Letters to the editor: Vaccine, Idaho legislators, Capitol riot, Medicaid

No vaccine

I’ve just spent the better part of two days trying to find a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Both hospitals, Albertson’s pharmacy, Primary Health — nothing is available going into April. I’m 77, my daughter is considered an essential worker and has a voucher to allow her vaccination. I’ve emailed, I’ve called, nothing produces any viable result. Family in Colorado can sign up at any medical center and they’re called for an appointment. Idaho and Missouri are the only two states, lagging way behind the rest of the country. Both state governors (yes, you, Gov. Little) should be embarrassed and ashamed. The other governors know how to get the needed vaccines, what the heck?! Are we supposed to sit at our computers all day, every day, trying, in vain, to sign up?

Judy Helm, Boise

Medicaid cuts

It is grotesque and immoral that Idaho’s new budget proposal is considering cutting $118 million in Medicaid benefits. Gov. Little should be held accountable for not preserving the will of the people, that a majority voted for Medicaid expansion. This is happening during a pandemic no less, in which people through no fault of their own are losing employment and health care coverage. It’s really sad that Idaho can easily take advantage of allocated federal funding and its surplus in budget for health care and won’t, to prove a political point. This will have material consequence for our state and communities and is just another reason why as a country need to push for single payer health care.

Erik Johnson, Boise

Idaho legislators

Governor Brad Little is doing a fabulous job trying to hold back the Legislature’s efforts of minimizing COVID-19. Sadly, he might lose that battle.

As a Californian looking for a state more in line with my conservative Republican principles, my family and I moved to Idaho 20 years ago. But little did I know that the Republican legislature here thinks only about property taxes being too high, and to keep taxes down, they spend little on the education of our kids, even less on infrastructure rebuilding, but will spend plenty of tax dollars on legal disputes which they invariably lose, while taxpayers pay the bills.

For instance:

1. Legislators will not waver on rules to accommodate two legislators whose health is compromised by past accidents or illnesses (perhaps because they are demonic Democrats).

2. Legislators are not listening to the health experts who are consistently telling them they are going the wrong way.

3. Even when their own legal system working for the Legislature is telling them NO!, legislators pay no attention, so taxpayers pay even more legal bills.

4. Why is it that Canyon County has far more COVID-19 patients than Ada County on a per capita basis? Could it be that they pay little or no attention to the governor’s orders?

Chas Bonner, Eagle

Capitol riot

Yvonne St. Cyr’s “selfie” picture in the Statesman while storming the U.S. Capitol only reflects the QAnon, “patriot,” conspiracy, bizarro world in which she resides.

To believe that a secret Democratic Party and Hollywood cabal engages in cannibalistic orgies involving young children without any factual proof is beyond comprehension. Purporting that COVID-19 was actually created by Dr. Fauci who then sent it to China to infect the world, contending that wearing masks is a plot by the government to take away our constitutional freedoms and rights and inciting insurrectionist riots to “save their country” from becoming “communist America” is delusional if not deranged. Insofar as the election is concerned the one thing “stolen” without question is that of reasonable and rational minds.

Thomas Monagle, Boise