Ignore Almon’s Calls to Unite for Weak Conservatism

Last night, I torched New Establishment propagandist Brian Almon’s disingenuous calls for conservative unity, noting that he refuses to hold his allies accountable for their vile contributions to the factional conflict within Idaho’s conservative movement.

Today, I want to take another stab at Almon’s plea—this time from a slightly different angle.

As I read his repeated calls for unity in the conservative movement, I can’t help but ask: Unite with what? 

Of course, conservatives can, should, and likely will come together to fight the radical pro-abortion initiative that may appear on Idaho’s 2026 ballot. That’s easy work, as the kids say.

But what about the rest?

For this thought exercise, I find it helpful to review Almon’s recent articles. He’s become something of a mouthpiece for Idaho’s New Establishment. In fact, Almon crowned himself as part of the New Establishment back in June, just weeks after skilled activists absolutely routed liberal Republicans in the 2024 May primary election.

Just yesterday, he published a piece giving Ada County’s Republican commissioners a pass for raising property taxes by a whopping 2.9%. It’s the second time he’s written far too many words while refusing to hold the GOP commissioners accountable for tax hikes.

To get there, Almon zoomed in on the objectionable spending in Boise’s property tax budget as Mayor Lauren McLean and the city council pursue their own hike.

Sure, Boise’s spending is bad—but that doesn’t make a GOP-led tax increase good by any measure.

Almon might label me an extremist for saying this, but I stand with Milton Friedman, who famously said:

I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it’s possible… because I believe the big problem is not taxes, the big problem is spending. How can we ever cut government down to size? … For government, that means cutting taxes.

If Republicans can’t cut taxes, why are they even here? And if they can’t cut taxes, they can at least avoid raising them. Our GOP commissioners need to do better and live within the means taxpayers already provide.

That’s the kind of message I’d unite with. But it’s not the one Almon is delivering.

Next, let’s look at his handling of the much-hyped Idaho DOGE committee, which meets for the first time this Friday. This week, John Heida of Stop Idaho RINOs rightly noted that all but one member of the committee—Mike Moyle lieutenant Heather Scott—have F scores on the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Spending Index.

I’m told Almon, with his IT background, doesn’t put much stock into the Spending Index, a scorecard designed by guy with an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill, because it largely encourages lawmakers to vote against budgets.

Uh, don’t we want Republicans to vote against bloated budgets?

Remember, lawmakers have grown government spending by more than 60% over the past six years—and that’s just the spending we know about. Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Fred Birnbaum recently revealed that much of the state’s spending has mysteriously moved “off-book” with no explanation.

But, let’s get back to the DOGE Committee. Instead of urging bold action from the committee—which he should, given Republicans hold roughly 84% of legislative seats—Almon offered his usual underwhelming take: “We should temper our expectations, lest we consider any result insufficient, but we should also hold the committee accountable to its mission.”

No. Republicans need to go big.

They should repeal the $100 million Launch program that hands out free college tuition. Repeal Medicaid expansion. Cut government school budgets in line with declining enrollment. Eliminate commissions and agencies. Slash and burn everything possible.

That’s how Idaho can phase out the income tax, repeal the grocery tax, or fully buy down property taxes.

But Almon wants Idahoans to temper their expectations? Yeah—hard pass.

So far, Republicans can raise taxes locally, offer meager proposals to rein in a state government that’s grown 60% through six years, and still get a pass from Almon?

Noted.

And let’s not forget Almon’s bizarre love letter to Argentinian libertarian Javier Milei. He praises Milei for slashing spending, firing government workers, and shuttering agencies—but this is the same Almon who regularly trashes libertarians on X.

So which is it, Brian? Do you want a libertarian mindset on spending, or not?

It’s also telling that he refuses to hold his moderate Republican tribe accountable for expanding government. Doing so would likely put him on the outs with Moyle and his band of attack dogs—which is precisely why he won’t do it.

There’s more that could be said. Almon was among the first to excuse the legislature’s 22% pay raises. Just today he, in his unique, limp-wristed manner, made the case for giving lawmakers more to do in the off-session months. He and others are paving the path for a full-time Legislature, while pretending they aren’t. 

Finally, Almon has said little about lawmakers’ refusal to repeal Launch, likely because Moyle just can’t seem to get that done.

So, what exactly is Almon asking conservatives to unite behind?

• Property tax hikes passed by Republican commissioners
• Weak outcomes from a GOP-led committee tasked with cutting government
• Praising fiscal hawk libertarians while shielding big spenders in his own tribe
• Pay raises for undeserving politicians
• A roadmap to a full-time Legislature

I want no part of that agenda—and I suspect most Idahoans feel the same.

The moderation Almon advocates isn’t what this moment demands.

Idahoans want lawmakers who will go big, be bold, and get serious about shrinking government. Anything less is a slap in the face to the state’s conservative electorate.