Letters to the editor: Faith healing, war, Medicaid
Faith healing
Did you know that Idaho is one of only six states that allows certain parents to let their children suffer, become disabled and/or die by withholding medical treatment in the name of religion -- and do this without fear of prosecution?
Bruce Wingate and others have attempted to bring about the change that 44 of our other states have made in order to save children. So far, our state legislators have not yet repealed or changed our religious exemption laws to protect our vulnerable Idaho children.
The Protect Idaho Kids organization is working again this year to get these laws changed. Please visit the website (www.protectidahokids.org) where you can email your legislators and let them know that this issue is important to you. The site also notes an upcoming discussion at the Idaho State Capitol 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, that you may participate in and help us move this issue forward. Please come and bring others. The more people, the stronger the message is to save these children.
Christine Sugg, Nampa
Refugees
Many thanks to Gov. Little, the Twin Falls County commissioners and the Ada County commissioners for consenting to the settlement of additional refugees in Boise and Twin Falls. Although the feds did not require the consent of the two cities, both gave it anyway. Idaho’s refugee programs in the two cities are some of the best in the country. Even though refugee admissions have been cut fivefold in the last three years, these programs have successfully welcomed those refugees who were able to navigate the bureaucratic roadblocks. Predictably, those new residents have thrived in both communities. The governor and the commissioners of both counties deserve our gratitude for maintaining Idaho’s reputation for compassion and humanity.
Jim Jones, Boise
War
Thank you for your Jan. 7 editorial “ Can Idaho’s Republican delegation keep us out of war? Will it even try?”
I and my family echo your appeal to our congressional representatives to reclaim their Constitutional responsibility and not allow the president to get us into war with Iran. The fast-moving events of the past few days and weeks leave me and, I imagine, many Americans feeling scared and powerless in the face of escalating tensions between our country and Iran. We ask that Sens. Risch and Crapo and Reps. Simpson and Fulcher, following the lead of Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, support the War Powers Resolutions and other measures, which would require a full debate on the floors of Congress before the U.S engages in any acts of war.
I am a Christian with family members currently serving in the U.S military. The best way to support our troops is for our elected representatives to have the courage to call for and engage in a full debate on the floors of Congress before allowing the president to commit acts which could put our troops and other Americans in further danger.
Anne Hausrath, Boise
War
Do you remember when Trump said he knew more about war than the generals? Read my lips: He knows nothing of war. He’s never seen the tears of the dying, heard the screams of the wounded, smelled the stench of the dead. Trump may think he is a 10-star general, but the closest he’s ever been to a battlefield is the courtroom, where he’s lost a lot more battles than he’s won.
Roy Lunsford, Kuna
Salmon
What should be Idaho’s role in salmon and steelhead recovery? Within Idaho’s rivers, the salmon and steelhead migrate upstream to spawn. The fry emerge, grow and migrate downstream. Where in the salmon and steelhead’s life cycle could Idaho provide the greatest input to their recovery? Idaho’s input should be to increase the number of salmon and steelhead that migrate downstream to the Pacific Ocean. In 2019, salmon and steelhead returns were significantly below recovery goals for Idaho’s endangered salmon and steelhead. Sockeye returns were 97% below recovery goals. Fall chinook was 76% below recovery goals. Spring/summer chinook returns were 70% below recovery goals, while steelhead were a dismal 66% below recovery goals. Increasing the number of salmon and steelhead migrating downstream will lead to increased salmon and steelhead returns. Idaho should increase the number and capacity of the Idaho salmon and steelhead hatcheries. Idaho Fish and Game’s Springfield salmon is designed to produce 1 million sockeye salmon smolts. The sockeye recovery goal is 1,000 adults. The Idaho hatchery program for steelhead and spring, summer and fall chinook salmon should be expanded to produce the same ratio of smolts to adults for all these fish species to achieve salmon and steelhead recovery.
Don Vernon, Middleton
Refugees
Recently I read that Gov. Little asked for more refugees to be settled in Idaho. What is the policy in Idaho for resettlement? In which counties will resettlement take place? Will the funds to support these refugees come from the state, counties or where? Already we have had problems with refugees assimilating into our state. What safeguards have been put into place to protect Idaho citizens? Do you as citizens of Idaho know the answers to these questions, or is it not politically correct to even ask?
Tim Neumayer, Orofino
Medicaid
I am wondering why our legislators chose to ignore our poor and mentally ill citizens in need of expanded Medicaid. For years, documentation of serious illnesses and mortality have been reported while Idaho politicians chose to reject 90% federal payment. Our legislators are attempting to place five waivers or restrictions to severely reduce the number of needy people qualifying for medical help. Our legislators could and should take the alternative approach of representing the opinions of our citizens and developing an excellent Medicaid system. A second response by our great legislature was to attempt changing the Idaho initiative referendum process making it extremely rare that voters could generate or improve laws. Such blatant disregard for citizen representation is inexcusable. In my opinion, our voters forced Idaho to do the right thing by joining expansion of the national Medicaid system. I believe this is a sign of things to come when we face challenging issues of the 21st century. It will likely take younger generations and an equal percentage of female legislators to replace antiquated actions of the good old boys trying to force what they would call “The Idaho Way.” It is not our Idaho Way to ignore citizens
David Ransom, Boise
School choice
Not everyone fits in the same academic box. As a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how every student has unique needs. Fortunately, families in Idaho can choose from traditional and online academic options that aren’t one size fits all.
For six years, I’ve been an English teacher at Idaho Technical Career Academy, an online public school. In this role, I’ve seen how impactful an education with the right fit can be. For my students in the virtual classroom, this means they’re able to get personalized support that meets their individual needs.
I firmly believe that the more school choices we have, the better we can meet the needs of all students. We are now living in an online, technology-immersed world. It’s time that our schools match this changing pace and provide students with the tools they need to grow. Thankfully, the online classroom is very adaptive and provides students with a supportive space.
Jan. 26 is National School Choice Week. I urge Idaho’s lawmakers to protect school choice so that all families can choose the best learning environment. Whether it’s a brick-and-mortar school or the online classroom, it’s time to give students what they need.
Rozanne Clark, Nampa
Iran
What the appeasement Democrats and so-called “peace” groups ignore is that Iran has been at war with the United States since 1979, when the religious fundamentals overthrew the Shah. These extremists have shown contempt for international law from year one, by invading, occupying and holding hostage American diplomatic personnel.
They have since promulgated a shadow war with the U.S. by supporting many terrorist groups and occasionally firing shots themselves. The Iranian general Soleimani was only a part of this shadow war, and I believe caused the deaths of many Americans and others. In so doing, he became a legitimate target, just like Osama bin Laden.
The world will have to face down Iran sometime, as failure to check their actions is seen as a weakness and will lead to more conflict.
Finally, the Democrats’ unspoken complaint is that Trump ordered the attack, not Clinton.
Scott A. Jones, Council
Teaching
I was feeling depressed by the state of Idaho’s teacher credentialing department stating that I, a retired California teacher with 20 years of experience, would need to take Idaho comprehensive math and literary standards classes to get a five-year Idaho teaching credential. Apparently, Idaho standards differ greatly from other states and are too complicated for out-of-state teachers to comprehend. But I, like teachers everywhere, am used to having to always prove that I am capable at my job. Which then led me to ask, what are the educational requirements to be a senator or congressperson, or even president of the United States? None. Age, citizenship, residency in the state you are representing. That’s it. No college degree required. Apparently, if you want to work in Washington, D.C., you just need a lot of money to run a campaign. There are no tests on the Constitution, public administration, geography, political science, economics, international relations, business administration, public health, ethics, to name some important areas. You do not have to have any prior political experience. Perhaps it’s time our politicians were treated more like teachers.
Lori Poublon Ramirez, Meridian
War
American public opinion largely opposes U.S. involvement in the Middle East. Why is Congress not listening to a popular demand to bring our troops home? If you follow the money, you might discover that many congressmen are invested in oil and defense companies.
Just scan recent headlines. “Members of Congress own $93 million in fossil fuel stocks.” “U.S. spent ten times more on fossil fuel subsidies than education.” “Members of Congress invest in companies they are supposed to regulate.” “Oil prices rise as Iran conflict fears spread.” “Defense stocks rose on Iran tensions.”
Researchers found members of Congress get abnormally high returns from their stocks, because they could trade on non-public information and to vote their own pocketbooks.
Mutual fund companies Vanguard, State Street GA, and Blackrock are the top holders of Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, United Technologies and Boeing stocks. There is a generational divide in public opinion on “forever wars.” Older generations are more invested in a perpetual state of war, while young people are sent to serve abroad.
We need to elect younger people to Congress.
We can oppose “forever wars” in the Middle East by asking all U.S. Congress members to divest from war.
Inna Patrick, Boise
Sprawl
The sprawl machine has arrived in Elmore County.
Today it is working tirelessly to reshape the city of Mountain Home and its parent county of Elmore in the same model that has destroyed “real” towns across the country – municipalities that once were known as places people cared about, but are now just rubber-stamp copies of other no-places. One paved street is, after all, just like the ones that replaced the natural countryside in the next state over and the state after that one and so on.
In Mountain Home, the new sprawl is labeled “Morning View.” For folks who care, though, the former view of the setting sun across a landscape of grasses and sagebrush has been given up, replaced by mechanized copies of the Great American lawn and a spider-web mess of pavement that serves as another invitation to cars while saying “no” to walking, cycling and simply caring about a land that stood apart for its naturalness.
It is the same sprawl that produced the car-happy subdivisions off South Cole in the Boise metroplex and turned Eagle Road into a toxic zone of air pollution and its noise-pollution equivalent. Western Meadowlarks? What meadowlarks?
Alan C. Gregory, Mountain Home
Impeachment
I have watched with growing concern the turmoil, obfuscation, and apparent corruption of President Trump. I have long lost my initial open-mindedness toward the Trump presidency.
The time for action has arrived.
We must move forward in the forthcoming presidential Impeachment trial. Contact Sen. Crapo and Sen. Risch. Demand that they do their duty by impartially considering the charges brought forth against President Trump and that they vote to remove him from office, if so warranted.
Our government, first and foremost, is to serve the people of the United States of America. Our president has forgotten this duty and is openly hostile to our constitutional system of checks and balances designed to keep him accountable to the people. His inexplicable closeness to Russian President Putin is deeply troubling. He is an existential threat to our democracy, a threat where self-serving interests supersede duty and honor.
Contact your senators today.
Senator Mike Crapo, 251 E Front St Ste 205, Boise, ID 83702. (208) 334-1776. https://www.crapo.senate.gov/contact/email-me
Senator James Risch, 350 N 9th St Ste 302, Boise, ID 83702, (208) 342-7985. https://www.risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email
Antonio J Gonzalez, Jr., Boise, ID
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 11:28 AM.
