Letters to the editor

HIGHWAY FUNDING

Otter's plan to tax mileage is the wrong solution

Gov. Butch Otter is considering an idea to raise money to repair state roads with a mileage tax. Drivers would be taxed on the number of miles they drive each year. Odometer miles would be recorded at vehicle registration renewals. This would be fine, if all annual miles were driven on Idaho state roads.

One of our cars is driven for long trips - 80 percent of these miles are driven out-of-state. A mileage tax would tax miles putting wear and tear on other states' roads, not just Idaho roads. Also, what about all the miles driven on Idaho roads by vehicles not registered in Idaho? It would be impossible to determine and tax these miles unless the miles could be read at the pump, when cars are refueled.

That's what the current gasoline tax accomplishes. It taxes vehicles based on the number of gallons pumped, for miles driven on Idaho roads, regardless of the state of registration.

Revenues from the gasoline tax are down, due in part to ethanol-gasoline blends. Ethanol is exempt from the state gasoline tax. Either stop adding ethanol to our gasoline or tax ethanol to generate more money for our roads.

SUSAN SCHMELL, Garden City

ECONOMY

Finance gurus are trying to pull another fast one

Now is the time to reflect upon the wreckage that the irresponsible mindsets of undisciplined and nihilist finance gurus have wrought. Many years ago, we used to expect our government to watch over these scoundrels and keep them from robbing us blind. But we got drunk on the promises of people like Milton Friedman, Alan Greenspan and their narcissistic intellectual mistress, Ayn Rand, who didn't care about anyone except herself and thought we all should be like her. They played the Eddie Haskell to our Wally Cleaver and convinced us to blow off our parents' wiser guidance.

Well, we've carried out their grand schemes and here we are, writing huge checks to a whole army of Eddie Haskells who are pulling off another big heist of our collective dignities. I can only pray that everyone will be vigilant and make their voices heard loud and clear, as we demand that this never happens again.

Furthermore, we also should stop accepting the lame arguments from these Haskellites when they tell us that we can't have universal health care, decent mass transit, good wages and a clean environment. If we do, then we can only blame ourselves.

KEVIN BAYHOUSE, Boise

ELECTION 2008

Statesman endorsement put American values at risk

In drinking the Obama Kool-Aid with your presidential endorsement, you ignored his lack of experience and questionable character, and you failed to seriously look beyond his rhetoric to consider how he truly intends to govern this nation. In recommending that the future of the United States be put in the hands of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, with Obama at the helm, you have put all that we hold dear at risk.

It has been said that the government that robs Peter to pay Paul will always have the support of Paul. Obama's agenda is not prosperity for those willing to work, but dependency of 51 percent of the electorate on government entitlements paid for by the rest of us. Like Obama, the Idaho Statesman is an empty suit lacking any substance or values. Perhaps if you would have dedicated the same energy and tenacity into vetting Obama as you did investigating Larry Craig, your newspaper might still have some dignity and respect.

The Idaho Statesman has demonstrated that it is not worthy of our continued economic support, and we are therefore canceling our subscription immediately. America is meant to be the home of the free and land of the brave, not the entitled.

PAUL AND ANDREA DESAULNIERS, Boise

I'm putting my country first and supporting Obama

I am a conservative, and I will support Barack Obama. I will support Obama, not because I've "come to the light" or "finally realized what liberals were saying," but because I am an American first and a conservative second, and Obama has been elected the president of the country I love.

In McCain's gracious and magnanimous concession speech, he stated that he would serve this country and this president and asked the rest of us to do the same. We were indeed fortunate to have two men in this election so accomplished and impressive. That one man won does not mean the other was rejected.

If Obama is to be successful in bringing about positive change in this country it will only be with the support of the people. Unlike the bozos who threatened to leave the country unless their side won, I remain a loyal American. The conservative voice in America will remain. Hopefully, it will get back to the basics of personal freedom, small government and equal opportunity and away from all the parasitic agendas that have made us lose our focus.

JIM FRANKLIN, Payette

Thanks for supporting my campaign for CWI board

I would like to thank all of my family, friends, colleagues, and members of the community who supported me for Seat 2 of the Board of Trustees of the College of Western Idaho. I am honored to serve on the board and will do my absolute best to continue the great work that the existing board has already accomplished.

The College of Western Idaho brings tremendous opportunity for our communities. Thank you again for the confidence you have placed in me to serve on the board.

TAMMY W. RAY, Nampa

JOB-HUNTING

All I need is a chance to prove myself to society

Why are people so judgmental? I have put in so many applications for employment and have registered with two temp services, and I have had no luck. Yes, I have a bad past that affects me in my life right now, but those problems happened more than five years ago.

I am going to college full time at Brown Mackie College of Boise. My major is legal studies, to be a paralegal. I don't have a degree yet, but I will soon.

I just want someone to give me a chance to show that I am not that bad person anymore. I don't have many skills other than security and landscaping. But now I am very reliable and trustworthy, and I won't let down anyone who gives me a chance. You won't be disappointed.

Please, someone has to have a heart and be willing to give me a chance to show to society that I have been rehabilitated and am on the road to success, to be a productive member of society.

RICARDO BENAVIDES, Boise

SHARING THE ROAD

Bikers need to move over

I see a lot of bicyclists riding along Beacon Light Road two, three, and four abreast. I'm not sure about road rights, but I've come upon riders who refuse to get in a single-file line, and one on a recent morning who continued to ride farther in the middle of the road next to another biker. It's only a matter of time until someone gets seriously hurt. How many honks on the horn does it take to get them to move over?

MARI TANNER, Eagle

IGNORANCE

'Good American families' speak many languages

I couldn't believe what I was reading when I saw that someone actually left a message at the Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity office stating that the charity should give homes to "good American families" as opposed to "all those foreigners." What exactly constitutes an American family, never mind a good one? I would venture to say that the caller is obviously not from a "good American family," otherwise they would never have left such an ignorant and hate-filled voice-mail.

While I might be wrong, I would also venture to say that the caller thinks people who speak with foreign accents are not Americans or that people who don't speak English are illegal. To those who insist that everyone speak English, when was the last time you tried to learn to speak a foreign language? How long do you think it would take you to become fluent? How about learning it in a country where people treat you with hostility and ridicule if you make a mistake? Maybe the caller should have researched Habitat for Humanity before opening his or her mouth. Not doing so just served to let everyone else know how unintelligent the caller really is.

MEGHAN ANDERSON, Kuna