Republican losers
Several House resolutions were voted on this week. One, HR863, was a resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It failed thanks to a few jelly-bellied RINOs voting nay. But the indomitable Marjorie Taylor Green, its sponsor, is undeterred. She’ll bring that much deserved impeachment resolution back next week, having hopefully convinced a number of her weak-kneed GOP colleagues to change their votes.
Another resolution, HR7217, is aimed to forward an additional 17.6 billion American tax dollars to Israel for its security and defense. At least 201 Republican Congressmen voted resounding yeas, with only 13 of these chumps daring to say no. Apparently, since Israelis are “our greatest friends,” and since Israel is the “only democracy in the Middle East,” they have a perfect right to indiscriminately obliterate 27,000 innocent Gazan civilians, including at least 6,000 to 8,000 children.
To their credit, 161 Democrats said “no way.” That includes all the members of the infamous “Squad.” Alas, 40 Democrat members greenlighted continued American largesse toward Israel, making it possible for still more American made 2000-pound bombs to be dropped on hospitals and houses of worship. American arms manufacturing CEOs should be grinning from ear to ear. So, also, should Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who, though feigning compassion for the poor, suffering Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, does seemingly little to prevent their destruction. Of course, he would argue, the evil Hamas “terrorists” must be totally annihilated. You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs.
Timothy Moore
Potlatch
Time for a change
Let me get my liberal head around this. Idaho House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma is the sponsor of a bill that will allow parents, like her, to opt her children out of the Idaho Immunization Registry. Her reason for doing this is because she chose to remove her children from the registry (not currently an option) but found out they had been opted back in without her knowledge. “I was furious,” she said, “and I told them I didn’t want my kids to be in this system.” (Daily News, Feb. 6).
How petty, how self-serving.
Supporters of the bill include the Idaho Family Policy Center, which claims the current policy “intrudes on the privacy of its citizens and undermines parental rights.”
All this from a right-leaning, red-as-all-can-be, holier-than-thou Legislature, which somehow feels it is OK to tell women what they can’t, can and must do with their bodies. They dictate what we cannot, must not and can read or study. They tell us it is OK to be a gun-toting member of hate group or militia, and more.
What about the arguments of invasion of privacy and undermined parental rights for these issues?
Time for a change, Idaho.
Nick Sanyal
Moscow
Tragic lessons of history
Congress must support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and secure our southern border by passing the Senate compromise funding bill now.
Extremists in Congress, under Mike Johnson’s leadership, are allowing Putin’s Russia to succeed in invading Ukraine.
This is an appalling capitulation to Donald Trump’s demand to keep the border crisis active so he can campaign on the issue.
I am shocked at Congress’ complete disregard for the tragic lessons of history and blind recklessness at this time of crisis and danger worldwide. Putin’s Russia will not stop with Ukraine.
Spreading war in Europe will cost far more in dollars and soldiers’ lives than funding Ukraine now.
I can’t believe I even have to write this letter.
The border is overwhelmed. We must shut it down and fix it, now. The border measures in the current bill provide for immediate shutdown followed by rebuilding our border security systems to solve chronic problems.
There is absolutely no excuse for holding back on this current bipartisan bill.
The vote on this compromise bill is a clear litmus test regarding loyalty to this country versus craven loyalty to a particular presidential candidate.
Follow Sen. Angus King’s advice and google “Sudetenland 1938,” prelude to the fall of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany.
We are approaching a prelude to the fall of Ukraine to Putin’s authoritarian Russia. History rhymes.
Karen Hansen
Viola
About HB 421
I urge all Idaho legislators to vote no on House Bill 421. This is one of the most prejudicial pieces of proposed legislation I have ever seen come before the Idaho Legislature. It completely negates LGBTQIA-plus individuals, while ignoring and disregarding medical expertise in this area.
What about individuals with different gender identities, plus individuals born with X or Y chromosomal abnormalities? Where do they fit? They count, they vote, they exist. Yet this legislation ignores them completely and proposes to erase their existence.
I sat through the entire testimony on this proposed legislation. Not one person testified in favor of this bill. Not one. Yet, this bill was passed onto the floor. Did the committee not listen to the testimony? Furthermore, the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Young, informed the committee that she had worked with the Heritage Foundation on defining language and definitions while developing this bill. The Heritage Foundation is an ultra-conservative religious organization that does not represent all Idahoans.
In addition, if this legislation should pass it will undoubtedly lead to costly lawsuits based on discrimination. I do not want my tax dollars funding a huge court battle. We already have enough of those currently being litigated in Idaho. How one chooses to identify themselves is up to each individual, not the State of Idaho. Please vote no on HB 421.
Heather Stout
Moscow
