Letters to the editor: Idaho Legislature, salmon, saving democracy
Legislature double standards
One Republican member stays home to avoid COVID-19. A Democrat asks for the same treatment and is denied. The anti-mask Legislature is denying the governor’s duty to fight the virus. The Legislature is denying the governor’s duty to take on emergencies. The lieutenant governor has a tax-paid member of the Idaho Freedom Foundation on her staff. IFF is the most anti-democratic organization in the country. What a mess!
Joe Bejsovec, Boise/Centerville
Salmon
The fate of Idaho’s salmon and is now in your hands, Governor Little.
When it was formed by you in April 2019, the Governor’s Salmon Workgroup was tasked to “develop effective salmon and steelhead policy for Idaho to ensure that abundant and sustainable populations of salmon and steelhead exist for present and future generations to enjoy.”
With the completion of their work at the end of December 2020, total responsibility is once again yours.
You, and the other governors of the Columbia Basin Collaborative, recently received a letter signed by 10 of the Northwest’s most prominent fisheries scientists stating that breaching of the four Lower Snake River dams is the best, and perhaps only, alternative existing to save our Idaho fish.
As the collaborative begins its task of restoring our fish while finding and funding what must be done to preserve our economy, your position is now simple — follow the science or you face the real risk of losing our Idaho fish.
Former Idaho Fish and Game Commissioners Will Godfrey, Southwest Region 1975 -1979; Keith Stonebraker, Clearwater Region 1976 -1987; Keith E. Carlson, Clearwater Region 1987-1999; Gary Power, Salmon Region 2004 -2012; Fred Trevey, Clearwater Region 2007 -2015.
Special session
Let me get this straight. Gayann DeMouraunt, Steve Harris and the other vacant-eyed Idaho Freedom Foundation members of the legislature — the ones who for at least the past 10 years have spent every waking hour decrying government instead of doing the hard work of legislating — are now pushing to strip the governor of his constitutional emergency powers and demanding that they, not he, should have the right to call the body into special session? Why? So they can walk into the Statehouse at their choosing and continue to do nothing? I don’t understand why we are even paying them. If they don’t want to put in the work to solve the state’s many problems, they should resign in shame or be let go.
Douglas Siddoway, Ashton
Lieutenant governor
When selecting presidential candidates this year, voters could feel confident that if the candidate they voted for could no longer fill the office, their vice president would carry on with the platform. This is not the case with the governor and lieutenant governor in Idaho. They do not run on the same ticket and after 2020 it is crystal clear they are not on the same page. If anything, Lt. Gov. McGeachin has actively undermined Gov. Little as he tries to navigate the pandemic. In no way would the lieutenant governor carry on with the governor’s policies. She could not even be bothered to attend committee meetings. This situation highlighted how these two elected officials should be simpatico.
Therefore, while our state legislature is working on many bills and constitutional amendments to limit the governor’s authority this session, could they possibly find time to add this problem to their list? I think it would be a great service to voters who would want continuity if something should happen to the governor.
Kerri Adams, Boise
Saving democracy
We haven’t always treated Black and Brown people with dignity they deserve. It’s ironic that it took Black and Brown people to save our democracy.
Edwin Catlett, Meridian
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 5:17 PM.