OCCUPY BOISE

Lawmakers react in fear

I know it isn’t fun for the Legislature having an encampment next door saying things are not all well with the world.

The occupiers bring real issues, and shutting them down is not the answer. It is incredible to me that the biggest reaction the Legislature has is one of fear.

I sat in on the hearing on the bill to evict Occupy Boise and also went to the occupiers’ debriefing afterwards. It appears that the State Affairs Committee members were trying to determine the status of occupiers, to see what kind of connections they have — to see if occupiers are marginalized citizens who could bring few repercussions to legislators if the Legislature evicts them. This verifies what occupiers say — that corporations have too much influence on legislation and the people (the 99 percent) don’t. Just walk the halls of the Capitol. What do you see? That’s right — lobbyists for wealthy corporations.

GERRY FLEISCHMAN, Boise

Let’s all act like grownups

I can understand the so-called frustration with the Occupy Boise people. Why doesn’t the Legislature do something about the problem that prompted this peaceful demonstration? The answer is it would be easier to try to remove the protesters than to deal with the problem, whether from the left or the right. I have not heard of any New York problems with the protest.

This is a statement the people are trying to make. Does this offend rich people or what? I am frustrated with all the bickering from the left and the right. To quote a famous person, “Can’t we all get along?” It is very hard to vote in an election that is coming up when both parties are acting like something short of grownups!

FRED THRONGARD, Meridian

Feeling safer already

As a lifelong citizen of the state ofIdaho, I really feel so much safer to know our “No Big Government Legislature” is tackling a major problem. Those people camped out next to the Capitol on state-owned land must be a real threat to these clowns. Of course, if these good ol’ boys ban camping on state land, then does that mean when I go camping on state land, am I illegal?

These guys don’t represent me or you. They are a bunch of nutcases trying to show their muscle by getting rid of anyone who opposes their lunatic mentality. Sure am proud we voted them into office, aren’t you?

Hey, Dano, you must really be proud of this bunch taking care of these kinds of major issues and showing all those bad ol’ liberals that they too really want more rules and regulations as long as they shut freedom of speech down, just like you promote.

Heaven help us all if we don’t wake up to what’s going on and get rid of these legislative crooks while we still can.

Good ol’ boys, they ain’t!

ROB STRONG, New Meadows