CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS
Vote for Raul Labrador
I am a Vietnam veteran and am compelled to write today about the incredible service that Rep. Raul Labrador is doing for the veterans of Idaho. I have been working closely with Tori, his veterans case worker. She has been very knowledgeable and doesn’t let the government agencies push her (or me) around. She knows when they are lying and she is not afraid to set them straight. It is not often that an elected official proves worthy of my vote, especially after the fact. That is because most of them move to D.C. and become politicians instead of public servants.
Unfortunately, it seems we voters almost expect to be let down, but Rep. Labrador is different. Thank you, congressman, for being the only federal office holder to have a designated veterans case worker that really helps out the vets! That’s what I call walking the walk instead of just talking the talk!
GLENN O’DELL, Melba
Farris offers balance
This is the time to elect a representative that balances Idaho’s needs, and knows our issues in education, jobs, national debt, tax policy, health care, and gender discrimination.
Jimmy Farris, running for congressional representative in District 1, can make a difference. Jimmy is a problem-solver and team player. He has watched the dysfunctional Congress, and Raul Labrador’s obstructionist behavior and lack of voting. Jimmy represents all of District 1 and will vote based on our needs.
Jimmy believes in graduating prepared, productive people. The Legislature must support funding, cooperation, and best practices in education so that our work force can support job growth and our economy.
Jimmy has prepared himself to address the national debt and tax reform. He believes in a sensible, balanced budget coupled with tax reform to bring down debt. Jimmy will look at all possibilities to create jobs, discuss ideas, and work for a consensus opinion to tackle the debt crisis. Not obstruct a vote, as Mr. Labrador did, that continued the debt crisis.
Jimmy’s health care plan includes the Affordable Care Act and allows women to make their own health care decisions.
My vote is for Jimmy Farris.
LINDA ANTHONY, Nampa
Throw out incumbents
The U.S. Congress is the most powerful legislative body in the democratic world, yet voters rarely hold its members either individually or collectively responsible for its shortcomings of which there are many.
Accountability for the gridlock; the “do nothing-ism;” the ballooning deficit; the shameless spending on pork-barrel legislation; the monstrosity that we call the Internal Revenue Code, etc., can be assured by only one means, i.e., voting the bums out of office.
Unfortunately, that rarely happens, as voters mistakenly believe that it’s not their bum who is at fault, but rather those representing other states. That approach to accountability reminds me of a ole Southern saying that is no longer in vogue (and rightfully so), which I’ll paraphrase here, to wit: “Don’t blame him, don’t blame me ... blame the man behind the tree.”
Folks, all of our congressional representatives, both in the House and the Senate, are the proverbial bums behind the tree.
Vote all the incumbents out of office until they realize that the people are the sovereign in this country and want genuine leadership and concrete solutions to our nation’s problems. And, I recommend each of you start this process on the 6th of November, 2012.
ROBERT BLEVINS, Garden City
HJR2
Constitutional change not needed in Idaho
I hope all of you who are going to the polls this November with inform yourselves on HJR 2. This is a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that will declare hunting, fishing, and trapping a constitutional right. Please don’t assume there is some imminent threat to the legal pursuit of any of these activities that requires such a radical measure as amending our Constitution. Anyone who has spent much time here knows that hunting and fishing are a big part of our culture here and not considered controversial. However, many people are not aware of the scope and process of trapping animals in Idaho, both by the Idaho Fish and Game and private “sportsmen.”
Those of us opposed to HJR 2 do not want this trapping language enshrined in our Constitution, thereby eliminating public input on this topic. For everyone who believes in small government, changing the Constitution to stifle the opinion of the public on how to manage our own resources is not a consistent position. For more information, please visit iatvoteno.org to view the Idahoans Against Trapping website.
NANCY BASINGER, Boise
PROPOSITIONS 1, 2 AND 3
No balanced reporting
What a missed opportunity! If the Statesman truly wanted to be balanced in its reporting, they would have taken the “Education Chief Wants Textbooks To Go Digital” article and placed it next to its two articles about Tom Luna and Brian Cronin’s debate. Oh, I forgot, the Statesman has never tried to be balanced in its reporting.
DAVE HUMPHRIES, Boise
