Letters to the editor: Voting, masks, Avimor, Ukraine, Putin, militias, education funding

Voter registration

FYI, regarding the emergency clause in House Bill 439, providing for immediate implementation if ultimately signed into law: The deadline for a party affiliation change will become 03/11/2022, yet online voter registration “has been shut down per code 34-408 due to the March 8 election and it will reopen on 03/09/2022.” This leaves but a 48-hour change window.

Brett Crow, Boise

Masks

House Bill 631 would ban Idaho schools from mandating masks to prevent or slow the spread of contagious disease. Please urge your state senator to vote against this terrible bill.

We should encourage our schools to do everything possible to keep students, staff and teachers healthy. Wearing a mask to increase that potential should not be a divisive issue; it should be an issue we support for healthy school attendance. Health, education and our children must be the priority.

Rep. DeMordaunt made a comment that was not backed by facts, science or intelligence. She said requiring children to wear masks leads to social isolation and speech challenges with “significant” and “long-lasting” impact. Rep. Steve Berch made an important point when he pointed out that two-thirds of the parents in West Ada School District did not opt out of the mask mandate for their children.

Rep. Scott Syme made a good point. A bad law might impact future health risks which we cannot foresee.

Common sense would allow our schools to take the necessary steps to keep students, staff teachers and bus drivers safe, healthy and on the job. Let’s keep our kids healthy and in the classroom.

Otto Ray Stokes, Star

Education funding

Consider the following facts. Idaho has a budget surplus and legislators have planned a cut in taxes. Average salaries for teachers are in the lowest tier, even lower than Utah. House bill 669 proposes giving money for parochial schools. What is wrong with this picture?

Bruce Smith, Lynden, Washington

Avimor

When Eagle’s Mayor Jason Pierce ran for office, he promised that Avimor should “pay their own way” and that they “should definitely provide their own water.” In paying their own way, Avimor will need to self-fund such basic infrastructure as a self-contained water supply, their own police and fire departments, widen Highway 55 and so on.

Can the limited number of Avimor residents support the proposed growth, through property taxes and levies paid exclusively by them and not by Eagle residents (via the annexation of Avimor)?

Candidate Pierce promised that the city of Eagle should purchase the Eagle Water Company, yet the timing of Suez’s recent purchase of the latter and Avimor’s 2/26/22 “neighborhood” meeting appear related in a most uncomfortable way.

Absent a hydrogeological gift of an abundant groundwater supply within Avimor proper, how will they provide sufficient drinking and irrigation water to support the thousands of proposed new homes? Will Avimor residents “provide their own water,” as Pierce promised during his 2019 election campaign?

It’s time to rein in Avimor’s expansionist ways and to replace Mayor Pierce and his cronies. Perhaps he (or they) should run for mayor of Avimor. Birds of a feather…

Brett Smith, Eagle

Voting

Just to be clear. I can open or conceal carry seven or more firearms onto our Capitol grounds or into an active legislative session but I can’t carry seven ballots to a voting station. What are we criminalizing? Obviously the power of the pen still is greater than the sword.

Steven Edgar, Star

Ukraine

In his pursuit of world domination, Trump’s friend Vladimir Putin will have no trouble conquering Idaho. Idaho Republicans have already paved the way for a Putin-style government through their takeover of city and county governments and their denial of women having control of their bodies. Idaho Republicans have jury-rigged the tax system to favor people like the Russian oligarchs. And just as Putin has made Christianity the official religion in Russia, Idaho’s Republicans are working hard to turn Idaho into a theocracy.

Putin will have no trouble indoctrinating Idaho students because Idaho Republicans have already, in essence, established a pattern of government control of what is taught thanks to their takeover of the state educational system.

The only question remaining is: Will Idaho Republicans require that we call each other “comrade”?

Gary L. Bennett, Boise

Militias

HB475 is among the worst legislation ever introduced in Idaho. It has been reported this legislation was advocated by the Idaho National Guard. This flies in the face of civilian control of the military and raises the question: Will the National Guard protect us from these unregulated militias or join in their mischief?

Section 46-802 should not be repealed but should be vigorously enforced. Boise and other Idaho cities have already seen these armed groups intimidating citizens attempting to exercise their actual First Amendment rights. In a demonstration at the Boise City Hall, the police had to separate these people from peaceful protesters. Another group was intimidated into moving a demonstration out of downtown and another group canceled a demonstration out of fear of violence. There was an accidental firearm discharge at the Capitol in another incident. Fortunately, that time no one was injured.

These militia members say they are all about protecting and defending the Constitution. The problem is that they act on their own faulty interpretations of our foundational documents and willful ignorance of American political history.

Private militias endanger our state and our fading democratic republic. Perhaps that is the point of this legislation.

Tim Teater, Boise

Putin

Eugene Robinson’s article titled “Putin likely asking: Where’s Trump when I need him?” in the Statesman on Feb. 23 is one of the most ridiculous things I have read. Robinson asserts that Putin is more afraid of Biden than he would be of Trump and that Putin will suffer more dire consequences under Biden is just nuts. He also made the claim that NATO would be more likely to be united under Biden. Both of those statements are just speculation and total hogwash. To Eugene: Everyone is laughing at you.

Brad Seymour, Mountain Home