Letters to the editor: War, vote by mail, Legislature
Legislature
Will the legislature finally take the right moral and ethical action and Add The Words? Do legislators actually think the members of the LGBT community woke up one morning and said, I think I’ll be gay? Or bi? Or trans? Did legislators wake up and decide to be straight? Human sexuality and gender identification is an immutable trait that is not amenable to value judgment. Every Idahoan has an absolute right to equal protection under the law. It really is a simple matter of justice.
Will the legislature finally embrace cannabis legal reform? It is sadly unlikely, despite Sen. Burgoyne’s worthwhile initiative. Arrest, probation, incarceration and parole cost the taxpayers and otherwise law-abiding victims of these misguided policies millions of dollars every year, as well as the money flowing out of state as Idahoans vote with their feet on cannabis reform. State after state is legalizing and yet the sky has not fallen. There is substantial evidence that access to cannabis reduces use and misuse of opioids. If the legislature really cared about the opioid problem, they would consider cannabis legal reform. Haven’t enough people suffered under these misguided policies?
Tim Teater, Boise
Leadership
The best of us in each political party has to lead the way to rise above this hatred we have in our government today. Compromise is a necessary element of a democratic republic, and elected representatives must rise up to the task of also representing their minority constituents. A democratic republic is what we need to steer back to -- minorities are treated with respect and taken care of also. It can’t just be majority rule only, which seems so necessary to practicality today. Instead of politicians, we need statesmen. We have diverged so much from reality with immoral and unethical behaviors taking over our America. We live in a world now where our enemies, Russia and China, are becoming our masters and masters of the world to be. We have to all do what is right, especially for our future generations. We must choose our leaders very carefully no matter what party they represent.
Maggie Morris, Garden City
Vote by mail
A vote-by-mail system in Idaho would be safe and convenient for all voters because it would save time and money. It would most likely increase participation while giving voters reasonable time to study the ballots to make a more informed decision while at home. Let’s at least try voting by mail to see if it really works for Idahoans.
John Paige, Pocatello
Impeachment
I telephoned both Sen. Risch and Sen. Crapo the week of 1-6-2020, to ask them to allow testimony from any and all witnesses to the telephone call President Trump made to the president of the Ukraine as we’ve heard from Republicans there has been no direct evidence of any wrongdoing on the president’s part of the phone call. We have not been able to hear direct eyewitness testimony as it has not been allowed.
For the good of all the citizens of the U.S., we should request all witnesses to testify, thereby putting to bed any concerns any one of us may have in this regard.
I received a response from Sen. Risch stating the impeachment of a president would be allowed for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” He also stated “political policy disagreements do not reach those standards.” I think Sen. Risch should follow his own advice and forgo the political disagreements. He seems to say no evidence is necessary in the Senate impeachment trial.
Contact your senators and request they hear all the evidence and testimony, then base the trial on those merits. Disallowing any further evidence in the trial is to not follow the rule of law or jurisprudence.
Hugh E. Massie, Boise
War
We don’t want your war. We don’t want to sacrifice a service member’s life. We don’t want to waste a nickel of hard-earned taxpayer money. Not on a war fabricated by rash decisions, hubris and lies.
The lies amplified by Trump have taken us one step closer to a war that we don’t want.
Congress passed the War Powers Resolution, which shouldn’t have been passed to begin with. Anyone who supports and defends this country and Constitution knows only Congress can declare war. That shouldn’t be something you learn on the job. The administration also failed to deliver any transparent evidence not only to the people but to members of Congress in their post mortem briefing.
Our Idaho representatives should finally, for once, realize we Idahoans aren’t supporting Trump.
Perry Lea, Eagle
Iran
Even with tiny hands, it will be hard to wag the Doberman Pinscher.
Jerry Quick, Boise