Letters to the editor Jan. 20
Stop the frivolity
Just a few days ago, the Daily Inter Lake’s “100 Years Ago in the Flathead” remembered an article in the Inter Lake from 1919 that lamented the number of frivolous laws proposed during the Montana Legislature that year.
Now, in 2019, some legislators are at it again. I was so hopeful that in this session, inane bills would not be introduced.
In the past couple of sessions, the majority in the Legislature has pondered banning yoga pants and banning bicycles on Montana’s two-lane highways (both failed).
Now, the president of the Senate wants to send $8 million of Montana’s hard-earned tax dollars to either the federal government or another state to build the wall.
How about this, dear legislators?
How about if you work to fund infrastructure projects right here in Montana? There are bridges that are in desperate need of replacement. There are roads that need rebuilding. There are buildings in the university system that require much needed upgrades.
How about if you work on the major funding needs of our education system from K-12 to the university system?
I watch MPAN and witness some good work taking place in the committee sessions.
Stop the frivolity. You’ve only got 90 days. Do you really need to introduce and discuss senseless proposals?
—Steve Armstrong, Bigfork
‘Life of the mother’ exception
Many people who call themselves pro-life allow for the “life of the mother” exception, which states that abortion is sometimes necessary to save the life of the mother. A true abortion is the direct intention to end the life of a human being in the womb. But a doctor performing a procedure to save the life of the mother would also do whatever possible to save the life of the baby. If the baby dies during the procedure, it would not be an abortion — because there was no direct intent to kill the baby.
However, when a doctor recommends a “medically necessary” abortion, it is never to save the life of the mother. A “medically necessary” abortion would include a mother having to undergo chemotherapy to save her life even though it would kill the baby. Performing an abortion in this case is not saving the life of the mother. It is simply murdering the unborn baby. If the baby dies after chemotherapy, it is an unintentional death, not an abortion.
Although the death of an unborn baby might occur during a necessary medical procedure that would save the life of the mother, the intentional killing of the unborn baby is never medically necessary to save the mother’s life.
Beware of politicians who use this exception to rally pro-life supporters!
—Julie Dockery, Kalispell
Shut down over a grudge
During the last couple years of the Obama Administration, I had a number of spirited discussions with a (now former) friend of a Facebook friend, mostly centered on the relative value of government as applied by the administration then in power. As Trump’s march upward through that large field of GOP candidates progressed, our discussions shifted to his relative value as a political candidate (he’s a businessman, not a politician!!), as well as speculations about his possible proficiency as Commander in Chief.
In one particularly contentious exchange, my opponent cited as fact, that someone doesn’t get as rich as him by accident. I countered with a claim that Trump, like many of his business contemporaries, spends someone else’s money and takes credit for any successes. Fast forward to our current situation, with the federal government partially shut down for the simple fact that one person is denied the use of everyone else’s resources to finance a pet project that a majority of Americans find to be a foolish waste of borrowed money.
Twenty-five years ago, while enrolled at FVCC, a classroom discussion arose about the relative valuation of various pursuits of labor and the instructor noted that “every time I climb aboard an aluminum tube with a hundred or more strangers, I sincerely hope the pilot is completely satisfied with his ongoing job experiences.” With regard to the flight from our local airport we have scheduled in a few days, I’m not only cognizant of those words, but am also adding an additional concern for the TSA and Air Traffic Control employees who, for the present and a yet to be determined time, are essentially being forced to work for free, not as victims of a fight over sound policy, but for the satisfaction of a grudge.
—Thomas Moran, Whitefish
Bottling operation’s status
Sorting out the “grandfathered” status of the Egan Slough Montana Artesian Water Co.’s bottling operation should be more straight forward than you reported.
Documentation of the delivery and instillation and initial operation of the necessary equipment is either dated prior to June 21, 2018 — or it is not.
Documented production records prior to June 21, 2018 (and not “approximate guess-timates) are either available — or not.
The Montana Supreme Court will not look kindly upon the waste of their time and taxpayer dollars if our Planning Office and subsequently our commissioners lack hard evidence to substantiate testimonial claims.
So, which is it?
—Andy Palchak, Kalispell
If the far left had its way
It would be interesting if the wishes of far left Democrats could be granted. Let’s abolish the Electoral College and let the six largest cities in the country rule with their masses and political corruption ... Montanan’s vote would mean nothing! Why not mandate that corporate profits be divided equally among workers and stockholders and raise taxes to 70 percent. Higher Education should be free. All health care should be free! By all means laws should guarantee that all political or public offices should be filled in order to insure racial and gender balance and the ability to do the job should “not be considered first.”
If you live in an area that is prospering, then housing should be subsidized as well as cellphones and even drinks, as all would like to get smashed on an equal basis. And by all means, public welfare be darned, DO NOT LET THE PRESIDENT BUILD THAT WALL (even though Clinton and Obama proposed as high as $40 billion for the same) for if he does he will be the most successful president in our history in relation to “promises made and promises kept.” What do we care if our graduates face the best job market in history, STOP THE SUCKER!
Oh, I forgot, seats along all streets should be free so that we may watch as students and workers riot, burn and pillage because corporate profits are too low to pay guaranteed yearly raises and bonuses.
— Thomas L. Hunter, Bozeman