HEALTH CARE

Don’t waste time tryingto repeal a good law

For the first time in a very long time I feel really optimistic about the future of our country.

Because the Supreme Court ruled the Affordable Care Act constitutional by the vote of Chief Justice Roberts I hope the United States will finally provide health care to all our residents.

I pray that Congress will make needed compromises and not waste time and effort in a mean-spirited attempt to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

This health care act will join with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid in providing security to all.

The United States will no longer be without universal health coverage and this will greatly diminish income inequality.

NORMA GALE, Meridian

CYCLING FEES

‘Fair share’ paymentshould apply to all

In his July 4 letter Bob Jessen suggested that bicyclists pay for their share of the road through registration fees.

As a year-round bicycle commuter I would wholeheartedly support this as long as all road users paid the same amount proportionally, based on the average weight of the vehicle and user. For example, at 10 cents a pound a bicycle fee would be $20, while a small sedan would be $300 and a large SUV $600.

Mr. Jessen's idea seems to be based on the widely held myth that motorists cover road costs through registration fees and fuel taxes, while in reality the majority of those costs are paid for using property taxes. If motorists truly covered their road costs the price of fuel (including the required tax increase) would need to be at least twice as high as it is now. Those who insist that all road users “pay their fair share” should be careful what they wish for!

BOB TENCATE, Boise

SAVINO LETTER

Obama cleaning up mess

Regarding Dano Savino’s letter on July 8: You need to take a long hard look at what the previous administration did, before you start blasting the person who has tried to clean that mess up. Bush-era tax cuts to the 1 percent were supposed to “create jobs,” and they did in countries those jobs were outsourced to.

President Obama has been working hard to protect the working class and has met nothing but opposition from the right.

They have accomplished nothing in the last three years except to make every effort to take away from the working class and women’s rights. They allege to be serving the people, but all I have seen is them serving themselves and those who put money in their pockets.

Here is a short list of things this administration has gotten done despite the acts of the right: saved the U.S. auto industry from bankruptcy; ending the unfunded war in Iraq; equal pay for equal work act; Affordable Care Act; hate crime prevention; credit card, student loan and Wall Street reform; tax breaks for the middle class (who, by the way, are voting American people). So if you don’t know the true facts stop creating lies.

MARSHA BOWE, Boise

Don’t blame president

Parasites, worms, lemurs? Is this a zoology report or an article stating the “failures” of the president? Clearly you aren't a fan of President Obama which is your right as an American citizen who votes. Please do yourself a favor before next November and read up on economic policy, because your thinking that the president is responsible for the economy is misguided. If the economy is “the” issue for you, fine, but I suggest you look elsewhere (i.e., Congress) in placing blame for our current situation and use your energy to make changes there.

TOM DEMPSEY, Boise

End the nonsense

Curiosity compels me to ask: do you save a monthly spot for the inanities of Dano Savino? Perhaps someone on your staff has a weird sense of humor and just can’t wait for Savino's next diatribe. Other than that I can think of no reason why this nonsense should ever see the light of day.

JOHN CUMMINGS, Nampa

Put letter with comics

I do believe you have been making a minor mistake.

You insist on running the hilarious musings of Mr. Dano Savino on the editorial page. Shouldn't they instead be on the comics page?

ROBERT JOHNSON, Boise

ILLEGAL FIREWORKS

Get it right, lawmakers; tougher law is needed

Another 4th of July has passed and once again the illegal fireworks were very noticeable.

The law says that you cannot use mortars, bottle rockets or anything that goes over 25 feet in the air and explodes. Please, let’s get real.

We have a law saying no, but there are a ton of fireworks stands that advertise and sell these. You just have to sign a piece of paper stating you will not use these in Idaho. Yeah, right. Put some bite in the law and make it illegal for them to even sell them in the state. Or, how many more fires and injuries do we have to see before our lawmakers get tough??

JULENE DODD, Nampa

CONSERVATIVES

Front-page stories show ideological weaknesses

The front page of the 5 July issue of The Idaho Statesman contained a nice summary of the bankruptcy of the conservative movement.

First was the story about the death of a Preston soldier, a man who died because George W. Bush botched the response to the attacks of 9/11.

Afghanistan should have been a Special Forces operation to destroy al-Qaida, not a full-fledged invasion, which centuries of history have shown won’t work (but then conservatives don’t study history; they believe in creating their own reality).

Next was an article about fundraising to help veterans no doubt necessitated by the Bush tax cuts for the rich, which have hindered government assistance. Since the rich benefit disproportionately from their wars, their taxes should be much higher to pay for their wars.

Then there was the article on Idaho Power signing up with self-styled libertarians in something laughingly called the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Has anyone ever seen Wayne Hoffman work at a real private sector job, one actually producing a material product? Or is he another conservative welfare queen?

If Idaho Power really wants to be libertarian, maybe it’s time some serious competition was introduced into Idaho’s power market.

GARY BENNETT, Emmett

VOTERS IN THE MIDDLE

Extremism is misguided

It’s appalling to me that those on the far right and far left of the political spectrum view those of us in the middle as “wishy-washy” or claim that we “don’t care.” People, don’t confuse centrism or moderation with apathy or cowardice, for they are neither.

Around the time of the Revolution, some of the Founding Fathers waved a flag which bore the slogan, “Unite or Die.” It was a warning to the colonies that if they did not put aside their differences and work in a spirit of unity and cooperation then they and their cause would be doomed. 230 years later, the warning still applies.

The reason independents and centrists like myself refuse to take sides in partisan politics is because we realize that misguided extremes on either the right or the left do nothing for this country but create confusion, conflict, and factionalism. That is why we don’t pick sides, not out of apathy or mushiness.

To those who insist on right-wing or left-wing politics, I repeat the warning of the Founding Fathers: Unite or Die.

ERIC NAYLOR, Boise