Letters to the editor: GOP convention, abortion, guns, dams
Guns loaded
At the Idaho Republican Convention last weekend, elected party chair Dorothy Moon stated, “We have to make sure with the Democrats coming at us with full force that we have our barriers up, our guns loaded…” Her comment was inflammatory and irresponsible. Threats against political opponents are never justified and this speech could easily incite violence.
With 28 years of Republican supermajorities in the legislature, it is nonsense to stoke fears of an assault by Democrats, literally or figuratively. Instead of mindless fear mongering, Moon’s time would be better spent mobilizing the party around providing actual solutions to real problems Idahoans face.
I urge Idahoans to read both the Democratic and Republican platforms and resolutions. In June, Idaho Democrats endorsed a platform centered on providing quality education and school facilities, an economy that rewards hard work, justice for all, accessible mental and physical healthcare, strong democratic institutions that prevent corruption, support for rural communities, and protection of our vital natural resources. These documents can be found at: https://idahodems.org/resources/. I assume the newly revised GOP Platform and Resolutions will be posted in the near future: https://www.idgop.org/.
Please take the time to read these documents before voting on Nov. 8.
Kathy Dawes, Moscow
Abortion
Now that repeal of the right to terminate a pregnancy is the law of Idaho, it falls on the Republican majority to plan for the deluge of all those saved souls becoming real live infants, growing into real live children. The pregnant women will have to have good pre-natal and birthing care so the children will be healthy. The babies will need good health care and nutrition. And the Republicans had better plan on spending money on affordable child care so the mothers can get back to work. Early childhood education will be important for children of working mothers, too. Children, who were unwanted, could increase the demand for counseling in schools for their social development.
Perhaps the extra costs that the fiscally conservative party will have to absorb is not all that much, since the number of saved souls is only a small percentage of the child population–or is it? Judging by the hair-on-fire urgency to pass anti-abortion laws in this state, it must have been an epidemic, for surely it couldn’t have been a religious/political vote-seeking ploy by the party already in power.
Elizabeth Miller, Orofino
Breaching dams
I am thankful for the continuing effort to restore Northwest salmon populations by breaching the lower Snake River dams. But why should Washingtonians have to bear the entire brunt of lost hydroelectric, river transport, and recreational capacity? The Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon dams on the middle Snake River are even worse for salmon, and nobody is talking about them at all. We should look in our own backyard for ways to help the salmon, even as we ask Washingtonians to do the same.
What if one or two of the lower Snake dams were left in place, and Hells Canyon and Oxbow dams were breached instead? That seems more fair. Yes, we would lose a ton of hydropower by doing that, but solar and wind power capacity is arguably more “green” and getting cheaper to install by the year.
There are so many creeks in the Boise and Payette National Forests that contained healthy anadromous fish populations before those dams. The ghosts of those salmon feel very close when you’re sitting by one of those quiet, sad streams. Breach the middle Snake dams; bring salmon back to southwest Idaho, too.\u0009
Tim Ernst, Boise
Gun measures
The freedom to own guns requires responsible usage by the gun owner. Too few owners ignore their responsibility, which leads to much of the gun violence in the U.S. That violence costs the U.S. economy at least $280B/year, which is unfairly borne by all taxpayers and victims. These costs include law-enforcement responses, victims’ funeral, and medical costs (including long-term disability and lost income stemming from physical and mental wounds), lost revenue to the business(es) affected, and compensation to victims’ families. Why should victims and non-gun owners bear the cost of irresponsible gun use? A free-market approach to gun safety would require gun owners to have proof of insurance before they can purchase weapons, ammunition, or gun accessories. Premiums would be set based on safety training extent and frequency, mental health, firearm type, storage, users’ age, etc. I would also levy a federal surtax on gun insurance to pay for police equipment, training, better salaries, and federal support for mental health. This free-market policy allows gun freedom but insures personal responsibility. It is no different from the requirement placed on car owners. I am a gun owner, former big and small game hunter and recreational shooter.
Tom Weingartner, Boise
This is civility?
Dorothy Moon at the GOP conference stated that as the Democrats are “coming at us full force... we have our barriers up, our guns loaded and ready to keep us safe.” Nothing is safe about having this attitude. Any Democrat or Republican has to feel as if they cannot disagree with GOP leadership views without getting shot. Anyone who considers themselves “Idahoan” knows that Idahoans support each other and help whoever needs it, whether it’s stopping to help to change a tire or helping a neighbor down on their luck, no matter the political persuasion. That’s Idahoan. Worse than the unsafe feelings brought to adults by Moon’s divisionary rhetoric, is what this vitriol does to our youth. Brains, whether adults or kids, that perceive the world as unsafe don’t learn as well, aren’t as creative, and often feel angry or depressed, which can cause hypervigilance, health issues, and sometimes violence to self or others. Kids feel more anxious now than any previous generation. If we can’t be “adult” in our actions and words for ourselves, then let’s change the rhetoric for our kids. By the way, I have lived in Idaho 72-plus years.
Judy Rush, Nampa