of seeing, I don't know, not nice things written about you or flyers coming in the mail or you out knocking doors in that Idaho, notorious Idaho wind, you think maybe this isn't a good idea. I didn't because you were elected once you went and did two terms. You check the box, buddy, why come back?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (06:51):
Well, the why come back and really it's a question of why even try to come back. ? Why put yourself out there again is it just feels like partly because of the way our system works and works the way that it should, it takes a little more time than just a single term to get some things done. I mean, now I want the record to show that Brennan mentioned CTE before I
Brennan Summers, Host (07:13):
Did on purpose. I'm not letting this smell trying to beat me to the punch. My notes always say CT and you beat me to it.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (07:18):
But I mean, we made some great progress during my first term on CTE funding, on CTE rules, on support. And I got to actually, one of the off season tours that I got to do was to some of our charter schools, including some that are focused on CTE, like Elevate Academy, and obviously I've been to Bear Lake High School before. They have a tremendous CTE program and got to see how some of what we had done in my first term was going to strengthen their funding or continue to incentivize that good work. And so for me to get out and see that stuff in practice, I mean it really just sort of hardens my resolve that like, Hey, we need to go back and we need to continue cleaning this up, strengthening these incentives, making sure that we're laying down a long-term road for kids, Idaho kids to get onto and learn those skills that are applicable and also just feel empowered to follow their entrepreneurial spirit.
(08:19):
I mean, Idahoans I think are by nature just entrepreneurs. We want to go out there and experiment with things, try things, find problems that we can solve and benefit our community by solving them and obviously also benefit ourselves and our families. And so one of the things I loved about touring Elevate Academy, one of their tracks that the kids go on is business and marketing. And that's after possibly going on a track for culinary or healthcare or construction obviously, which I am partial to. Sure. But to see them get all that exposure and then have their last two years require them to connect with a job or they could go on to college, but they've got to have a next step, man, I'd love to see that stuff in play. And so I think one of the things we did was revise the charter school laws in my first term. And so I love to see the ways that those are starting to take effect and provide more opportunities for Idaho families really.
Brennan Summers, Host (09:21):
And I think you lend yourself to a great point here where we talk about some elected officials, we see 'em get in office and they stay longer than they expected. And maybe they intended only to be their term. Maybe they only intended every few term and their Congressman Thurman and they're dying in office. So it happens, the cynics would say, oh, you stay in office because grown addicted to the power and the money.
(09:47):
Well, we know there's very little power when it comes to being one of the many Idaho legislators at times, and there's definitely no money. So tell me if I'm wrong here, but as you talk, the thought came to my mind that you are seeing complicated problems and you're seeing fantastic solutions. And term number one, you're able to chip away the problem and progress the solution. And as you said, it is the longer game than it should be, but that's kind of how the founders meant it. It's supposed to be a little messy. And if we could solve all the problems in one session, we also could create all the problems in one session. That's just a scary
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (10:21):
Yeah, I mean that's really what separates us from just rule by mob. I mean, we are not Lord of the Flies.
(10:29):
And one of the other things I think that was inspiring to me and made me feel like, Hey, this is worth trying to go back. I mean partly it's that you want to ask your community, Hey, did I do a good enough job that you also can see the unfinished work and want to send me back to do it? I mean, you really are asking the community that question. But I saw some of the problems that we solved while I was there in session. Some of the property tax relief that we ended up giving back title citizens, that was the work of years. And I'm working alongside of very experienced legislators who've been there for three terms, five terms, 10 terms, and they've been working on that stuff for that many terms. And again, they've chipped away at it or so man, just being part of that process is really part of why I said, al, I think we want to go back. I think we want to ask the people if we should go back.
Brennan Summers, Host (11:21):
So I want to double back this idea of CT because every time we acknowledge it as being a very important thing, but we don't necessarily dig in as much as I think we should. So first off, CT career technical education. So it looks different than your English classes and your math classes. The importance of CT doesn't devalue those other courses, but you have a very strong feeling about CTE. You've seen the value of it in your professional life, but help us make the connection of why you would burn so much time and energy on career technical education when are not at a loss for problems to solve.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (11:55):
That's fair. Well, I have to tell you, one of the books that I picked up this summer, Brennan is the Anxious Generation. Have you had a chance to read it already?
Brennan Summers, Host (12:03):
When we interviewed Governor Cox, he mentioned that I must read it, and so I took it on a trip and devoured it.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (12:10):
Yeah, I mean it's honestly a quick read for as heavy of a subject it is, ?
(12:14):
But it talks about that we have created this generation who has a phone-based childhood now instead of a play-based childhood. And the thing that the author talks about in the play-based childhood is that kids go out and they play in an unstructured way. And when they don't have adults looming over 'em telling 'em, no, no, you got to follow this rule, or you can't do that thing when they're less regulated, for lack of a better term, man, they create their own rules. They create their own systems, they learn things, they make mistakes and then pick each other up off the ground and say, oh, well, let's do that a little differently next time. And that literally wires the brain for long-term success. That's kind of what we talks about. And we have unfortunately through incredible technology, but sort of an unfettered creation of these apps like social media, we've created this phone-based childhood now that short circuits that. And it's just fascinating to see the data and recognize where that generation now has become so much more anxious. They've become so much more prone to things like self-harm and even suicide to a degree. And it's hard to argue with this premise that we have done that well. Okay, so what does that have to do with ct?
Brennan Summers, Host (13:34):
?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (13:34):
I didn't just want to mention the book that Governor Cox brought up. I mean, what I see with CTE, and I've talked to some educators who I really respect and they're telling me, Hey, representative Wheeler, there are other ways to do that. There's things like Project-based learning that maybe could still happen in our traditional public schools. But what CTE does, what project-based learning does is that they give purpose to those kids. They let 'em see, Hey, you're learning this obscure mathematical principle by a guy named Pythagoras because it's going to let you put together this chicken coop, ? It's going to let you figure out how your business should be laid out. I mean, math is one, it's easy to think of or you're learning about science so that you can be a welder so that you can understand that those angles work this way, that the metals hold together this way that the gases are processed in this way.
(14:31):
I mean, whatever it is, it gives those kids a purpose. And I think when I was a kid, you had shop class, and that's to me still the CTE is like the modern equivalent of that. And there's something about that hands-on. There's something about learning in that way. One of the things, again, I love about Elevate Academy is that they are their science, their social studies, their English, and they're tying it to those topics. So when we toured the construction section of that school, the kids are literally building chicken coops. Well, they've gone out and researched the plans, they've put the plans together, they're sawing the lumber and nailing the lumber together and putting the finishing touches on. And of course, the math is easy to see there. I mean, there's angles, there's cuts, there's measurements. But then for social studies, they're going to do a report on what is the architectural style of this chicken coop?
(15:22):
Where is it from in history and what is an alternate style that I could do? And so again, it's like here they're learning history, they're learning things about architecture, and they're tying it to a purpose. They're tying it to something they've been touching with their hands. And I think for a lot more kids than we realize, that just makes it that much more valuable and that much more real. And so the kids that end up in a business marketing class, I remember when I was a Bear Lake High School, I love their business and marketing teacher does a fantastic job of, they are creating T-shirts and hats. And of course when I went toward it was when they had been the state champions in both football, basketball. So here they have these shirts that have a football basketball on 'em together, and then they get to go market those and sell that apparel again. It gives 'em purpose that comes along with their education. And so I think that's part of what gets me so passionate about that type of learning. And again, it's almost like overcoming that short circuiting that we've inadvertently allowed to happen with phone-based childhood.
Brennan Summers, Host (16:25):
Yeah, because conceptualized education matters and we need it, and you've referenced it in all these circumstances, but experiential learning, which is the overarching principle you're referring to, is really where the education goes from filling a bucket to lighting a fire. We talk about your daughter has an experiential learning experience in Boise with you.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (16:45):
Yeah,
Brennan Summers, Host (16:45):
That's true. Gets to see how things work. That'ss true reading about the Idaho legislature would not have caught that fire of wanting to learn more. And so help make the connection here. Then as we talk about experiential learning, we talk about getting our hands dirty and learning and getting out of maybe away from the phones, which by the way, we probably need to do a whole episode just on the anxious generation. I want to pick your brain up, but you mentioned earlier the idea of the importance of the entrepreneurial spirit in Idaho and how that fuels the American dream. What you're doing with CT is an essential part of ensuring that the next generation of Idahoans are here and ready to start new jobs and innovate and create. So walk us through how you see the importance of policymakers helping make sure the well is the entrepreneurs are. Is it harder now to start jobs? Is it more difficult, or am I as an idahoan in a good fostering environment to become an entrepreneur?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (17:43):
Well, I will say that of the 50 states in Idaho, I think you are in one of the top states to be able to foster an entrepreneurial spirit. And it's one of the things that keeps me a conservative Republican is it's this idea of the lightest touch of government on the business community. Because in a strategically deregulated state like Idaho, you have those ideas. And the difference between idea and execution is frankly a chasm.
(18:18):
But if you've got very little government interfering with you between idea to execution, there's much more likelihood that you will get there. And then there is so much to learn. Frankly, there is so much to learn even if you fail as an entrepreneur, ? There are lessons you take. And I mean, I know I have neighbors who have lost everything in a warehouse fire and it was a disaster, and they're back on their feet a few years later and they learn from that. And so all of that matters. I mean, it's why, I mean, I'll just tell you one of the things I'm excited about now that we're through the primary and the general and really digging into some of the legislation that will bring this next session, I've got one that I'm calling the Snow Cone Shack Bill. ? Okay. Some people might call it the lemonade.
Brennan Summers, Host (19:05):
I like snow cones.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (19:06):
I love snow cones too. And that's the kind of business that we see kids all over the United States do, ? Where they're going out on a corner and they're selling maybe some homemade cookies and a picture full of Kool-Aid or snow cones with the tiger's blood flavor pumped into it.
Brennan Summers, Host (19:24):
There you go.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (19:25):
Whatever it might be. And one of the things that I think is super important for them to learn is about the process, about how government plays a role in that process, but again, make it as light a touch as possible. And so the idea behind the lemonade stand bill is that we ask local municipalities, Hey, don't charge kids under 18 who are starting a business. Don't charge 'em permitting fees. Don't charge 'em plan review fees or whatever. You could still have 'em go through the process because that might be a value. One of the times when I sat on Ammond City Council, we had a young entrepreneur come before the city council, and she was going to be selling basically snow cones at one of the newer city of Ammond parks down there off of 49th. And she was there partly because she had a smart dad who wanted her to experience that.
(20:17):
So she was there and presented her business plan to the city council. And frankly, I mean, all of us are just there wide-eyed like, oh, this is great. And that's one of the things that not only is it important for kids to learn that, but I think it supports Idaho families, ? Because some of, I actually just this fall, I attended my National Electoral Contractor's Association convention and I sat on a panel and presented about overcoming challenges in a family business. And one of the neatest statistics that the moderator brought up, and this is of all the Nika Al contractors, 98% of them are family owned businesses. Wow. So as we empower our youth to learn about business, to learn about the processes, to take part of that, we help their families, we help families also be stronger, learn a work ethic, learn again, connect what you're learning to an actual practical application. And I think we then increase the likelihood that we create productive citizens that those Idaho kids who had such a positive experience with their entrepreneurship as a young kid either come back to Idaho after their education or stay here in Idaho and continue to create opportunities to strengthen our economy, to just keep Idaho, that Idaho strong, ?
Brennan Summers, Host (21:44):
Idaho has been just this great test bed for innovators. And you can look at some of the largest businesses in this state started here. Some of the smallest businesses in the state have just started here. And you can look at just the tech world. You can look at the e-commerce world, but you could also look at your family
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (22:02):
Farms agribusiness all over the state.
Brennan Summers, Host (22:05):
And the lemonade bill, I think it's on first glance, it's a cute bill to help, but from a step back, it really does not.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (22:13):
You're saying it's almost an romio Idaho state dinosaur level bill,
Brennan Summers, Host (22:18):
Not quite, but impressed with, and people are currently Googling when he say, A what bill? Let's look it up. Dinosaurs. If you take a step back though, not only is it there to motivate the next generation of entrepreneurs, but it also as a conservative Republican, you're setting a very clear principle of we're not asking the government to subsidize the sugar and the water for the lemonade, and we're not asking the government to purchase so much lemonade. We just want the government to stay out of the way. And that kind of lends it to the conversation we had with Director Adams about all that Governor Little is trying to do to just eliminate unnecessary regulations so that government can stay out of the way of business's ability to foster. And I think that's kind of what this would be able to do
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (23:05):
A very light touch for our youngest entrepreneurs. I mean, that is what it would do.
Brennan Summers, Host (23:09):
And a lot of the legislators that you work with, they've all got their bailiwick, their specialty, but then they have to know all these other things they work on. So we're not putting anyone in a corner here. But if you do look at Representative ald, she's good on budgets, she knows where those things are. And you look at a Senator Burton Shaw or a representative Mickelson Ag, they've got it figured out. And a senator lent when it comes to education policy, that's your guy. You've always, from day one, led with economic development, pro business, that light touch of government. So this kind of is your thing, ?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (23:39):
Yeah, absolutely Isn't interesting. One of the other things that sort of happened to me in this off season, my youngest brother moved back home to Idaho, and some of it is he moved back to help care for our alene mother. But again, because Idaho is an environment that fosters entrepreneurship and that fosters a strong business environment, whether it be a small business or some of the larger businesses, he opened up a game store. And so that's something he was passionate about. That's something he knew about. He'd been working in the industry for about five years or so, and the opportunities came together, but the opportunities came together because Idaho creates an environment that creates those kind of opportunities. And it's been interesting kind of cheering him on that process, but also seeing where a slightly heavier hand of government has been just not backbreaking. He's still got it done and he's open and he's running. But there are times when you're like, whoa, why isn't that just a little lighter? What did that heavier hand accomplish?
Brennan Summers, Host (24:46):
And the intention of the regulation, and again, I refer back to what Director Adams talked about of yeah, at some point, a four foot fence in front of a body of water for somebody fostering a child makes a lot of sense, but they didn't consider, oh, at the back of their property, there's a canal running and putting a four foot fence on the back of a canal maybe doesn't make the most sense and limit people. So, oh, there's so many things we got to get into. This would be a perfect time if we had sponsors for that new game business. And now word from our sponsor, the Child in a Lemonade, stand in am. Amen. City Park is
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (25:19):
Our sponsor
Brennan Summers, Host (25:19):
For that. There you go. There you go. You're done campaigning for a hot minute directly for minute. Yes, the signs are getting put away. The ballots have already been counted. Congratulations. No more mailers going out for a while. You've got a breath where you're going to just say like, okay. And to still align from the musical Hamilton, ? Winning's easy, but governings harder. I think that's true, especially all the drives you got to make back from Boise and everything coming up. Are you relieved or do you actually enjoy the battle of the campaign? Especially because you typically have a primary and a general
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (25:50):
Challenger most, it's such a mixed bag answer to be honest with you, Brenna, because when I am out just knocking doors and having face-to-face conversations with the people that I'm asking to let me represent them, I just absolutely adore that. And there can be hard conversations at those doorstep like, Hey, what were you guys thinking with this? And oh man, I'm glad you asked, and here's what we were thinking. Well maybe think about this next time. And it's interesting how those embodied conversations, you can turn the temperature down on them so much faster and actually accomplish something. And I feel that way even with a phone call. And it's like the further you get removed from that type of conversation, almost the less effective they become. And I mean, since our theme, our other sponsor would be the anxious generation probably. I think that we as adults are also seeing the negative effects of the algorithms.
(26:47):
Let's just call 'em what they are that are on social media in what it does to our conversation to the body politic, ? If there's anything that I have not enjoyed in my multiple campaigns. Now, I was going to say, I realize it's almost a half a dozen now if you count my city council campaign. But the thing that I've obviously enjoyed the least is the nature of that conversation where it's like a snipe on social media and then somebody picks that snipe up two weeks later and it just turns into this brawl. And in the meantime, I've gone out and I've knocked on doors in two different neighborhoods and talked to two dozen different people and heard very similar perspectives on a lot of things because a lot of Idahoans agree like, Hey, we should have a light touch of government. We should have the least amount of taxes possible.
(27:34):
We should have communities that are safe with decent roads and other services so that our kids can go out and have a play-based childhood and go out and grow and thrive. So I mean, if there's anything that I don't enjoy and it's not going to go away, I don't know the solution. I mean, even if we had a version of Senator Cook's bill that zapped all phones during the legislative or during election seasons from social media, it just wouldn't go away. I mean, it's here to stay, but I think we need to recognize it. We need to recognize that when that form of the conversation gets so nasty, maybe pick up the phone for just a minute, maybe go find that person and have a face-to-face conversation with them. I
Brennan Summers, Host (28:16):
Think that's a wonderful observation because as I worked in communications with a congressman,
(28:23):
I would see things that were said on social media or written to him or voicemails left in the office, and then we would go to events. I would see that person and I would be panicked. I'm like, they are going to punch my boss in the face, and they didn't. And is it because they're cowards when they get in the face? I don't think necessarily. I think it's more of humanity has a stronger pull than a lot of other forces, and differing on opinions is fine. I know as Governor Cox would teach us, but when you get across from somebody and we have conversations like this, it changes the whole conversation. It changes the intention, and it's just so much easier to be a nasty person the further away you get. But then it's so much easier to be a good and understanding person the closer you get. And we've seen that time and time again, and maybe there is a space in Idaho politics to get more people in the room, and that's one of the goals of this podcast is to just get people in the room and have those types of conversations. And we need to do a better job at that, obviously. But it is, it's a problem, isn't it?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (29:28):
Is a modern challenge for sure.
Brennan Summers, Host (29:30):
We
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (29:30):
Don't have the solution to that
Brennan Summers, Host (29:32):
As we look at, okay, campaign's over, you get to take a breath, you get to, now we did a grid recap back in April, so anybody who'd missed that, go listen to it. But now it's time to look forward. Now it's time to say, okay, what are you going to do? You've done the field trips, you've done the metaphorical training camp. Now it's time as we look to actually get in session, which will come quicker than we think.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (29:56):
It will come very quick.
Brennan Summers, Host (29:57):
That is true. Yeah. That cold drive to Boise starting in just a few short months, what do you have in your holster that you're ready to get across the finish line this session?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (30:08):
I mean, besides the Snow Cone Shack Bill, obviously.
Brennan Summers, Host (30:11):
Bingo. That's the one. Yep. Let's hope that's not all you accomplish this year, although it would be a great accomplishment. Do you think you've got a few more things?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (30:17):
I think that we're going to have a very serious conversation about public education again this coming session. And my hope is that whatever comes, we do not weaken. Especially, again, I've toured these charter schools and I've recognized what a great job they're doing in the public space providing these different options. I mean, one of the fun things about that tour, one of the other schools we went to is all tourist academy. We sat with a panel of the parents and the students and heard from them, Hey, why did you come here rather than maybe the elementary school that's down the road from you, and how hard was that in Idaho? It turns out it wasn't that hard. Open enrollment means that those parents can make those choices. So I hope that whatever conversation happens in education that we don't weaken these young innovative charter schools, ?
(31:14):
Because they are playing now in a more innovative space and making the kind of difference that I think we need to see throughout the state. . I will mention just briefly the other thing in the education space. I know we've been talking about it for years, but I really hope that we kind of take the next step in a solution for facilities. One of the things I was, again, when I toured Elevate Academy, they do a great job of bare bones in their building, polished concrete floors, nothing else than that. Open exposed ceilings. So you can see all the, and I'm partial to seeing all that electrical conduit, but you see the HVAC duct, you see the plumbing, you see the fire sprinklers. They built a building at almost 60% of the cost of some of the other buildings that we've seen proposed. They just went bare bones and partly because they want their kids who are pursuing the metallurgy or the not metallurgy, sorry, machining metallurgy is what you do when you go to college after machining.
(32:20):
But if they're in machining or if they're in construction, they want those kids to see that stuff in the real world. And I said to Senator Lent, who happened to be on that tour with me, I said, Hey, when you get to this standardized plan design that we put that out, let's make sure that we kind of emphasize, make it this type of design go as minimal as possible because, but go deliberate about it, ? Sure. You can tell that they've made that conscientious decision about the design, not just for the dollar signs, but for the education for the kids to see and understand, Hey, here's what that is. Here's why that hood is sucking the air out of your culinary class and here's what that looks like. And by the way, when you go to your welding unit in the next 10 weeks, look at those.
(33:13):
You can see where that work was done, and that's what that would look like. That's what that means. So I mean, I'd love to see us improve on some of that also, and then I'll continue to be a champion for just cleaning up regulation. Obviously a couple of things that I worked on last year that we don't talk about that much, but it is just licensing and regulation in the trades. I think we made some good decisions that the Doppel has done a great job. This was another sort of off season conversation, but they did a great job going around and having conversations with the electrical board and contractors and electricians all around the state and recognizing, Hey, what did we miss? What did we get? And I think if they apply what I saw them listen to as I read through all those meeting minutes, we'll have a better solution. We'll have a lighter handed government, we'll have less regulation, and we'll have our industries able to continue to advance the economy for all the citizens of the state of Idaho.
Brennan Summers, Host (34:17):
And obviously noteworthy that the things that you're excited about progressing next session are things that your constituents have had year out for. We got to get some of these things
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (34:24):
. Yeah,
Brennan Summers, Host (34:25):
For sure. Specific first to charter schools. In what ways are any educational proposals that are out there going to hurt charter schools? Are there proposals we need to be aware of that could hurt or help these charter schools?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (34:39):
None that I've seen yet for this session. When I am talking about that, I'm only worried about the specter of past conversations because in my first term, we were having conversations about whether you called them education savings accounts, or whether you called them education tax credits. There was just too much of a risk that they were going to take money from the overall education pool and not have any kind of accountability. And I think accountability is the one that I've sort of continued to drum on because again, we want the lightest touch of government possible, but that doesn't mean that we don't have some accountability, some measurement, because what you get better at is what you measure. If you're not measuring something well, who's ever going to improve that? Nobody's paying attention to it. I mean, whether you want 'em to improve it or not, you got to measure it.
Brennan Summers, Host (35:31):
Where performance is measured and reported, performance improves. So covered the charter school thing. I think it's telling that we get elected leaders out and they get to have their own CT experiences. They go out and actually get to experience some of these things and get to decide how they need to handle it. As we look at infrastructure funding for schools, clearly you, if you can't do it within budget, we can't do it. And that's been the problem in Idaho. Correct. So many new schools are not going to improve your bill because they are so much more expensive than, as Senator Lent would put the average Idaho in realizes they're really expensive. The governor made a huge investment last year to expect a similar one in the coming session.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (36:12):
I don't think we will see similar levels. I think that's part of what we've got to kind of buckle down and do the work of in this coming session is like, Hey, these investments have been made. I remember a time just in my own business where my partners and I, we had made some serious investments in leadership training in software, in empowering some of our field leaders, and we had a year where we sort of looked at each other and stepped back and said, we got to get this fully implemented. We got to get this baked in fully to the culture before we even talk about what's the next step. I feel like that's where we're at with the facilities conversation. I feel like that's where we're at, even with the charter schools conversations. It's like, okay, we've made these investments. They're baked in. Now let's make sure that we create an environment where that, I guess I'm going to make a culinary example here, but where that cake rises the way it's supposed to and we put the toothpick in and we don't pull out a bunch of waste, ? Then we're going to have the best result if we take the time to let that stuff be baked in.
Brennan Summers, Host (37:18):
Yeah. Your wife Laramie's listening to this now and saying, are you kidding me, Josh? You've known how to bake this whole time and you make me do it.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (37:25):
Listen, she's a cookie fiend. The oven's always taking up with the cookies at our house. That's all there is to it.
Brennan Summers, Host (37:30):
Would you consider launch also one of these that we need to sit back, let it play out, watch to see if it's successful?
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (37:36):
Boy, I would say so. Absolutely. Brendan, and I've had some conversations in this off season. It's funny, I've had conversations with parents who I consider to be very conservative individuals in their politics, and they have said to me, Hey, thank you so much for voting for that program because I have student A and I have student B, and they are now going on. I mean, one that's headed into sort of a med tech direction, another that's probably going to end up going the engineering direction long term. But the one mother I'm thinking of, she confessed to me. She's like, they would not have gotten pointed in that direction were it not for that next steps program and then launch supporting them in going in that direction. And I think I am confident there's a lot of those stories in this first batch of launch recipients. Now, does that mean that I don't think there might be some tweaks or some evolution that we make in this coming session? No, I think I'm ready to have that conversation for sure. Because again, that's one of the benefits of our system is that we have that ongoing conversation and we say, well, what about this? I mean, this ended up pointing a bunch of kids to something that is never going to be useful. That was a mistake. Let's narrow this focus down political science. I don't think it pointed a lot of them there.
Brennan Summers, Host (39:01):
So the argument against launch was we don't think this is the type of stuff that government should be involved in, and the governor and supporters like yourself have said, this is exactly the type of stuff that we think that government should be involved in because of what it can do, not just for these kids, but for our employers in the state of Idaho, for our educators in the state of Idaho and for the overall economic health.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (39:24):
I mean, the thing about that program and programs like it is it incentivizes organizations like our community colleges, and even to some degree like our four year colleges, and it incentivizes even private industry to step up and provide the kind of training for kids to do what needs to be done, whether it's welding programs, whether it's getting into cybersecurity programs, I mean apprenticeships through all the trades. I think that's important about a program like that.
Brennan Summers, Host (39:59):
So you've got a lot of things that you can be excited about as you go back to Boise and make that trip. But do you have things that give you that pit in your stomach of like, oh, no, this is the one thing I don't want to deal with. You have to take the good with the bad. Is there some bad,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (40:13):
I mean, there are some complicated conversations.
Brennan Summers, Host (40:17):
So we have early morning meetings that may not be the best. You may have some interesting characters you have to deal with. Other things is our audience loves the insider baseball of what's it like to be a legislator? What are some of the things that you can give those listening to say, Hey, I would not have known this if I wasn't sitting in this chair.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (40:39):
Oh, man, that's interesting. I mean, there's a lot, and it's interesting, you had Director Adams on earlier this year, ? There is a lot in the health and welfare space, especially the welfare space, that I would not have known without being in that space. I would not have understood even a fraction of what our foster families are going through. And I'm really appreciative of Director Adams recognizing like, Hey, we need to strengthen the way we're approaching our foster families. Again, it's sort of that lighter hand of government. We need to do everything that we can to protect the kids that are in the system, but that means helping incentivizing stronger foster families, more strong foster families, because the ones that do it, man, they're hard workers. They care with all their heart. And so I was really appreciative to see him take that kind of stuff on.
(41:37):
One of the ones that I remember in my first term was when we passed the bill basically outlining some of the requirements, some of the guardrails for surrogacy. I remember individuals coming and testifying physicians and also people who had been surrogates or people who their family had been built because of someone being willing to be a surrogate. And you're just like, you had no idea. You had no idea that kind of stuff was happening. And so I actually really enjoy the health and welfare space. I will confess here on air that I hope to be back on the Health and Welfare Committee again this next session. I've got some legislation that I want to work on to let's say make the insurance industry just a little bit, have a little bit lighter touch itself, working on prior authorizations, making sure that they're not onerous, that they're timely and that they are relevant.
(42:37):
I don't think that if someone's providing a prior authorization for a pediatric procedure that they should be a gerontologist. I mean, let's have it be related specialties that are making that decision. But the reason that that's so important to me is I think it is incredibly important that we don't overlook the value that our local physician brings to their patients. They know that patient a lot of times. They know that patient and all that patient's kids and every sniffle and funny wart and broken arm that they've had throughout their lifetime. And so I want to make sure that in Idaho, we are prioritizing our Idaho physicians and their relationship with their families. Anyway, that's the kind of stuff that I'm like, man, I would never have understood how all these systems are working together and what some people are dealing with if I weren't on that particular committee. .
Brennan Summers, Host (43:33):
Okay. Well, you obviously triggered me here because when it comes to insurance companies, I've never had a good experience. So I know you said it a much nicer way than I have, but on your to-do list might be for those listening, if there have been, you can't solve all the problems with insurance, but there's some things that you may be able to help your constituents
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (43:52):
On. Well, and that's part of what to me is so fascinating about the system, ? It's like, I am never king for a day. I don't even want to be king for a day. Those crowns and crap, they look heavy. That looks like a pain. So I get to, and you have to go have conversations with all these stakeholders, and I've already had some great conversations with insurance companies and they've said, yeah, we see where some of this could be improved. And oh, what you're talking about there, representative Wheeler. Yeah. I mean, how about this tweak here? And then I go back and talk to my friends in the hospitals, or I go home at night and I say, Hey, what about this? I mean, my wife doesn't even deal with the insurance industry anymore. And I think if we're not careful, we'll have more and more physicians that will go that route. And then medicine becomes only for the wealthy, heaven forbid. And so that's why we've got to just have this ongoing conversation in all these spaces and get to the best solution possible for Idaho families.
Brennan Summers, Host (44:54):
I don't want to say the average voter, but I think many voters, what you described is what they hate about government is they want a king for a day, but they only want a king for the day to do exactly
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (45:05):
For their topic, for
Brennan Summers, Host (45:06):
Exactly what they want. So we look back, and I know I've got very conservative friends who opine over the inability of a Republican either led presidency or house and able to accomplish everything. But even within, sure, we've got a lot of Republicans in the Idaho state legislature, and you're not able to get your perfect bill across because spoiler alert, everybody kind of has a different opinion on what they think is . Even within one party, let alone you start throwing in the other party gets messy.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (45:36):
I think I've said it before, Brennan, but I honestly wish that every citizen of this great country had the opportunity to run for office. And I really wish that everybody had the opportunity to be in office, even if it were only for a few days, because for me, that was a huge learning experience to go in there and go through that messy process, bring it to committee like, oh, drafted about 13 times, because you get great feedback and you get feedback that says it's not going to go any further without this tweak, and then get it from there to the floor and then go repeat the process over in the Senate, which has got its own warts. Let's call them just own differences of doing things and of opinions. And yet, as I saw that, it was sort of one of those things that made me say, holy cow, our founding fathers were truly inspired. It is impossible to argue that they were inspired. When you see the way that that system knocks off some of the rough edges, stops some things that maybe need a little more thought, and it doesn't always make them go away. They come back sometimes improved, or when they don't get improved, they just keep getting shut down by that system that again, separates us from the mob.
Brennan Summers, Host (46:50):
Yeah, the beauty of the system is in the complexity of the system, but the American people have demanded more transparency. And in a TikTok generation of shortening attention spans, we don't have the ability to pay attention to the length of the complexity and to follow the whole thing. So at times, I think as the voters get more and more fickle, I am worried that they will produce fickle politicians who are willing to engage in the complexities. Does that worry you? Do you feel like as you have constituents who demand more and may be willing to see less in terms of the headlines or the 32nd soundbites, does that make you feel like you have to more match those constituents who say, representative buer, I need you to fix this abandoned car issue now, not knowing that you then have to work through dozens of stakeholders, and it's going to take a whole session and you may get a little bit of improvement.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (47:43):
I'll tell you the read that leaves me optimistic with that question, Brennan, and I'm sure you've read it. Its profiles and courage, ? Sure. John F. Kennedy goes through eight different congressmen at eight different periods in the country's history. And I mean, even in the most contentious period of our history, the Civil War, he is talking about one congressman that almost beats another one to death with his cane on the floor of the house. And even in that most disastrous of circumstances in that most divided of eras, they worked through things. I mean, thank heavens for Abraham Lincoln, but thank heavens for his team of rivals who were men with all sorts of different life experiences coming at the problem from all sorts of different angles, and frankly, sometimes did not. We're not particularly fond of each other, I think as we read the history, and yet they would find that common ground to work on and rebuilt the union at that time. So I read that and I recognize, look, we have been a divided people from the beginning. I remember saying to my sweetheart one day, I'm like, if people didn't like George Washington, then there's always going to be people who don't like, who don't like the leaders.
Brennan Summers, Host (49:07):
No, George Washington,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (49:08):
Josh
Brennan Summers, Host (49:09):
Wheeler.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (49:10):
I do not even pretend to have that stature in any way, shape or form. But even with the sort of modern technology and the algorithms, and even in a world that is designed to play on our outrage, I just still remain optimistic that we as a people, we'll find each other, we'll find each other face to face, we'll have the conversations and we'll improve. And when we don't, we'll come back the next session and we'll fix it.
Brennan Summers, Host (49:45):
And this is what I love about our conversations. As much as I try to bait you into cynicism, anything bad, and you always find the optimistic look, and you're , you constituents who voted for you or a different opponent, whether in the primary or the general, they're the type of people who had the courage to walk to the polls. They studied out the issues. And that's the beauty of, especially here in Idaho, is we have, especially our listeners, people who are willing to want to learn more and engage. And that too leaves me with a very hopeful spirit as we look moving forward,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (50:17):
And not just talking about the polls, Brennan, but I mean, Idaho has an incredible spirit. The people that founded Idaho, I read a book this last year that some constituents in Soda Springs had given me called the Best Damn Doctor in the West about a Dr. Kackley, who was really one of the first physicians in Caribou County in the Soda Springs area. And I mean some crazy, he had to do operation to save a guy on a pool table. One time or another time, he goes out in this poor shepherd, I think he had to remove his gallbladder in one of those just old shepherd's tents, like in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a Caribou County winner, which you know how brutal those can get. Anyway, the reason I bring that book up is it just was another reminder to me of just sort of the stamina of people that came here and built Idaho, and they were optimists. I mean, you have to be an optimist to come here in the kind of wind we get and the kind of winters we get and realize, I can build a beautiful world. I can build a beautiful place for my family in this state, ? I mean,
Brennan Summers, Host (51:33):
Yeah. And to those of us who had ancestors that homesteaded here, it's a good reminder. It's time to look on the shoulders of the giants were standing on and revisit the pioneer roots of it's time to create circumstance, not preach a circumstance and just get it, get stuck in. And then to those who are new to our state, who've decided that they're making their manifest destiny to Idaho for the first time, well, we want you to acclimate to the pioneer lifestyle in terms of come contribute, come join, come participate, get involved. So for those who are listening who have an abandoned car or an issue with insurance, they can find you on Facebook, they can find you on, you've got a website too, I do Josh Wheeler for idaho.com,
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (52:16):
Wizard for idaho.com,
Brennan Summers, Host (52:17):
Idaho.com, and you're always welcome to come back here and talk more issues.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (52:22):
Happy to do it. B Brendan,
Brennan Summers, Host (52:23):
Josh, we appreciate time. We appreciate the banter, the time and effort you're putting into this service. Your wife put, last time you were on here, she put the link up and she made a reference to all of the drives in the snowy weather. I mean, it sounded like you were that best damn doctor in the West and everyone, the way she described all the late night phone calls with teachers and business owners and everything, and she painted you far better than you actually are. But she did make a point that I completely agree with where she says, it's clear when talking to Josh, he does love the people he serves. And I think that's not something we talk about enough when it comes to political leaders, is actually loving the people that we're serving. So thank you for being here, and we look forward to having you back.
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35 Idaho (53:03):
Thank
Brennan Summers, Host (53:03):
You, Brenda. Until next time.
