Letters to the editor: the coming generation, cattle grazing and fiscal irresponsibility
Coming generation
The current trend of angrily refusing to participate in basic, common-sense public health precautions during a pandemic that has killed over 800,000 Americans is exactly that, a fad with a pretty limited lifespan. And no, I’m not hoping anti-vax/anti-maskers die of COVID, just suggesting that people will soon tire of their hysteria about established science and medicine as “government tyranny.”
Looking to the future, under-40 Americans broadly reject racism and anti-gay bigotry while favoring sensible expansions of socialist policies like universal health care, tuition-free college, public preschool, paid family leave, environmental regulations to protect both human health as well as ecosystems and vulnerable species, and the labor rights of working Americans. They also understand basic science and medicine, and understand what cooperation toward a common goal means, in this case preventing additional preventable deaths due to an epidemic disease.
I’m an old guy myself, but I’m all in with these younger folks. Our current system favors concentrations of money and established political power and influence, further enabled by a religious culture that assumes that older men have all the answers. As an older Idahoan myself, I respectfully suggest that we don’t have any such monopoly, nor should we.
Chris Norden, Moscow
Cattle grazing
In early June last year, I stood along a dirt road in Owyhee County and listened to the calls and song of a breeding-season Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). At that same spot I also watched a cow tear low-lying branches off a willow and then eat the vegetation. Conservationists call this kind of thing the destruction of habitat.
Only an anecdote, sure. But there is an extensive track record of degradation and destruction of our natural heritage. The non-native force that’s behind the loss is cattle grazing on our public land — at a loss to all of us who pay taxes and subsidize the destruction.
The nesting habitat preferred by this avian species, whose western population is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, is well known to both ornithologists and birders. It consists of riparian woods dominated by willows, cottonwoods, chokecherry and other shrubby vegetation.
The degradation and outright loss of this habitat through human activities, such as groundwater pumping, clearing for development and livestock grazing, are repeatedly cited in the scientific literature as the primary culprits behind the ongoing population decline of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
It is time to remove livestock from our public lands.
Alan Gregory, Mountain Home
Fiscal irresponsibility
The recent income tax cut for wealthy and corporations passed by the Idaho House display fiscal irresponsibility represented by this legislation displays where the loyalties of the legislators who voted for the legislation lay. This bill is a tax increase for homeowners.
I agree with one statement by Rep. Mike Moyle, the House majority leader: “We need to make Idaho more competitive with surrounding states.” Indeed. What better way to incentivize well trained professions to come into, or even better remain within, the state? Not this bill. Our economic engine is not corporations who reside in Idaho in name only, but the workers, professionals, teachers, electricians, store clerks, and so forth who will not see real benefit but will continue to see property taxes increase as the cost-of-living increases, housing costs increase, and food taxed amid rapid inflation.
What do we care about most? Good school, safe communities, quality roads, opportunities for our children. This tax bill means that hundreds of millions will not go to basic needs.
The current Legislature wants the budget to be reduced to insufficient levels before allocation to avoid having to pay for their basic responsibilities.
Jamal Lyksett, Moscow