VOTE: Stransky, Nesse for Idaho

Looks as if Lagonda McDonald and Sharon Culbreth were pleased as punch with what the Bush Administration did for/to our country, according to their letters to the editor on Oct. 5. The Republican administration led by George W. Bush for eight years cast our country into a recession.

People have had their fill of the Republicans running amok at the expense of those they were elected to represent, so they voted for Barack Obama, twice. Considering what he inherited from the Bush administration, President Obama has done a commendable job pulling our country out of the recession.

Minimum wage was/is not a concern of our Republican leaders, but is important to our president and other Democratic candidates. I predict those who care will be elected to lead our state in a better direction which will benefit ALL of us. Both Cheryl Stransky, running for Legislative District 2, and Anne Nesse, running for Legislative District 4, will lead the effort to increase minimum wage. How many of you voters have young people working at minimum wage? Don’t you think they deserve to earn a “living wage?” Cheryl and Anne do.

Another thing that concerns me is the fact candidates who are not in favor of Common Core obviously are pleased with what our kids are learning/not learning. Teachers and parents accept, without guilt, the fact that many high school graduates choosing a college education, have to take remedial courses first because of substandard learning from their K-12 years in school.

I’m for increasing minimum wage and demanding professional development of teachers so students will have the tools to move on to higher education. When this happens, there will be fewer minimum wage workers.

JANIE HANSEN

Coeur d’Alene