Letters to the editor: Health board, Afghanistan, Ada County commissioners, initiative law
Health board
Dear Ada County residents,
Are you really OK with Raúl Labrador, the lawyer on the Central District Health board, deciding what information the health district can disseminate to the people of Ada County?
Are we really OK with Dr. Cole being appointed to the board, a pathologist and one who is benefiting from testing, is a naysayer on masks and vaccines? We need to vote Rod Beck and Ryan Davidson off the Ada County Commission after such a show of political behavior. Our health is at risk with these people in powerful positions.
Corinne K. Mitchell-Samson, Boise
Afghanistan
America has governed non-Taliban Afghanistan as a colonial possession for 20 years and in that time has reduced it to such a state of dependence that it is utterly unable to defend and govern itself.
The problem is that we have almost never been abroad for the democracy-building reasons we have always given to justify our new acquisitions. For 175 years we have spread our wings across the earth to obtain land, to support military industries, and to fulfill the political needs of Presidents.
Polk started a war with Mexico by redrawing the border line and claiming the Mexicans had crossed it. We got California out of that gig. McKinley put a ship in Havana Harbor, an act of war against Spain. When an explosion rocked the boat, we pressed forward and picked up Puerto Rico and the Philippines for our trouble.
Wilson deliberately exposed the British boat Lusitania (with Americans aboard) to German subs in order to get the U.S. into World War I. Roosevelt, long before Pearl Harbor, committed an act of war against Japan by embargoing iron and steel, gas and oil, and then ending all trade with that nation.
Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah
Initiative law
The recent Idaho Supreme Court ruling invalidating the Legislature’s attempt to limit the initiative process is just the Legislature’s latest attempt to keep the people’s voice from being heard. It comes after the furor over the passage of the initiative to expand Medicaid a few years ago. Before that was the cancellation of the stupid “Luna Laws.” And, if you go back far enough, there was the initiative that mandated term limits on state legislators that they were able to simply ignore. (I never understood how that was possible.)
The Legislature has many times attempted, sometimes successfully, to make it harder to qualify an initiative for the ballot. Maybe this Supreme Court decision will slow them down. Or maybe the cost of hiring private law firms to argue cases unsuccessfully, on the people’s dime — naw, that’s never a consideration. After this latest episode, legislators were reported as saying that the people’s remedy, if they don’t like a legislative action, should be to vote to replace them. Now that’s a proposal I can support.
Walt Thode, Boise
Ada County commissioners
It is stunning and disheartening that two of our Ada County commissioners selected a candidate for the Central District Health board based on politics. He has neither the training nor experience that Dr. Sky Blue has. The candidate espouses false and misinformation about COVID-19, mask usage, etc. This selection comes on the heels of the appointment of Raúl Labrador who questions the scientific evidence of mask usage being shared by the Centers for Disease Control. Masks have been standard hospital wear for almost 100 years. They have been used to prevent the spread of infection by germs and to protect the medical provider who is treating the patient.
Please voters in Ada County remember these appointments and vote these two men out of office in the next election. We need qualified individuals who are concerned about accepted practices in public health.
Karen Barnard Martz, Boise
Boise hypocrisy
The hypocrisy of Boise’s mayor and council is overshadowed only by its poor timing and haplessness. Just days and weeks after an aborted effort to deny southwest Boise a promised park, (Mayor Lauren) McLean and (City Council President Elaine) Clegg tout — wait for it — another Foothills land purchase! Of course it’s important that the ignorant masses in southwest Boise understand the difference between “open space” and a “park.” “Open space” is code for land set aside for Boise bluebloods who reside along the Boise front in $400 per square foot homes, ride $10,000 mountain bikes, but drive Subarus and want affordable housing for all as long as it’s not in their backyard. The “open space” funds/levies are obviously only used for the benefit of “the chosen.” Great example of how tone deaf our mayor and council are. Our message remains the same: Southwest Boise wants their park as promised.
Keith Severance, Boise
Court ruling
Regarding the Idaho Supreme Court ruling on the ballot initiative. With the unanimous ruling, I have to wonder what each legislator that voted in favor of the restrictive initiative is thinking right now. The winner must be Chuck Winder who stated, “I’m surprised and disappointed.” Was he not forewarned by our intelligent Attorney General that it was more than likely unconstitutional? Also Little waffle or is it waffle Little that said, “I think it will be ruled unconstitutional, but I’ll sign it anyway?” Boy, term limits and Terri Pickens Manweiler look more promising every day. Sadly written by a true Republican!
Dennis James, Eagle
Afghanistan
Blaming Joe Biden for the chaos in Afghanistan is like blaming Gerald Ford for the chaos in Vietnam.
Brent Marchbanks, Boise
Rats optional
The West Ada School Board has decided to allow parents to opt out of the policy of not allowing children to play with rats to combat the spread of bubonic plague. Many parents lined up,wearing back shirts to show their solidarity with the plague and school board. One parent stated she was happy her child would not suffer any loss of liberty or have a social stigma with rat playing.
Larry Chase, Boise
Biden
The Russians are laughing at us.
The Chinese are laughing at us.
The Vice President laughs at anything.
The President can’t think enough to laugh.
Thank you, voters.
Michael A. Civiello, Boise