Letters to the Editor

PROP 1: Restores safe health care for women

Proposition One (the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act) is not just about permitting abortions. It is about restoring safe health care for women of reproductive age who are being denied services because of Idaho’s severely restrictive laws. 

I hope that everyone reading this realizes that 39% of the OB/GYN physicians have left this state because they don’t feel they can practice safe medicine with the current laws surrounding ending a pregnancy. That means that many women in northern and southern Idaho must drive hours, sometimes out of state, to get to even simple gynecological care. Our current laws can punish obstetricians with prison or loss of license for performing life saving pregnancy ending procedures if the need for that care does’t meet certain rigid criteria. 

Voting yes on Proposition One means restoring our state to a sane and safe standard of reproductive care which allows decisions to be made in a private conversation between patients and their chosen provider WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE.

Please take the time to read the Proposition yourself. Do not rely on the misinformation being disseminated by opponents of this initiative. The initiative can be read in its entirety by going to unitedforyes.com>prop1-full-text. Be informed with the Truth before making your decision on this important issue!

J. ROYE ELY, MSN, ARNP

Coeur d’Alene

EQUALITY: Response to Warner

This is in response to the letter from Ernest Warner. Sir, Jesus once said: "The poor you will always have with you."

You cannot change it with administrations or socialism. In fact, socialism will only make it worse.

It always fails. Look at history. And for that matter the Democrats make it worse.

SHARON ALWIN

Coeur d’Alene

GROWTH: Who pays for it?

Mr. Nate Konkol in his letter of Sept. 23 states that it’s “it’s the current residents/long time residents who pay the bill” for the infrastructure improvements that are required to accommodate growth. The population of Cd’A in 1900 was 500. Today’s population is 57,000. I doubt if Mr. Konkol was one of the first here. Most likely he came later and when it was his time to take his adult place in society and move into his own residence, guess who paid for the infrastructure necessary to accommodate him. The “current/long term residents?” Every person on this planet has contributed to the growth in population and, if necessary, helps pay for the infrastructure necessary to accommodate us, including you Mr. Konkol.

Everywhere I’ve lived, when a residential development is constructed the developer pays for streets, sidewalks, sewers, water, natural gas, electricity, street lighting and substantial water and sewer hook up fees, permitting fees and permit inspection fees. Often in their permitting fees will be impact fees for schools, parks, police and fire dept. Sometimes there is a traffic mitigation fee to help with off-site traffic impacts. All these costs are passed on to the eventual buyer of a home. So what infrastructure are existing folks paying for?

A high percentage of people moving here are retired. They didn’t come here looking to take someone’s job. They didn’t  bring children to populate the schools. They don’t use the justice system or social service system. They came here with their portable income and pay taxes and spend their money that employs locals. Seems to me it is one of the reasons your taxes are so low. A group you should be encouraging to move here. They pay in and don’t take out.

JERRY FORELL

Hayden Lake

TRUMP: You’re fired!

Reminding you that Trump fired 17 “Inspector Generals” so that he could replace them with someone that would be loyal to him. Now, you can see that he has free reign to do as he pleases. Tearing down the East Wing for a “state of the art” Ballroom, putting his name on the Kennedy Center; the Reflective Pond, tariffs on our friendly nations, and the attack on Iran without Congressional approval. That’s why NATO and other friendly nations don’t want to get involved. This is “Trump’s war!”

Trump had Kash Patel fire FBI agents that investigated the attack on the Capitol. They were doing their job! And there were others. Last year over 1,000 FBl agents took early retirement or left due to disrespect of the agency. The FBI is having problems finding replacements. The FBI standards for replacement are not the same.

Pete Hegseth has fired qualified generals due to their color, or loyalty to him and Trump. This has a great impact on the way the Department of Defense is doing their job to protect our country including our support of NATO and our allies. Our allies have a real concern in the direction we’re going. 

Kristi Noem was fired for showing that she was not qualified to run Homeland Security and immigration. She was governor of South Dakota, not even a border state.

Pam Bondi was fired because she didn’t show enough support to Trump. Now Trump has his own private attorney in Todd Blanche; he also leads the US Department of Justice. Todd Blanche has stated he’ll do both; that’ll be interesting. Who’s next?

WALLY ERICKSON

Coeur d’Alene

HJR4: Vote yes on this amendment

Citizen initiatives have their place. NOT IN THE CASE OF HJR4! The main problem, in my opinion, is the fact that so many people have moved here from States that have made illegal drugs legal. I don’t believe we, as Idahoans, want to give those individuals the opportunity to make the same mistake here. It is obvious legalizing those drugs has worked so well in those other states.

Do I think we should give our Legislature more power, no, except in the case of HJR4. If you have read the amendment and seen the legislators that oppose this amendment, you will see they are all Democrats… gee, I wonder why. When voted on, all Senate Democrats voted “No.” In the House, nine (out of 10) Democrats voted “No,” 1 Democrat voted “Yes,” one Republican voted “No” and the rest of the Republicans voted “Yes”. You can draw your own conclusions about which party wants to eventually legalize certain drugs.

There are some who are trying to convince us that by voting “YES” on this amendment, we would lose all right for other citizen initiatives. Obviously, that isn’t true.

Do we really want to follow in the footsteps of California, Oregon and Washington? I certainly don’t and sincerely hope the rest of Idaho doesn’t either.

LAGONDA McDONALD, S.B.

Coeur d’Alene

U.N.: Time for U.S. to exit

The United Nations was formed in 1945. 77 countries walked out of Israel's president’s speech yesterday.

The United States is historically and structurally the largest financial contributor to the United Nations, responsible for 22% of the U.N. regular budget and roughly 26% of the peacekeeping budget. In total funding across mandatory dues and voluntary agency contributions, the U.S. typically provides $13 billion to $14 billion yearly.

Let's look at four countries who are members of the U.N.: China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Three countries who are run by absolute dictators, and the fourth who calls for the total destruction of Israel from the earth.

By all accounts these nations are not friends of the USA. So why would we want to be a member of a group that would have these countries as members ?

Why spend our tax dollars on any organization that historically has been against the USA ?

Think about Israel and the Jewish people. Without the Jewish people, there would not be a Bible, hence no Christianity. Do you think it is a coincidence that all 4 countries are against freedom of religion ? 

Time to leave the United Nations and stop pretending they are our friends.

GEORGE SILVA

Coeur d'Alene

KC: Advisory ballot vote question

Kootenai County voters will see an advisory question on the November ballot concerning the future of public transit. Before marking Yes or No, voters deserve to understand exactly what they are being asked.

An advisory vote is just that — advisory. It gives county commissioners an indication of public opinion, but it does not itself require a particular change in how transit is operated.

That distinction matters because the wording can leave voters with questions. City residents are also county taxpayers, and the issue is not simply whether public transportation should exist. An important question is who should administer and help fund the system in the future — Kootenai County, the participating cities through some cooperative arrangement, or another structure.

A "yes" or "no" answer cannot explain all of those possibilities.

Whatever one’s opinion of public transit, voters should understand what each answer means and what it does not mean. County officials should clearly explain before Election Day what actions they would consider following either result.

I encourage voters who have questions to contact the Board of County Commissioners and, when possible, raise those questions during a public meeting. A public discussion gives commissioners an opportunity to clarify the question where everyone can hear the same explanation.

An advisory vote works best when the public understands the choices before voting.

TOM SANNER

Coeur d’Alene

PROP 1: Thanks for accuracy

Thank you to reporter Kaye Thornbrugh for her accurate definition of Prop 1 on page 1, September 25.

"Prop 1 would allow abortion up to fetal viability or beyond in case of a medical emergency, codify rights to reproductive healthcare, such as access to IVF and contraception, and provide protections for physicians providing such healthcare."  

The ignorance of our population fighting this essential protection for the welfare of women is astounding. Due to this misunderstanding about women's healthcare, Idaho has lost many OB GYN physicians resulting in a dangerous situation for women. 

Prop 1 is HEALTHCARE — not elective abortions on demand.

CINDY LITTLE

Hayden

PROP 1: Vote against it

Attention all voters in Idaho: Please vote "no" November 3 against Prop. 1. 

If passed, pro-life attorneys confirm that Prop. 1 would allow abortions into the third trimester for any woman seeking an abortion. Prop. 1 would even allow a late-term abortion on a pregnant minor without her parents' consent. Prop. 1 would also allow late-term abortions to be performed by non-doctors.

Please vote no on Prop. 1 this November. It is too extreme for Idaho.

KERRY UHLENKOTT
Right to Life of Idaho Board Member
Grangeville