Letters to the Editor Feb. 5, 2010
TAXES: Increase for those who can pay
I just spent too much time listening to Walt Minnick's telephone town hall. I didn't expect him to address the issue of tax increases, but I had hopes. He spent huge amounts of time talking about balanced budgets, spending freezes and how the government should act just as all of us responsible citizens do by living within its means. He also supported spending on jobs, education, veterans and other programs. Why can't he and all our representatives realize that we are in a real crisis?
We are in a near depression, fighting two wars and mortgaging the future of our children and their children for generations to come. Even a complete freeze on spending leaves a huge deficit. A family faced with that situation realizes that spending cuts are not enough.
Second jobs or putting a stay at home spouse to work are common solutions. The only way government can increase income is to increase tax revenue. Taxing the poor and low and middle income taxpayers will hurt the economy. The only people who can afford to pay more are those who still have very large incomes.
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are just the best known of the many wealthy citizens who say they are not paying their fair shares. They recognize that increasing their taxes is not class warfare, but is just a responsible solution to our situation.
In a crisis, immediate action is needed. A tax increase on those able to pay brings income immediately. No other proposal does. I call on Rep. Minnick and all of Congress to immediately keep the campaign promises and repeal the Bush era tax cuts on families making more than $500,000 a year.
SID WURZBURG
Spirit Lake
RESPONSE: Items are questionable
Mr. Bourget, your recent letter (and previous letters) seem to be steeped in scholarly research and exhaustive investigation. But when the initial impact recedes one finds some questionable items. You say the natives' homes are "sinking into the muck" and their "igloos are melting faster than they can build them." Did any reputable organization actually report these facts in those actual words? Or are those words your interpretation of what they reported? If the former, one questions the professionalism of the reporter. If the latter, then that opens questions as to whether or not these are interpretations with which we agree. After all, one sympathizes with those whose homes are destroyed in a forest fire, but we don't succumb to fear that the entire planet is about to go up in flames.
Then we get a lecture on the "Meridonal Overturning Circulation." I freely confess that I have no idea what that is but then I'm not a climatologist just an engineer. It conjures up visions of the gulf stream but may be more than that. All of us who completed eighth grade (or even lower) know that the gulf stream is responsible for the milder than to be expected climate of Great Britain.
Your final snide barb at Cliff Harris is really out of line - "if Harris had looked at a map" indeed. Do you really believe that anyone with even a nanobrain would think that Harris doesn't look at maps? (Or needs to in such cases?)
PHIL MEMBURY
Coeur d'Alene
PRESIDENT: Walks, talks like a duck
President Obama decries Republican treatment of his proposals as if they comprised a "Bolshevik plot?"
Perish the thought.
Just because a president surrounds himself with praisers of Mao, Fidel, Che and Chavez?
Just because a president pulls out all the stops to commandeer the world's best health care system - one-sixth of the world's largest economy?
Just because a president sits himself on the board of major banks and automobile manufacturers?
Just because a president proclaimed he was going to "fundamentally transform the United States of America?"
Just because a president proposes a budget virtually ensuring the insolvency of the United States of America?
Just because a president does all these Bolshevik things some rash Americans suspect a Bolshevik plot?
Just because it walks like a duck and talks like a duck - one should know better than to suspect it is a duck, right?
Right?
JAMES HILL
Hayden Lake
RESPONSE: Do not appreciate comments
Jolene Martin's letter "Democrats go to California" is exactly why this country is in such a bad place. Democrats, Republicans, liberals, etc. should work together and solve our problems instead of wasting time, precious energy and taxpayers money, fighting each other. It seems somewhat contradictory to be in Iraq trying to solve their problems when our government officials can't work together to solve the problems plaguing our country.
Shame on Jolene for picking on people who have moved here from another state, who spend their hard earned money supporting our community and keeping North Idaho in a better financial state than some other parts of the country. We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful place and what is anything worth if you can't share it.
We own a business here in town and appreciate ALL of our customers, no matter where they are from. We DO NOT appreciate people like Jolene who want to drive our customers out because of her negative, prejudice attitude. I believe any business owner in this town would agree with me. You can either drive people away with you ridiculous negative attitude and "die on the vine" or accept people for who they are, work with them and THRIVE. I choose the latter.
CAROL FOLDA
Coeur d'Alene
SIGN: Businesses unaware of codes
The "Sign of the Times" article printed in the Coeur d'Alene Press Jan. 25 was very informative and was I am sure a surprise to many citizens of our community. As a past experienced contract Code Enforcement officer of two cities in North Idaho I can say that many violators had no idea about ordinances, laws or code enforcement as most replies were "no one has ever said anything before," which sounds more like the truth than not.
In my experience most cities have good ordinances, and all that I have had contact with have very good sign codes. The problem most cities have is they have not enforced sign codes, and most businesses that do not require a sign permit are not aware there are codes to cover just about every sign or sign placement known to man. Articles like "Sign of the Times" are a great tool to assist the citizens to be informed, or at least may plant a question about the subject and they may contact city hall to get further information.
It does not really matter how many laws we have if they are not enforced properly, as most cities do not have a budget for good proactive code enforcement and most react only to complaints. We need good proactive code enforcement and we also need to follow up with those violators and exercise the law as it is written and not be selective as many cities have done in the past or may practice now.
Even if we have good laws and the proper tools for good enforcement, nothing can be accomplished without the support of the citizens and city hall. It is up to the city councils to support the efforts of those tasked with code enforcement - and it is up to the citizens to elect those council persons that support law and code enforcement which help keep our neighborhoods safe, clean, desirable and nuisance free.
I would like to think the days of the "good old boys" may be on their way out so that those in Code Enforcement are allowed to do their jobs and show results.
VERN WARD
Post Falls
OBAMA: State of our Union is in disarray
Obama in his leftist policies and the assorted buffoons, clowns and feckless cabinet officials will be directly responsible for the coming disaster of bringing our floundering Constitutional Republic to an end.
The credibility of the Global Warming Report is absolutely a flim flam. The climate distortion of temperature data was simply junk science. How Obama can continue to support it and the distortion and lies embellished in it is beyond any rational explanation. It is plain as day that Obama's first year in office has resulted in systematically dismantling the defenses put in place these past eight years to defend our nation. He has turned over our sovereignty to Interpol giving them carte-blanche over our liberties. He has allowed terrorists to become "lawyered-up" and mirandized on his watch. This is sheer insanity that is intentionally designed to cause this nation incredible harm and damage. Then Obama reaches a new low during his State of the Union Address by lashing out at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Obviously he does not tolerate any dissent and merely shows an embarrassing lack of maturity and good sense. The official State of our Union is in disarray, and we can only thank the president and his less-than-American belief system and equally anti-American cohorts in Congress. God Bless America.
LARRY KETTLE
Coeur d'Alene
WOLVES: Disease is nothing new
In response to "Wolves: animals spread disease," printed on Jan. 27...According to Stanford University, the tapeworm, e. granulosus, whose immediate hosts are typically canines, such as coyotes, foxes, wolves or domestic dogs, was first identified in the first century A.D. This is nothing new. Common sense, (perhaps refraining from vigorous kicking or the handling of any canine droppings so as to keep it off your hands and clothes) and also proper hygiene (such as washing your hands before you eat) as well as thoroughly cooking any meat you consume, will pretty much eliminate your chances of picking up this parasite.
A recent article the "Outdoorsman" hunting newsletter is what has stirred up this most recent attack against the wolf's re-established presence in the Northern Rockies. Biologists, such as William Foreyt, from WSU however, are saying that there is no cause for alarm. Carolyn Sime, wolf program coordinator for Montana, said in a recent Bozeman Daily Chronicle article that "we've had some honest questions about it, but some of it appears to be a little more agenda driven; part of this is just fear-mongering."
In response to "Wolves: time to do the math"!uc!2026 Mr. Fischman did not "pull the number 846 (wolves in Idaho) out of his backpack." If the letter writer was actually knowledgeable about Idaho's wolves he would have known that 846 is the last official number of wolves posted by Idaho Fish and Game in December 2008. They have not yet posted a more recent official number.
Wolves are an absolutely essential part of our ecosystem and we are lucky to have them back here where they belong. Eco-tourism is a multi-million dollar industry. Wolf watching and howling tours in Yellowstone bring in $35million-plus per year. Also, wildlife watching has the added bonus of not being a cruel, bloody sport like wolf hunting, which only garners Idaho bad publicity, and tourism and potato boycotts. YOU do the math.
ANN SYDOW
REPOSITORY: Residents said no
I met Commissioner Cantamessa in 2009 at a meeting in Coeur d'Alene when EPA's Mathy Stanislaus visited the region.
During this meeting some of the interchange involved heavy metal exposure and how more than 2,000 residents spoke loudly and said no to the East Mission Flats Repository (EMF).
Cantamessa countered that he represented 20,000 people. I took that to mean that he was chest puffing in his disregard for those he was elected to serve. He was really doing nothing more than spouting the Region X- IDEQ-Basin Commission story line.
Doing a little bit of digging I easily found some election results indicating that he garnered about 2,000 votes when last elected. I also found some other data indicating that Shoshone County is home to approximately 14,000 residents.
I'm wondering just who are the missing 6,000 the commissioner represents, and where are they?
The Silver Valley Community Resource Center knows exactly who the 2,000-plus local residents signing the petition. These people said NO, and SVCRC listened.
It is very clear that EPA, IDEQ, the Basin Commission and Jon Cantamessa aren't.
GAYLE EVERSOLE, Ph.D., R.N.
Kellogg
RESPONSE: Watch your step
In response to R. Balser's "Wolves: Be careful where you're walking." It happens!
PAUL UNDERWOOD
St. Maries
POLICIES: Bring ironic justice
Idiots just don't get it. They never will. And that's good news for Republicans. When you can give corporations the right to personhood, preserve and protect the Big Businesses that have devastated our nation's economy, crush the middle class and still have half of them vote Republican, then you have truly learned the art of harnessing the power of stupidity. Then you should be proud.
Republicans (the subsidiary of Big Business) have now crushed campaign reform with their recent Congressional ruling. They have ended the hope of universal health care, which would have saved the lives of all who will now continue to die from inadequate or no health care. Even the sum of all Americans who have died from the war on terrorism could not equal this number. So who's the real enemy?
Hey, middle class Republicans, here is a taste of your own cooking. While you've gone bankrupt and are about to join the 14,000 Americans per month about to lose their health coverage, a health care giant rewarded one of those executives with more than $700 million bonus for your demise.
While your children cannot find a decent job, enjoy living in the Republican "Right to Work" state of Idaho. Where the only migration larger than North Idahoans driving to Spokane for decent wages and benefits is the migration of corporations and your job to foreign countries. If Republicans were so worried about your right to work, they would not have engineered the right of Big Business to mutiny the nation at the first sight of having to pay fair wages and taxes. Get it?
Not yet? Here is more. While your wife's cancer treatment may be denied and she will now die, head over to Fred Meyer again to stand all night in freezing temperatures to buy Sarah Palin's book while she sits on her precious ass with her head propped up with her fist as she was on the front page of the Coeur d'Alene Press. Do not forget to ask the "Rogue" to teach you about death panels. Of course bring a picture of your wife for her to sign. Attaboy!
Republicans enjoy blaming their eight-year reign of total failure on Democrats because Shaun Hannity said so. Yep, there they are in their imported cars on their way to Wal-Mart, listening to the news on the radio of the death of campaign reform and universal health care, and rejoicing! Yes sir, for them it couldn't get any better.
In fact, after they get back from the unemployment office, boom - over to Hastings to buy Sarah "Tokyo Rose" Palin's new book! Shazaam, then over to the attorney to complete the bankruptcy papers because they can't pay for that hernia operation and cha-ching, fuel up the car with that 29 percent interest credit card, drive over to the voting booth just past the cemetery, where dad rests because corporations still make cigarettes, and vote in another Republican.
The perfect day.
JIMMY PAPPAS
Coeur d'Alene
EVENT: Made difference in lives
I just wanted to say thank you to Robert Shoeman, Brandia Young, Vicki Kunz, Matt Hutchinson, Bob Driscol, Gary Loeffler, the Region 1 Homeless Coalition and everyone who sponsored for coordinating an amazing Homeless Connect on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
I had the honor of attending and helping for the whole day. I was astonished at the amount of help, the number of agencies providing services and how many great volunteers who donated their day to make a difference in 550 people's lives who truly needed help. This was an enormous task and you all did it with class and made everyone feel a part of the event. God Bless you all.
JEFF CONROY
Executive Director
St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho