Letters: Den Hartog and Horman’s support for vouchers will undermine public education | Opinion

I have just finished reading the opinion piece by Sen. Den Hartog and Rep. Horman. After taking a deep breath, I have to ask them both: Where did you get your data? This whole situation comes down to giving elitists my tax dollars so they can send their children to an “acceptable” school. They mention many reasons for doing this, and most of their examples are trash. What the Legislature has to do is make a firm commitment to properly fund and support the teachers, administration and support staff of the Idaho schools. Lord knows we have the money, that’s if the legislators follow through on the promises they made in the fall during the special session. We shall see. The state constitution requires the state to provide an education to all children. Don’t throw your hands up and sacrifice the children of Idaho because you don’t have the backbone to attempt to fix the issues you described. If a parent wants to send their child to a private or charter school, more power to them — but I don’t want my tax dollars subsidizing that choice.

Scott William Murray, Boise

Don’t reinstate military anti-vaxxers

I disagree with our elected officials who asked President Biden to reinstate military members who refused to get vaccinated. These members are not a good fit with our military and they should find other careers. Our military members need to have confidence in our government and their superior officers to function effectively. Members who believe otherwise, put their fellow members in danger and would make any objective less likely to succeed. So no, do not reinstate them or give them any additional compensation. We are lucky to have them identified and removed from military service.

Allen Wenger, Boise

Stop raising interest rates

As I understand economics, prices inflate because the demand for things exceeds the supply. So, how to increase the supply of goods? Get investors to invest in more production, and hire more workers. How to incentivize investors? Lower interest rates so they can borrow affordably.

Why is the Federal Reserve raising interest rates? Aren’t they doing the exact opposite to cure inflation? Some believe that lowering interest rates enables consumers to buy more stuff which increases demand over supply. So, lowering interest rates must be targeted exclusively to increasing production, not increasing consumption. Banks can do that, if they get directed to from the Federal Reserve. The Fed must tie lower interest rates to investments in farms, factories, and businesses.

If the Fed can’t do that, then Congress must step in. The interest rate hikes are leading us toward recession.

Bruce Joffe, Piedmont

Christians should confront antisemitism

The Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (CCJR) issued a statement entitled, “A National Reckoning of the Soul: A Call to the Churches of the United States to Confront the Crisis of Antisemitism.”

Alarmed by a level of antisemitic rhetoric and violence not seen since the Second World War, the statement calls upon churches in the United States to intensify condemnations of antisemitism as “antithetical to the very essence of Christianity itself.”

It also urges Christian leaders to encourage their congregations to reflect upon the profound religious significance for Christian faith of Jesus’ identity as a Jew. A deeper understanding of Christianity’s intimate relationship with Jews and Judaism, the CCJR states, will help Christians to reject sacrilegious claims put forth in social media that Christians should hate Jews.

Phillip Pickman, Eagle

Monks’ bigotry

Idaho Representative Jason Monks says that as a State Representative he must do everything in his power to prevent Boise from using tax dollars to support the Boise Pride Festival, although he doesn’t state opposition to Meridian’s using tax dollars to support “Meridian Dairy Days”, nor Nampa’s tax dollars supporting “God and Country Days”, nor other communities throughout Idaho supporting special community events. When did it become acceptable conduct for any Legislator to override locally elected City Council’s and Mayor’s decisions as to which events meet local standards? Is Mr. Monks a self-appointed committee of one to approve/disapprove of each of Idaho’s communities special event’s, or will he convene a special legislative committee for that task? Or could it be that Monks is just a homophobic bigot that is abusing his position as a legislator to diminish Idaho’s LGBTQ+ citizens?

Who are these LGBTQ+ people anyway, and why does Monk think he is any better than the any of them? They have lived among us throughout the ages, now working in our banks, insurance agencies, automotive shops, stores, and government agencies. They are our relatives, loved ones, church family, and neighbors, paying taxes that unfortunately go to Monk’s salary.

Tom Newton, Caldwell