Letters to the editor: country first, Simpson and Trump, ducking debates and attack ads

Country first

I am pleased to see that all of our Idaho representatives to Congress, have Democratic opponents running against them, this coming November (Risch is not up for re-election this year). Fulcher, Simpson, and Crapo claim to represent Idaho values, but have proven that they only represent the extreme right-wing branch of the Republican Party. They are toting the base of the party, which doesn’t see a problem with the fact that the former guy incited an insurrection, which threatened to overthrow the Democratic process, on which this nation stands on. I find this terrifying. Let’s show them that Idahoans put country before party, and vote them out.

Michal Voloshen, Boise

Simpson and Trump

I recently received several political mailers for Mike Simpson. One, paid for by the American Dental Association (seriously?) hailed Trump’s endorsement of Simpson, praising Simpson’s support of Trump and his refusal to hold Trump accountable for extorting Zelensky or trying to overturn the election. Next was a hit piece against Bryan Smith, highlighting Smith’s lack of loyalty (the horror) to Trump. The tiny “Paid For by Simpson” acknowledgment was printed upside down at the bottom of the mailer. What surprised me was how someone willing to tackle the Snake River Dams issue could be so tied to Trump. He must know that Trump wouldn’t know a river if he saw one, and he wouldn’t know a salmon if it bit him on his ample posterior. Idaho and the rest of the nation are in deep trouble if someone like Simpson, who has about zero chance of being voted from office, is so concerned about the lunatic Trump fringe of Idaho (and national) politics that he needs to openly pledge allegiance to a narcissistic, Putin-loving, authoritarian wannabe seditionist. We can do our part by voting against that lunatic fringe in the Republican primary. You know who they are.

Walter Gammill, Boise

Ducking debates

Political debates are the best way the public gets information about the next election. It counters the political tactic of telling different groups what they want to hear, getting votes from voters on both sides of a policy. The best way you can help insure that we all get the best information about all the candidates, is to never vote for a candidate who refuses to debate his opponents. Candidates will make all kinds of excuses on why they will not debate. Ignore the excuses and never vote for them.

Allen Lee Wenger, Boise

Attack ads

We have been overwhelmed by the number of Bryan Smith political attack ads on TV. In his political attack ad against Mike Simpson, he states that Mike Simpson is taking away precious water from Idaho’s farmers. I was curious about this inflammatory statement. In checking the facts, it appears there is a movement to remove four dams on the lower Snake River. Mike Simpson is not the author of this plan. It appears that many groups are pushing for the removal of those particular four dams. My question to Mr. Smith is: The four dams in question, are located in Oregon and Washington. So how is Mike Simpson taking away Idaho Farmer’s precious water? Do Idaho Farmers pump water all the way uphill and upstream, from Oregon and Washington to water crops in Idaho? This is just another example of a slick lawyer trying to use a false hot button issue to get votes. I’m not voting for Brian Smith.

Blair Moncur, Idaho Falls