ELECTION: Not these two

The following letter was published by the Coeur d’Alene Press before the 2014 election. Unfortunately, it is still pertinent today.

In 2010, Sen. Steve Vick and Rep. Barbieri co-sponsored SB1387, the bill that would force women who seek abortions to submit to an invasive vaginal ultrasound procedure. That bill made no exception for victims of rape or incest.

Barbieri, as chairman of a crisis pregnancy center in Coeur d’Alene, was quoted in the media that this did not concern him. Specifically, he said: “My perspective is that it’s a life. It does not matter how the baby was conceived.”

Outrageous. How could Vick and Barbieri sponsor as Republicans and by definition opponents to government regulations such an intrusion into the private lives of others? This is utter hypocrisy.

How can Idaho voters with common sense elect people with such medieval views?

Vick and Barbieri also have extremist views on public education, guns on campuses, federal lands, etc.

They oppose an increase in minimum wage, as well as federal help for expansion of Medicaid insurance even though this would insure many more Idahoans and would relieve local taxpayers from having to cover medical expenses for the uninsured.

Hopefully, this election is moving Idaho closer to the 21st century.

JUERGEN NOLTHENIUS

Coeur d’Alene