Letters: This legislative session was the one where RINOs took over the statehouse | Opinion

This past legislative session, again dominated by extremist RINOs, was a sad reflection on Idaho. The extremists didn’t create bills in legislative committees to address Idaho’s needs. They adopted bills spoon-fed to them by powerful dark money outsiders to followers of the Idaho Family Policy Center and Idaho Freedom Foundation. Last year’s focus on CRT in schools (proven false), became this year’s hysteria about harmful materials in libraries and trans youth contagion. Rep. Bruce Skaug falsely claimed many victimized youths become transgender youths. Rep. Brent Crane says it’s his duty as a legislator to prohibit trans youth, their parents, and medical professionals from using nationally recognized treatments for gender dysphoria. Displaying unbelievable arrogance, Crane impugned the integrity and judgment of medical professionals and parents who have the best interest of their individual trans children/patients at heart. Extremist RINOs are facilitating us suing each other over our tastes in entertainment and books, and our decisions in medical treatments. Right-wing extremist RINOs are pitting neighbor against neighbor in their culture wars, creating a dark future for Idahoans.

Tom Newton, Caldwell

Freedom is under threat in Idaho

A few weeks ago, I received a fund-raising letter from Gov. Little. The first paragraph read: “Across our country, a historic battle is raging between freedom and big government. We’ve watched as big government tried to trick us into giving up our values, our economy, and our freedom. Time after time, we’ve been proven RIGHT in our decision to stay free.”

I checked the date on the letter as I assumed this had to be an April Fools joke. Where the historic battle is raging between freedom and big government is right here in Idaho.

We have a =governor, attorney general and Republican legislators attacking first amendment rights, attacking women’s reproductive rights, transgender health care rights, and the LGBTQ community in general. They want administering mRNA vaccines to be a crime. They are quite happy to have openly armed militias parading in our streets.

Yes, the threat to our freedom is right here in Idaho.

Steven D. Simpson, Boise

Lawmakers always ignore the easy fixes

I am always amazed at how the simplest, most straightforward solutions to problems seem to escape the majority of our legislators. For example, if patrons do not like some of the books in the libraries, choose to monitor what your child is reading, request an alternative assignment for your child. It’s called parenting. As for medical decisions, it seems logical that they be made by the parents and doctors or the adult and physician. If a type of entertainment offends you, don’t participate. I am not a fan of topless bars, so I don’t patronize them. The property tax snafu has me puzzled. Couldn’t the method of calculating taxes be adjusted for inflation? Why did the dates of voting for school bonds enter in the equation? Can’t the state come up with a pot of money for school repairs and new buildings when it collects excess taxes?

As for Medicaid, it already under reimburses the services rendered and there are long waits to see a physician that accepts what are basically charity cases. Sadly, women who need medical abortions cannot get them because no one thought to use the word “elective” abortions to distinguish what is allowed.

Lori Poublon Ramirez, Meridian

Shame on Gov. Little

I completely agree with Angie Devitt about being ashamed of Gov. Little. His cruel and irresponsible decision to approve of HR 71 and HR 242 during this legislative season has left important medical decisions in the hands of legislators who have no medical background or education. This may cost the lives of many of his constituents. His assertion that he received more letters and calls in support of these unethical bills is disingenuous at best since we know for a fact that he received more public condemnation for these bills than support. Had he been a true servant of the people of Idaho, he should have sought a referendum on these issues so that their collective voices could be heard. Shame on you, Gov. Little, for limiting the freedoms of the very people who put you in office.

Andrea Symmonds, Boise

Interfere with everyone’s healthcare

Unless the same politicians who believe they have a right to interfere with women’s and children’s health care are also willing to ban Viagra, testosterone, insist that men’s prostate and erectile dysfunction decisions belong in the legislature, they need to stop legislating “their” morality.

Sheila Robbins, Boise

A sad end to a sad legislative session

Well, the legislative session is complete. What do we have to show for it? The most regressive approach to state government in the country. My God, Mississippi looks almost progressive compared to Idaho. Let’s look at what the Republican-controlled state accomplished. I’m still looking. They have subjected our female citizens to draconian laws involving their own bodies and the ones that they love. Bounties for abortions. Oh, brother. Unfortunately, people up north don’t have a delivery hospital. They wrung their hands lamenting the “smut” that our libraries check out to the children of the state, when in fact most of those same books have been on the shelves of the libraries for the past few years and no one gave a damn about them until some out of state “saviors” decided to stick the noses and money in the state’s business. What happened to all the “surplus” money that could have been used to repair all the schools, including libraries, so that we can show the country Idaho can raise our kids with a good education because we do care about our kids. That is the investment in the future of this state the citizens could support. Very sad.

Scott William Murray, Boise