May 20 Letters to the Editor, Part 2

No friend to farmers

Wheat growers and people who like to eat: I hope you can see what disingenuous people our elected Republicans are showing themselves to be. It should be no surprise that the trade agreements on which we depend on are scrapped without a satisfactory replacement.

Big hint: They spent years trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a satisfactory replacement.

The signature Republican "ax welfare" agenda should worry everyone who has actually read the farm bill, which is up for renewal this year.

It's clear that subsidies for nutritional welfare programs are inextricably tied to farm subsidies such as crop insurance, AAA and CRP, etc. Can you imagine the knee-jerk axing of these important farm support measures in order to cut welfare without a satisfactory replacement?

I can.

Everyone who eats (should be all of us) wants to support farmers. But farmers must either quit being surprised by Republicans scrapping things without a satisfactory replacement or quit voting for them. Your freedom to farm and my freedom to eat affordable, nutritious food depends on electing people who can think and act for desirable results for all of us.

Fun fact: The first farm bill was passed by Congress in 1933 and was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's (a Democrat) New Deal.

Another fun fact: George W. Bush (a Republican) vetoed the 2008 Farm Bill (ouch) and that veto was overridden by Congress (whew).

Karen Ransom

Clarkston

Righting a wrong

The recent article about the petition drive to expand Medicaid was uplifting.

Many, many people are waiting to see how the verified count turns out. Congratulations to all who gathered signatures and organized the drives to get them.

Everyone deserves health care and it is a travesty that working people have been exempted from care. This is truly a bipartisan issue that will greatly affect northern Idaho.

When the people's initiative passes in November, a great wrong will be righted. Another benefit will be help for rural communities to keep their local hospitals.

The drive to pass the initiative will go on until Election Day in November when voters' voices will be heard in the Statehouse. I encourage everyone registered to vote and ask your neighbor if they are registered to vote, also.

Despite the fact that she didn't want recognition for her work in organizing the drive in Idaho County and doesn't need the expanded Medicaid herself, a Grangeville resident put in a lot of time and effort to get the drive in Idaho County to the successful place it is.

Mary Ann High's name was omitted from the recent article and I, for one, am very appreciative of her work. Thanks, Mary Ann. Great job.

Michelle Perdue

Grangeville

Support teachers

In the spirit of Teacher Appreciation Week, I would like to thank the amazing educators across Idaho standing together to better our public schools and improve the lives of so many children.

Teachers are always there for our children. They get to school early and stay late. They work to ensure everyone, from the straight-A student to the one struggling to get by, receive the care, attention and education they deserve.

They dig into their own pockets to corral supplies for their classroom, yet often take second jobs to make ends meet. It's a shame they struggle when they play such an important role in our children's lives.

Teachers in Idaho deserve a fair return on their work and the resources to support their students.

Our political leaders need to recognize what teachers contribute. It's time they fund our public schools and provide teachers with the means to achieve high-quality education so every student in our community can learn, grow and thrive.

Mary Bostick

Moscow

Unkind to animals

I watched a guy at a house in downtown Clarkston repeatedly scream at his medium-sized brown dog, who had simply wandered out of the unfenced yard.

I think the dog is young.

He hit the dog repeatedly, picked it up by the neck and tossed it back inside of the house.

On another occasion not long ago, he did the same thing, only worse, kicking the dog and then slamming it to the ground, as well.

Recently, two kids, standing on the porch of the house, looked on, not saying a word.

I don't know who the guy is or if the kids were his, but I'd like to see the cops, who are located very close by, drive by the house routinely.

As well, I'd like to see any neighbors who are willing to get involved in animal abuse and have the ability to record him on a cellphone.

Heaven only knows how the kids get treated, but this guy needs to surrender the dog and buy a punching bag.

He has absolutely no business owning any animal or having children.

Veronica Dancy

Clarkston