Profile in Courage: Governor Phil Batt

In the modern, hyper-polarized world, it’s tempting for governors and state policymakers to wage culture wars, urge the banning of lifesaving products, and even demonize tamales. Fortunately, contemporary leaders can look back at the courageous actions of their predecessors for valuable lessons on how to govern. One “gem” of a statesman was “Gem State” (Idaho) Governor Phil Batt whose steadfast fiscal conservatism and bipartisan approach to policy led to growth and prosperity. The recently passed Gov. Batt always came into negotiations and press conferences armed with a joke and friendly candor and was ready to do the right thing even when it wasn’t politically expedient. For being a shining example of good governance and peeling back spending waste, Phil Batt was a Profile in Courage.

Batt’s exemplary record of service started at an early age when he enlisted in the Air Force during WWII and worked as a clerk discharging veterans. After the war, he completed his chemical engineering studies at the University of Idaho and even led a dance band to make his studies slightly more bearable. The future governor started his career farming onions and learned a thing or two about government waste along the way.  Starting in the post-war period, agribusinesses were growing their operations with the help of lavish federal subsidies. While Batt wanted to expand his farming ventures, he wasn’t willing to do so by taking taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. Former U.S. Department of Agriculture income supports administrator Trent Clark noted that, “Batt’s farming business consistently qualified for federal subsidies rewarding conservation measures. Batt always returned the checks, which totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars.” As a farmer in a state where most land is owned by the federal government, Batt was also well-aware of the constant struggle between cattle ranchers and conservationists. He knew that a less interventionist, and less heavy-handed approach would be better for everyone and lead to fewer tensions in his beloved state.

Armed with an anti-waste agenda and a vision of friendlier, more constructive politics, Batt tried his hand at higher office. After serving in the State House and Senate from 1965 through 1979 and serving as Lieutenant Governor from 1979 to 1983, Batt launched his bid for governor. While his first campaign in 1982 was unsuccessful, he finally prevailed in the 1994 election and became Idaho’s first GOP governor in 28 years. Batt’s tenure marked a tumultuous time in national politics. Then-President Clinton and the Republican Congress were fumbling toward a fiscal surplus, but it would take a government shutdown and plenty of ill-will to get there. Batt decided to forge a different approach in his state, working closely with the Democratic opposition to get things done. He was good friends with former Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus and would often seek his advice during their numerous golf outings. When Batt led an initiative to control Medicaid spending, he solicited input from Republicans and Democrats as well as healthcare workers who had unique insight into the government insurance program. The result was a plan that would save the state $18.3 million over five years by implementing co-payments, funding reallocations, and tackling wasteful payments to non-performing providers. Batt also managed to implement a two percent across-the-board spending reduction in response to a steep drop in tax revenue following a decline in the computer chip market.

The Governor also worked hard to engender respect among the state’s residents. He played a pivotal role in the creation of the Idaho Human Rights Commission to protect marginalized groups against discrimination. He was also a consistent champion of farmworkers injured on the job, and successfully pushed for the even application of workers’ compensation to field hands.

As Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa recounts, Batt “stuck to his principles, and I think that’s the key. You set your feet in the ground and do what’s right, regardless of the consequences. That’s what Phil did, and he was the model for all of us.” And, for fighting the good fight with a smile on his face, Phil Batt was a Profile in Courage.