PAUL RYAN
VP candidate exploits religion for political gain
A line from an R.E.M. song rings true for me: “That’s me in the corner, losing my religion.” Congressman Paul Ryan has said that his proposed policies are based on moral guidance from Catholic teachings. I don’t question his devoutness, but rather the way he chooses only those teachings that play to his party’s wedge issues — reproduction and gay marriage — while ignoring the rest: solidarity with the poor and marginalized, distribution of wealth, dignity for workers and immigrants, capital punishment, involvement in wars.
More distressing is how church leaders allow “cafeteria” Catholic candidates to exploit Catholicism for political gain. For example, Ryan distorts “subsidiarity” into a moral mandate for anti-federalism and shredding “safety net programs,” while completely ignoring the aspect of this same principle that emphasizes the need for labor unions, access to work, decent housing and health care.
Local church leaders promote 1140 Salt and Light “Catholic” radio whose “conservative Christian” message lock-steps with the latest Republican talking points including intolerance toward liberals, homosexuals, battered women and immigrants. I hope one day to find my religion again when church leaders find the courage to follow Christ’s mandate to “love and serve the Lord and one another” instead of the RNC.
SANDRA WHITE, Boise
ROADWORK
Blocking three arterials reflects poor judgment
I understand the need to maintain infrastructure, however I question the wisdom of blocking Cole northbound and Overland southbound at the same time on Aug. 10. Traffic backed up for a mile in each direction and flaggers let a whopping eight to 10 cars pass at a time. I decided to take Franklin back into town from the Five Mile area outsmarting the paving operation, but to my astonishment found it was blocked for construction at the Maple Grove intersection. Come on, Ada County Highway District, let’s try not to block three main arterials in the same area at the same time. Planning, what a concept.
JERRY GRAVES, Boise
Boise a great place, but not in planning
I recently moved back to Boise after living in several other cities in the Western U.S. — three big ones; Denver, Seattle and Phoenix. Boise is such a wonderful place to live for so many reasons and I only have one complaint: Who is responsible for making the stupid decisions regarding traffic flow and road repair? Surface traffic is the worst of all the cities I’ve ever lived in and it is because of poor planning and intersections that appear to have no forethought whatsoever. Then top that off with scheduling roadwork in some of the busiest traffic corridors during the middle of the day. Really? Cole Road, where it crosses over Interstate 84, is a traffic nightmare even during light days (too many lights and too many intersections), but throw roadwork into that mix and now you have a traffic nightmare.
Who is responsible for this? Boise is no longer a small town. The people responsible for traffic and roadwork need to look to the bigger cities to see how they operate. The money lost by businesses and individuals alike can be a lot less with a little “planning.”
JAMES BRENNEMAN, Boise
