Here are four reasons Idaho’s Sens. Crapo and Risch should vote against Gabbard | Opinion
Gabbard
Four reasons Idaho’s U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo must not vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence (DNI) nor vote for recess appointments to circumvent the constitution.
1) The law establishing the office of Director of National Intelligence requires “Any individual nominated for appointment as Director of National Intelligence shall have extensive national security expertise” (50 U.S. Code § 3023). She does not.
2) Echoing Russian propaganda, she reportedly supported Edward Snowden and Julian Assange whose massive security leaks degraded national security and put lives of our agents and friends at risk.
3) The U.S. Constitution requires the Senate to confirm cabinet appointments, also known as “advise and consent” (Article II, Section2 Clause 2). Thus, recess appointments solely to circumvent “advise and consent” clearly violate the constitution.
4) A senator’s oath is to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
A vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence or to allow recess appointments for that purpose will violate the senators’ oath of office and will degrade our national security. They both need to grow a spine and vote against this nominee.
Richard Hardy, Boise
Ranked choice voting in Alaska
Full disclosure: As a member of Veterans for Idaho Voters I worked to promote a “Yes” vote on Proposition One.
During the campaign for Proposition 1 those of us promoting the initiative often encountered two arguments from the folks advocating a “No” vote. One of those was that Alaskan voters were unhappy with ranked choice voting and were repealing it. The other was that in Alaska, Ranked Choice Voting had turned the state blue.
Indeed, there was an initiative on the ballot in Alaska to REPEAL open primaries and RCV. However, it failed by 743 votes (after a recount) out of 321,000 votes cast. This was in spite of the fact that Donald Trump carried the state by 14 percentage points.
Also, a moderate Republican, Nick Begich, defeated an incumbent moderate Democrat, Mary Peltola, by securing a majority of the votes after RCV was used.
I conclude that the majority of Alaskans, including many conservatives and independents, approve of Open primaries and Ranked Choice Voting. And, it is obvious that RCV did not turn Alaska blue. It did, however, elect a moderate to represent it in Congress.
Gray Henderson, Bonners Ferry
Climate
I voted and climate is a priority for me. We are so lucky to live in a beautiful state like Idaho, but like many other Western places, it’s at serious risk from climate change. This past summer was the hottest and smokiest in years due to wildfires with many continuous days of orange and red advisories. Things are seriously out of whack when even going outside is dangerous to our health.
For the sake of our mental and physical well-being, for the sake of our farmers, farmworkers, and all the people who must spend their days outside, I urge current and incoming lawmakers to do all you can to find solutions and prioritize sensible legislation that moves us toward a cleaner, healthier future.
Linda Rytterager, Boise
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is devastating, but there are ways for caregivers and people living with the disease in its early stages to address the initial diagnosis and to learn about resources available.
Early-stage support groups are critical and provide emotional, educational, and social support for individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, as well as for their care partners, regardless of age.
A new support group is being formed that will run for nine weeks on Tuesdays from 3-5 p.m., with a tentative start date of Jan. 21.
A phone screening is required for both the diagnosed individual and their care partner.
This support group will be facilitated by Julie Robinson, LMSW, with Seasons Care Management and Marcy Croffy, LCSW, with VA Caregiver Support. Screening and registration are required for all potential early-stage support group participants.
To register, please call 208-722-2521.
If you’re a caregiver and need assistance, or if you want to volunteer, the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline (800-272-3900) is a free service offering support for people living with dementia, caregivers, families and the public. We are here for you all day, every day.
Bretta Perry, Boise
Climate change
I am concerned about a liveable future in Idaho and the world. In the Treasure Valley we experienced unprecedented heat and smoke from fires in our own backyards. Summer feels more like a lesson in survival rather than one in recreational fun. Let’s not politicize the climate crisis and work together with our leaders and one another to bring down our collective impacts.
Cathy Brown, Boise
Vaccines
Vaccines have saved 174 million lives over the past 50 years, according to “The most comprehensive modeling analysis of historical vaccine impact,” as reported in the highly respected medical journal Lancet.
This study encompasses 194 countries and 14 different pathogens, including diphtheria, influenza, hepatitis B, polio, rubella, tetanus, TB, and yellow fever. Soon COVID-19 will be on that list.
The Lancet article says, “Vaccine since 1974 has made the greatest contribution of any health intervention to mortality reduction and years of full health gained.” So, HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to destroy the technological equivalent of the wheel, the internal combustion engine, and the computer chip, all on his ignorant say so.
Kennedy is currently back-pedaling from his longtime abolitionist position and is now saying he doesn’t want to take vaccines away from those who want it, only from those who don’t want it. Who wants a shot! If he institutes this policy we will lose “herd immunity” in America.
Herd immunity is the protection everybody gets because the great bulk of people get vaccinated and this prevents the virus from infecting even science-deprived people who don’t want the shot.
Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah