Carl Bjerke

Carl Bjerke was born in Long Beach, California, and lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Bjerke earned an associate degree in respiratory therapy and a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership. His career experience includes working as a respiratory therapist and the deputy chief of operations of the Santa Monica Fire Department.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a retired Deputy Chief of Operations for the City of Santa Monica Fire Department. My work history and background reflect my dedication to public service, from my time working as a mortician’s apprentice and respiratory therapist, to my thirty-two-year career in public safety. I have an Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy and bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership. I have numerous additional hours of education related to my position in the fire service, including fire management and incident command certificates as well as having graduated from the Paramedic Training Institute. I have been married for thirty-two years to my wife Lesli and have two grown children, a son and daughter. Our son is a firefighter in Meridian and our daughter is a graphic designer / entrepreneur here in Coeur d’ Alene. Our family purchased property in Coeur d' Alene in 2014; we have enjoyed every moment of our time in here in N Idaho. I love being outdoors, boating in the summer and skiing in the winter. I also enjoy power yoga, golf, and riding my Harley.

My experiences in viewing politics from the outside has given me a unique perspective. Being there for people on their worst day has given me the ability to keep looking at the problem, instead of shying away from what might be difficult to see. My motivation comes from God, who has led me in this direction, as well as my strong desire to fight for the citizens of Idaho, and ultimately this country.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

1)

Maintain confidence in the election process – It is disappointing to see the low numbers of voter turnout.  Our republican form of government requires the people – (of the people, by the people, for the people) to participate in the system.  If there is any question in our future elections that our system of voting is not secure, we can expect a greater level of apathy, with corresponding low voter turnout.  The very existence of what we hold dear in our country, the right to vote and to have that vote count, is in jeopardy of being lost.  For example, a study conducted by the Heritage Foundation listed Idaho as being ranked 38h in voter integrity. 2)

A society will ultimately be the judge of how it takes care of the most vulnerable.  I believe it should be a priority to move forward new and existing proposed legislation that will protect our most precious resource, the unborn and the children of Idaho.  The future of this great state will lie in our desire and ability to secure the rights and freedoms of our next generation.  Although some headway is being made on these fronts, we will need to work on firming up additional legislation that will protect the rights of the unborn, eliminate the indoctrination of our school children, get back to traditional Idaho values.3)

Deviation from the intent of our founding documents, in all its forms, has a disastrous effect on the people of Idaho.  Article IV, Section 4 of the US Constitution guarantees every State in the Union a Republican form of Government, where the sovereignty of the state resides with the people.  A republican form of government respects all the tenets of the rule of law which include supremacy of the law, equality before the law and the principle of liberty.  What happened in the response to the COVID pandemic in Idaho was completely lawless-everything from illegally extending emergency orders and mandates, to forbidding proper governance by preventing the ability of the Legislature to convene and represent the electorate.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about having government fulfill its roles, as spelled out in the US and Idaho constitutions, where protecting the rights of the citizens takes center stage, rather than protecting and being influenced by big business and special interests. I am passionate about returning Idaho's Legislature to a more representative form of government and maintaining the separations of power. I believe in limited governmental influence over the lives of Idahoans and specifically resent any attempt at government overreach; I believe in freedom and will fight to pass any legislation that returns power to the citizens of Idaho - (of the people, by the people, for the people).

Other than my three key areas above, my focus will be to shore up small business - we lost about 20% of our small businesses over the pandemic. I will legislate to limit the amount of money we are taking from the federal government and to create programs that will incentivize workers to get back into the job market, including enhancing and funding STEM programs.

Taxes are another area that I would concentrate on - I would legislate to completely abolish the grocery tax and work to find equitable solutions to lower property taxes, to allow native Idahoans the opportunity to maintain home ownership, rather than being tax out of their property, with the seemingly never-ending housing inflation.

Lastly, I will fight for legislation that that provides for medical freedom and school choice.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have had the opportunity to be in the company of many people I admired and could find many reasons to want to emulate them: my father, coaches and leaders in the fire service, etc. But, if I had to follow someone's example, I would pick someone infallible - I would pick someone that in following, I would be assured of never falter, Jesus Christ.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I am a firm believer that the characteristics, principles, morals values, etc. most important to an elected official are those that are acquired before entering office, and those that are keenly vetted and known by the electorate, before entering elected office.

The greatest principle should represent the desire to be a true servant leader - someone getting into elected office for their own aggrandizement or ego, is doing it for the wrong reason and is not the right representative.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was 16 during the Iran Hostage Crisis, - I remember it vividly, as it happened not too long after the end of the Vietnam war.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was a paper route, when I was 8 years old. My next job was at age 10 delivering papers for the Long Beach Press Telegram. I had that job for about a year, before the Telegram stopped using young kids on bicycles to be carriers.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The ideal relationship is formed by an acknowledgement that there are distinct powers granted to the executive branch and, likewise, to the legislature. And that each entity should not usurp the power of the other.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

I believe issues of the next decade will revolve around a growing loss of state sovereignty. Idaho receives approximately 49% of its funding from the federal government - approximately 65% of Idaho public lands are owned by the federal government.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Our government should be a citizen government. The more varied the experiences, the more likely a greater number of citizens will be equally represented.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is very important; the win, win scenario should be sought, most definitely. This takes good faith on the part of each party. More importantly, knowing that each policy maker is intent on representing their constituents' concerns, it is important to ensure you are equally representing yours. The compromise that looks at each party's concern equally, like they would be representing the others concern, is where true compromise takes place; the give and take that best represents both sides equally.