Letters to the editor: Greater Idaho, wolves, registering Republican, Rep. Russ Fulcher
Greater Idaho legislature?
If all the Powers That Be approve the creation of a Greater Idaho, taking in the dissident rural counties of Oregon and northern California, there will need to be adjustments to the Idaho legislature.
My count of the population of the rural Oregon counties is some 700,000 people. If they were to be represented at 55,000 per district, that is at least a dozen additional legislative districts. How would we fit a dozen more senators into our Senate chambers, and two dozen more members into our House chambers? What sort of remodel would be required? How much will it cost? If we keep the legislature at 35 districts, that is 2.5 million people at some 71,300 per district. How big would the sparsely populated rural districts need to be? A compromise on the number of legislative districts will still require some major adjustments.
How will the people of Ontario like living in a state that does not allow marijuana sales?
These are all things that will need to be considered as those interested in creating Greater Idaho move forward.
Elinor K. Chehey, Boise
Registering Republican
After spending my entire adult life as a Democrat, I have officially changed my party affiliation to Republican. You can thank Janice McGeachin and Priscilla Giddings for this change of heart! Since rarely in my 50 years of voting has anyone I voted for ever been elected to statewide office, I may as well use my vote in next year’s primary to ensure the Republicans that are elected are more representative of the majority of Idahoans. I believe these candidates have extreme agendas, and there may be more candidates running for statewide office with similar ideologies. So unless you want to constantly make national news for wacky or harmful government decisions, join me and change your party affiliation. This can be done by contacting your county clerk’s office and filling out the change of party affiliation form. We will feel joy in our hearts when we vote next May!
Kerri Adams, Boise
Greater Idaho
As a lifelong Idahoan, I do not want Idaho to become a radical, movable state. Idaho has just enough water for our state but these resources would be depleted if Oregon extends our state line. We have water resources that Oregon needs. Idaho would also be burdened by this state that is going under financially. This idea is not good for Idaho at all! Our fellow Idahoans need to step up and protect our sovereign state’s pristine land and resources we have been blessed with. We need to tell our governor to say, “No, we are not changing Idaho” and tell Oregon to settle their own differences within their own territorial boundaries and leave Idaho alone!
Rodney and Veronica Borgeman, Garden Valley
Wolves
In the late 1880s, Ernest Thompson Seton set out to trap the last few wolves in New Mexico, including a pair known as Blanca and Lobo. He first caught Blanca, and while she was alive, he tied her limbs to four horses and quartered her (that is ripping her apart), knowing that her cries of agony would attract her mate, Lobo. In Europe, back in the 1700s, captured wolves had their mouths sewn shut and were tortured slowly to death. Now we have Idaho, 2021. Gov. Brad Little, Representative Denise Moon and others are making their “wolf control bill” not based on science, reason or fact, but barbarity, politics and bloodlust, as well as the absurd fairytales perpetuated by a group of “rugged” individuals who actually just want to kill stuff for fun. And yes, I’d be happy to let my kids play outside with wolves around - given that there have been just two confirmed cases of human death by wolf since 2000, compared to, say, those in gun-related homicides, which Little, Moon et al want nothing to do with. Their bill is disgusting, embarrassing, pointless, retrograde and wanton.
Melanie Finn, Kirby, Vermont
Rep. Fulcher
“Hell is truth seen too late” - Thomas Hobbes
Something for you, Russ Fulcher, to consider after your voting against certifying the 2020 election results and against establishing the Jan. 6th Commission. No doubt you will have plenty of company joining you.
Jennifer A. Pedrali, Meridian