SNAKE RIVER DAMS
Maintaining dams is too expensive
Any collaborative effort to address Snake River salmon recovery will require truth and trust. The Statesman’s Dec. 12 op-ed by Northwest River Partners Executive Director Terry Flores guts the truth and destroys trust.
The lower SR dams provide approximately 5 percent of the region’s annual electricity needs, mostly generated during spring run-off when the region has little or no need for this power. When power demand is high, these dams provide about 2 percent of the region’s electricity.
Snake River barge traffic does not keep 700,000 trucks off our highways. Flores cites the movement of “millions of tons of products through the Port of Lewiston.”
In 2011, the POL shipped approximately 610,000 tons, which could have been transported by 21,000 trucks. However, if not barged, most of this freight would have traveled by rail. Barge transport from POL has declined precipitously for the past 11 years, today hauling less than 25 percent of the freight the port handled in 2000.
Flores claims that the Snake River dams provide vital irrigation to farmers in Idaho. These dams provide no irrigation to Idaho farmers. The truth: The enormous taxpayer costs of maintaining Snake River locks and dams far outweigh their benefits.
LINWOOD LAUGHY, Kooskia
POLITICS
GOP should swim in its junk mail
Mitt Romney, the council has spoken. You have been voted off the island.
On election night, Fox commentators Sarah Palin and Karl Rove were dumbfounded. They were also surprised when Obama was re-elected. Seeing red, or maybe some blue, Palin mounted her broom, Dingbat One, and flew home to Alaska, where she continues fuming.
Rove traveled to Wyoming, where he begged former vice-president Dick Cheney to just shoot him in the face.
After his propositions failed, Tom Luna said that voters had expressed concerns. Actually, we were expressing disgust, plus we were watching his nose. The more he talked, the longer it grew.
I enjoyed watching FLO (First Lady Otter) debate Mike Lanza on the Luna propositions. Mike addressed voter concerns. FLO didn’t. Mike was prepared. FLO wasn’t. Mike was cool, calm and collected. FLO got a little hot under the collar. FLO should have called in sick that day.
Republicans don’t like unions. Unions represent the middle class. Republicans don’t like them either. Just ask Mitt.
All political junk mail should include a postage paid, self-addressed envelope. That way we can return the Republican PAC’s garbage to them.
KEN WHITE, Twin Falls
Republicans have poor record on economy
We don’t pay our congressmen to waste our time signing pledges for two-bit lobbyists like this Grover Norquist. Since when does our Congress sign pledges or discuss voting with any bum they happen to meet? If some of these shyster lawyers that we have elected are unable to understand our U.S. Constitution, they had better resign.
Let’s examine the recent track record of most GOP congressmen. Under George W. Bush, they led the charge into the peaceful, unarmed country of Iraq, costing us 2,700 American lives and 2,000 wounded. Our whole runaway deficit started with the Bush tax cuts and unfinanced wars. After using up the Clinton budget surplus, Bush and Congress ran up a $5 trillion deficit with help from this same “pledge-signing Congress.” Bush dropped the mortgage crisis and recession in our lap before leaving office. By the way, Grover Norquist and his pledge were nowhere to be found when Bush was running.
Romney enlisted the help of Las Vegas billionaire casino owners in the last election. He promised them a huge tax refund if elected. That refund would have come right out of our pocket, so consider yourself lucky.
ROBERT G. SCHULTZE, Riggins
Democrat supporters must believe in Santa
It is hard to take serious Ron Allen’s rant in the Dec. 7 Statesman regarding the GOP and its supposed irrelevance. After all, he comes from a party where most of the voters still believe in Santa Claus.
I’m sure Ron has his Obama phone and his 200 free minutes, and if he can just be patient for a few more days, Christmas will be here and Santa will fill his stocking with a bunch more free stuff.
In the meantime, those nasty right-wingers will take the recent lump of coal they have been dealt and, with an independent attitude coupled with a little bit of ingenuity and a lot of hard work, they will turn that lump of coal into jobs.
As to Hillary Clinton and Chicken Little, remember, this is the same Hillary who, in the 2008 Democratic debates, entertained us with war stories of her bravado and heroism wherein she survived a perilous airplane landing in Bosnia, where she risked her life and dodged sniper fire while running for cover.
Unfortunately, like most of what she and her boss says, it was just a lie. I think she got four Pinocchios for that one.
RICK WILLIS, Meridian
RELAY FOR LIFE
Exercise is a key to preventing cancer
December’s Relay for Life monthly awareness campaign is all about physical activity. Did you know that, besides tobacco use, not exercising is one of the major causes of cancer?
Physical activity can also help prevent and control anxiety and depression. The American Cancer Society recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s a simple thing that can have a tremendous impact on your life. Join a gym! Go on a walk with your friend! Start small if you need to. You'll feel better after only a week. So get moving for better health.
Going for a walk will also help you get ready for Relay for Life. This year it will be on July 12. Now is the time to commit your Relay For Life team participation. Join us to celebrate those who have battled cancer, remember those lost, fight back against the disease and help the American Cancer Society realize its vision of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
To sign up, participate or learn how you may volunteer, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit RelayForLife.org.
SHAUNA SWENSON, Relay for Life Mission Delivery Chairperson, Meridian
FAITH COLUMN
Heaven’s doors not for everybody
If there were a theater entertainment that a person wished to attend, it would seem reasonable to accept certain requirements for entrance. Those in charge may expect one to purchase a ticket, perhaps dress for the occasion, arrive at a certain time and place, and enter through a particular door. Anyone who refused to comply could reasonably expect to be refused admittance.
I find it interesting that when it comes to getting into heaven, people think they can make up their own rules and still expect to get in. In a recent Statesman article (Dec. 1) under Voices of Faith, the author of “Belief can be overrated” states who he thinks “should be granted eternal life” and what behavior “should” count. Does it really matter what “we” think if God controls the gate?
“It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands ...” Isaiah 45:12.
Jesus said, “I am the door, if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved ...” John 10:9.
We must enter through the door — Jesus who purchased our ticket with His blood.
ROSELLE CAESAR, Boise
