Letters to the editor: Climate change, Sept. 11, mid-terms, student loans, policy center, Cougar Island
Student loans
To Rep. Mike Simpson: I saw your tweet regarding the Biden announcement to forgive some student loan debt. I suspect you’re thinking of what it was like when you were young. Back then, college was much more affordable, and I suspect you’re thinking, “Why don’t these kids just finance their education the way we did?”
The situation with college costs today, unfortunately, is largely because of state legislators like you were, who over the years made increasingly greater cuts in appropriations to state colleges and universities. These appropriations have been reduced from a high percentage of schools’ budgets to single-digit values, requiring students to use more desperate ways to afford what you got relatively inexpensively.
Instead of blaming Biden for solving a problem, how about doing something to ease the crushingly high costs of attending college today?
Walt Thode, Boise
Policy center
The arrival of the so-called “free market” Mountain States Policy Center is just one more nail in Idaho’s coffin (Chris Cargill’s op-ed, Aug. 28). Given that Idaho is already afflicted with the misnamed Idaho Freedom Foundation, why do the billionaires think Idaho needs another group to lobby for tax cuts for the rich?
Conservatives continually misrepresent the U.S. Constitution, which begins with the words “We the People,” meaning that Americans collectively created the Constitution to “promote the general welfare.” That is a broad statement allowing the U.S. to have Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, benefits which conservatives hate.
The U.S. Constitution takes precedence over state constitutions (check the Idaho Constitution). The Idaho Constitution also provides for separation of church and state, so attempts to privatize education to bankroll religious schools is a nonstarter. If Chris Cargill wants to improve public schools, he can begin by urging the Legislature to properly fund them. If Cargill wants “transparency,” he can begin by disclosing the source of his funding. If he really wants to promote individual liberty and limited government, he can begin by opposing Idaho’s anti-abortion laws.
Gary L. Bennett, Boise
Cougar Island
As 30-year McCall homeowners, we are very interested in the Sept. 14 auction of the Cougar Island lots in Payette Lake. After undertaking “due diligence,” we’ve determined it’s impossible to know if a winning bid will secure a buildable lot or a lawsuit.
The Idaho Department of Lands recorded a plat showing Cougar Island divided into five residential lots. On the plat, IDL says each owner must comply with all local laws and obtain every required permit related to use. IDL also says it makes no representation whether these permits may be obtained.
The source of conflict and confusion is that Cougar Island is zoned by Valley County and the city of McCall for only one residential lot. Can IDL ignore local ordinances and create any number of lots for any use? Given IDL’s plat language requiring compliance, did IDL even intend to circumvent local planning laws?
An innocent third-party buyer shouldn’t be forced into a lawsuit to have answers to these questions. The Idaho Legislature must pass a statute that clearly states whether endowment lands are subject to local laws regulating land use. Until that statute exists, how can any reasonable person consider buying?
Bob and Sharon Miller, McCall
Sept. 11
Most of us remember that awful day 21 years ago when our nation was attacked by zealot cowards. On that day, nearly 3,000 people were murdered at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in that field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. One would hope that this is a day of remembrance. Not in Boise. For some reason, the LGBTQIA+ is having yet another celebration weekend 9/9-11 and parade 9/11. This is a hurtful slap in the face to the 343 FDNY firefighters who were killed along with police, military and other first responders along with nearly 3,000 civilians. The mayor is supporting this “celebration” by inviting all city employees to attend and wear city-provided LGBTQIA+ T-shirts. Not only have we lost our morality, we have also become a nation which bows to the few with a big voice. Very disappointed, Boise!
John F. Burke, Boise
Climate change
It couldn’t be clearer now that climate change is rapidly destroying the Earth’s livability. Idaho is experiencing the hottest summer on record with rain only a distant memory, and worse expected. We’re beyond fixing it now. Our only hope is to reduce or slow its impact by bringing down greenhouse gas emissions significantly and post-haste. The Dems in Congress have taken a few steps to fix it with the Inflation Reduction Act (no Rs on board). But what about Idaho leadership? How about the governor calling a special session for the Legislature to enact emergency laws designed to reduce greenhouse gas? Of course not. Idaho’s Republicans are busy causing transgender children to suffer, supporting the Big Lie, fighting the federal government, stripping women of their reproductive rights, making it look like they care about public education, and kowtowing to the Idaho Freedom Foundation (which is anti-public education). Why do we continue to elect these people? Their main goals are to get reelected and force their archaic worldviews down everyone else’s throats. We need leaders who understand the serious problems we face and have the intelligence, education, courage, and will to fix them. Think about that when you vote next.
Alyson Rene Martin, Boise
Mid-terms
It is campaign season for the 2022 mid-term election. The issues that face our nation and state are often perceived as insurmountable from the media perspective, but in truth that is not so. To tackle our problems, we have to meet them with our boots on the ground, one issue at a time. More often than not we see a name on a signboard and that sticks in our mind so we end up voting for that person. That kind of voting is how we got ourselves into the seemingly insurmountable mess we find ourselves.
I encourage you to find out about the candidates any chance you get. Visit websites. When you see that candidates are in your area, go talk to them, ask them questions, find out what they think. Ask incumbents about their voting records. Knowing the candidates will tell you far more than sound bites you get from campaign signs.
Right now the GOP hard-liners have a stranglehold on Idaho politics and they need to be held accountable. That is our job as voters. The big problems are solved at our front door one vote at a time. Educate yourself on the candidates and vote.
Brian Potter, Potlatch