We all bear a share of responsibility for Trump’s misdeeds | Opinion

We’re responsible for Trump’s misdeeds

Yes, we did it. No one else can claim credit for putting a criminal back into a position of power.

Sure, we can try to shift blame to the corrupt corporations with greedy goals, or to the morally bankrupt , spineless, congressional leaders. Perhaps some blame could be pushed on to the legal system or courts which had been swayed by threats, money or power.

But we, the people, had the final say. By our votes or failure to vote, we chose this predictable disaster that was guaranteed to follow.

An immoral, heartless, cruel individual ,no matter what title or praise we heaped upon him, could not become an honorable, selfless leader.

And so goes not only America, and Canada but also the entire world.

The world knows that we, the people, did it.

Jim Franklin, Meridian

GOP has abandoned decency

Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, Reps. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson, and Gov. Little, I respectfully ask each of you the following questions: Specifically, where is your line in the sands of decency drawn when it comes to President Donald Trump? What depths of moral depravity and fiscal ruin does he have to sink all of us into to prompt you to say, enough is enough? My guess is, not until he shoots someone in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue and maybe not even then. You each took an oath to the Constitution, not an oath to Trump.

Richard Bennett, Boise

Boundary Waters vote disappointing

The Congressional decision lifting the mining ban in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is deeply troubling. For anyone who has paddled those lakes or walked those portages, the Boundary Waters is not just another spot on a map. It is one of the last quiet, intact wilderness areas in the United States — a place where the water is clear enough to drink from the canoe, where loons carry across miles, and where generations have gone to remember what an unspoiled landscape feels like.

Once a wilderness is industrialized, it cannot be restored. Sulfide‑ore copper mining is one of the most toxic forms of mining, and the Boundary Waters watershed is especially vulnerable. A single spill or leak would not remain isolated; it would move through the interconnected lakes and rivers that define the region.

Reports also note that the company promoting this project is Chilean‑owned and that much of the extracted copper would likely be sold overseas. Many people see this as asking the country to risk an irreplaceable American wilderness so a foreign corporation can export American minerals.

Some places are too valuable to sacrifice. For many, the Boundary Waters is one of them.

Wayne Beebe, Pullman, Washington

Women at risk from bathroom bill

Under House Bill 752, transgender Idahoans are at risk of spending a year or more in jail for using a bathroom that matches their identity. Transgender people already consistently report harassment and violence when using public bathrooms, and now transgender Idahoans will be at greater risk due to being forced to enter bathrooms that do not match their outward appearance. There is also no evidence that transgender people, themselves, pose any threat to others in public restrooms. Cisgender individuals are also at risk. If a cis woman doesn’t look “feminine enough,” she may be at risk of police questioning or harassment (this has already happened in Florida and Connecticut, google it).

As a life-long Idahoan, I love this state, but serious changes need to be made. Laws like this come into existence because of the hatred and fear that is perpetuated against transgender people. While I encourage protest, voting, and contacting representatives, the long term solution is to heal the fear and hatred. By getting to know transgender folks, doing your own research, and having conversations about these issues with family and friends, you can combat misinformation and foster understanding within your community. Be part of the change Idaho needs.

Rachel Durfee, Boise

Crapo should aid cancer fight

Cancer has touched far too many families across Idaho, and for many, the hardest moment comes when it is found too late. A late-stage diagnosis can change everything at once, leaving patients and families with fewer options and more uncertainty, which is why earlier detection is so critical.

Sen. Crapo recognized this need and played a leading role in authoring and advancing the bipartisan Multi-Cancer Early Detection Act, demonstrating a strong commitment to patients and expanding access to new detection tools.

This law creates a pathway for Medicare beneficiaries to access blood tests that can detect multiple cancers before symptoms appear. Once approved, these tests have the potential to save lives and give patients more time and better care options.

Many of the deadliest cancers still lack routine screening and are often diagnosed too late, but this legislation offers a meaningful step toward changing that.

For Idaho seniors, especially in rural communities, this progress offers real promise. It reflects a continued focus on earlier cancer detection and the work Sen. Crapo has long championed to bring these kinds of advances within reach.

Junko Agena, Meridian