Letters to the Editor: Politics

Sali is a straight shooter

This country is going broke sending $700 billion a year to terrorist nations for oil. That concerns me, so I e-mailed Congressman Bill Sali, among others, to get their positions on this issue.

Sali responded with a good answer. His solutions make a lot of sense and are right to the point, clear and concise - and they leave no doubt what he believes and how he will represent me. He gave me links to more information if I want it. I liked the direct response and lack of "bullroar."

So Bill Sali is a candidate that I just "discovered," because I never see anything in the media about his forthright issue positions. I now support Sali for the following reasons:

He wants our energy security to be assured, beginning now, using American ingenuity applied to our own vast resources of oil, "clean coal," nuclear, wind and solar. Unlike some, he clearly states his positions. He is leading on the important issues.

I wish the Statesman could acknowledge that Bill Sali is that rarity in politics - a decent "straight shooter" who says what he means and means what he says. Please fairly report his positions so others may decide on a rational basis.

J. GARY POST, Moscow

Pelosi has leverage to control Minnick's vote

I listened to Walt Minnick, Democrat, running for Congress, claim he would be in favor of drilling for oil and for lower taxes.

If you believe what he said, consider this: If Mr. Minnick were elected to Congress and if he voted to drill for oil or lower taxes, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms. Pelosi, would immediately assign Mr. Minnick to the subcommittee for oversight of the pit toilets in U.S. campgrounds.

EARL TIETSORT, Fruitland

Sarcastic article belonged on the Opinion page

What in the world were you thinking by putting a sarcastic article belittling the efforts of our congressmen in the news section of the Aug. 16 paper? There was plenty of room for such drivel on the Opinion page. Knowing your leftist philosophy, I'm sure you have no intent to atone for that insulting article, so I will do it for you.

"Dear Congressman Sali and the rest of your Republican cohorts: Please accept my apology for the mean-spirited article authored by David Goldstein of the McClatchy newspaper chain. The readers appreciate your efforts, even if the newspaper publishers do not."

By the way, dear editor, as readership and relevance of your paper dwindle, count your inability to separate news from opinion as one of the major causes.

DELBERT G. SKEESICK, Weiser

Risch is out of touch, so vote LaRocco for Senate

Larry LaRocco will bring a fundamentally new direction to the Senate - and, most importantly, he is not Jim Risch.

Risch, a man who is so out of touch with the average Americans.

Jim Risch, a man who defended President Bush's mishandling of one of the worst disasters that has ever struck America.

Jim Risch, a candidate who claimed that (in reference to FEMA's disastrous handling of Katrina) "Here in Idaho, we couldn't understand how people could sit around on the curbs waiting for the federal government to come and do something. ... That's the culture here. Not waiting for the federal government to bring you drinking water. In Idaho, there would have been entrepreneurs selling the drinking water." Not only does this demonstrate the ignorance and lack of compassion that Mr. Risch has, this also shows a misunderstanding of the responsibility of the United States federal government.

What, Mr. Risch, would you have us do if there were a sudden drought in Idaho? Would you have us selling food and water to each other?

On Nov. 4, vote for Idaho. Vote for Larry LaRocco for U.S. Senate.

RYAN HAND, Boise

Pitts was wrong about McCain's judgment

In response to the Leonard Pitts commentary (Aug. 21, Main 13), I have to wonder whether he really thought that opinion through.

Does he really believe that John McCain does not see nuance, shades of gray, and both sides of an issue? John McCain has had enough life experience to not only have seen and studied all sides to a great number of issues but to be able to actually make a decision and take a position - both of which are important leadership qualities.

If making a policy decision about abortion is "above the pay grade" of Obama, he is not qualified for the position of president of the United States.

CARLA LEWIS, Boise

McCain wants to get even; Obama wants to get out

Most people don't have time to watch all of the politics on TV. I've not missed one significant moment in these campaigns. I see McCain as a warmonger, hellbent on getting even. Every other word out of his mouth is "war." Every other word is "Obama" and "When I was in prison camp ..." Wasn't the military McCain's chosen career? He was paid for it.

We never should have gotten involved in this war. These countries have been killing each other for years. They have to want to stand up. Obama doesn't want war, doesn't want killing and has a different way of handling it. He would rather talk out the problems than leave our soldiers scattered across the desert. Don't you think we should give this attitude a try?

Obama is an intelligent man and a good person, and he has his heart in our country. Obama seems way ahead of McCain in experience. If he handles our country like he has handled his campaign, we have nothing to worry about.

We will see more death and poverty as we keep marching to war with McCain and "his friends."

If you ever took anything serious, it is time to stop, look and listen.

JUDY KNIGHT, Boise

Give Obama and Democrats a chance while we can

You've come a long way, Idaho - from such outstanding Democrat leaders like Frank Church and Cecil Andrus. The Gem State has lost its luster, just as America herself has deteriorated under Republican rule.

Last month, I attended the Veterans Rally for Obama/LaRocco and was amazed that only one member of the press was present, and he was from Boise Weekly. I found it disturbing that there was no recognition by the media of your four-term governor, Cecil Andrus, Larry LaRocco - one of the few veteran senatorial candidates - and more than 150 veterans and their families in attendance at Veterans Memorial Park.

John McCain ("bomb, bomb, bomb Iran") with Joe Lieberman gloating beside him is all you need know about his candidacy. How can Bush and McCain comment that Russia should not invade a sovereign country in the 21st century? Duh!

Please, please, give Barack Obama and all other Democrats a chance while there still may be a chance.

LARRY POLSKY, Boise

Reporter's misquote of Obama could sway readers

McClatchy reporter Steven Thomma's article (Aug. 17, Main 13) on McCain and Obama talking faith states the Obama "would not have appointed Clarence Thomas because he wasn't smart enough."

What Sen. Obama actually said was he didn't believe Thomas "was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker for that elevation." Even though there are no quotation marks around "smart enough" in Thomma's article, it is stated so it appears to be a quote or at least an accurate paraphrase. It seems that this is a subtle attempt to sway the reader; Obama is superiorly judging Thomas' mental aptitude rather than assessing his ability as a Supreme Court justice.

The press should have a responsibility to accurately report, even seemingly insignificant things can have large impact.

RITA SHERMAN, Boise

Young people can make a difference in this election

Idaho students: Think your vote doesn't matter? Think again. The 2008 election will be one of the most historical elections in our lifetime. Students and young people can and will make the difference in this election. As a college student myself, I can't stress how important it is to get involved - everything from registering to vote, to educating yourself about the issues, to voting on Nov. 4.

As the state coordinator for Students for Barack Obama, I ask that you consider what lies in our future. Want low student loans? Or, even better, no student loans? What about getting a good job with benefits? What about our kids' future and the environment? All these issues are extremely important to me and the Obama campaign.

If you have any questions about issues, where to register to vote, or about the Obama campaign please email jcook@studentsforbarackobama.com.

JUSTINE COOK, Boise

Law background could hinder Obama's campaign

Regarding the interviews of presidential candidates at the Lake Forest megachurch by Pastor Rick Warren, the different styles of responses are probably due to the backgrounds of the candidates.

McCain's short, direct answers were probably due to his military background. Obama's long, nuanced, devious answers were probably due to his background as a lawyer.

It is difficult to get a straight answer from most lawyers. The fact that most of the candidates of the Democrat Party have been lawyers is a real problem for the voters to consider.

JACK H. STUART, Eagle

New facts suggest U.S. wars are based on deception

There has been much debate between skeptics and supporters on the government's official story regarding 9/11. There is evidence to support that the attacks were allowed to happen and that criminal elements within our own government and military assisted in the operation in order to justify ulterior political motives and profiteering.

Facts have recently surfaced about the intentions of our president and vice president. Earlier this month, Sy Hersh, a respected Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, revealed that Vice President Dick Cheney held a meeting in his office with administration officials discussing ways to provoke war with Iran. One option was to dress up Navy SEALs as Iranians on U.S. boats painted as Iranian speedboats, and have them shoot at U.S. vessels in the Persian Gulf. Bush even proposed a similar idea to British Prime Minister Blair before the Iraq War in 2003. He suggested painting a U2 spy plane in U.N. colors, then flying it over Iraq hoping Saddam shot it down, which would anger the U.N. into passing a resolution to use force against Iraq.

Is it possible that 9/11, the war on terrorism and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were launched based on deception? Google "false flag operations."

SHAWN CLOWARD, Kuna