MY TURN: Posturing only hurts Idaho

Brent Regan’s My Turn about health care contained a lot of political posturing and philosophical pontificating. It’s hogwash. He had much to say about federal dollars going to Idaho being bribery. You know what Brent? The answer to a bribe is pretty simple. Don’t take it.

But the truth is Idaho benefits from federal spending in lots of ways. We’ve elected legislators over the years to make sure of it, although this current crop doesn’t seem to get it. For every dollar we send to Washington, D.C., we get $1.40 back. As a business owner, I’d say that’s a pretty good profit margin. You would think Mr. Regan would know a good deal when he sees one. But these folks are so steeped in anti-federal posturing they would cut off your nose to spite their face.

And they have done a lot of it lately. Medicaid expansion would have covered what our state and counties spend providing health care for those who cannot afford it. The money saved by accepting this federal windfall could have been used to lower your property taxes, fix roads, fund education, or help police and fire departments. But, NO. This ridiculous posturing punishes us all instead. This is unbelievably thick-headed.

Government, like life, is what you make it. In Idaho, people like Mr. Regan have made posturing about state’s rights the Holy Grail. Spare us your insights Brent. An ounce of common sense is worth more than 10 tons of confrontation. When you are at the bottom in income and state commitment to education, and first in the percentage of people working for minimum wage, it doesn’t do anyone any good to have us lead the nation in meaningless political posturing.

STEPHEN BRUNO

Coeur d’Alene