Letters To The Editor

Spokane matters

We need two new commissioners

Re: Lola M. Trattles’ Aug.13 letter regarding the Kate McCaslin-John Roskelley re-election. Trattles’ letter, with its misleading statements, appears remarkably similar to McCaslin and Roskelley’s campaign rhetoric. However, a closer look at the facts will cause voters to question their “bright vision and leadership skills.”

When they took office there was, in fact, a reserve surplus of $4.95 million. Yet, we are to believe that the county was “hurting financially.” To date, the county surplus has ballooned to a massive $21.7 million. Voters should ask, how did we get this huge surplus in four short years and at whose expense? What county services have we been denied?

The following shocking statistics may answer these questions. While taxes have increased, so too have the number of bankruptcies and foreclosures. Bankruptcies have more than doubled - from 3,300 four years ago to a whopping 7,800 in 1999. Home foreclosures escalated from 90 to an indefensible 800 last year. These statistics represent a loss of revenue and jobs to the county and an uncertain future for Spokane.

Roskelley’s rhetoric of “preserving Spokane’s quality of life” merely covers up his inability to create a sound plan for managed county growth. Without growth, our economy will continue to stagnate. McCaslin’s and Roskelley’s continued leadership merely ensures higher taxes and a depressed economic future for Spokane.

This is a wake-up call for the voters. It’s time for a change! Joan F. McMurtry Spokane

Sure signs Riddle’s not ready

The byline of the Aug. 30 “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign” article was catalyst enough!

“Political placards competing for attention, but do they work?”’ gets my yes answer!

Sylvia Riddle has won the competition. She wins the Trash Queen Sign Award. She has gone over the line of common decency, abused a campaign tool and has accomplished nothing more than trashing our land by being a blight upon it.

Money to buy more and more signs that keep getting bigger and bigger and more intrusive, carrying messages of distortions, are not the qualifications of a commissioner I’d vote for. Kathi Reiha Spokane

Just call proposed city Clueless

Backers of Valley incorporation claim they are going to learn from their past mistakes. Five times, five no votes. Some people are really slow learners. Paul F. Barker Spokane

Powers has the right strengths

The Valley is a nice place to live. We have lots of trees. We have large lots. Soon we will have sewers. What we don’t have is the opportunity to vote for mayor of the city where we work, shop, eat, recreate, see our doctor and park.

If I lived in Spokane I would vote for John Powers for mayor. I am a lawyer. Powers is a lawyer. In my contacts with him I have found him consistently to be an honest, capable, knowledgeable, ethical, diligent, intelligent, caring person. Those are some of the qualities that Spokane needs in its mayor. John Powers has them. Paul J. Allison Spokane

Wildlife

Don’t fall for propaganda

Regarding Initiative 713: I went with a trapper last winter and I can attest to a few facts about trapping.

I saw a full-grown male bobcat weighing about 30 pounds that was caught in a snare. The area was 10 miles in on snowmobile and I saw absolutely no sign of any struggle in the snow. The cat simply made a lunge and that was it. Animals caught in snares do not suffer!

The most humane trap is the leg hold. Why? They do not usually harm the animal and it can be released unharmed. Animals do not chew their legs off. The most brutal trap is the live trap. Captured, the animal will beat itself in a frenzy against the cage. If it does not kill itself outright, it will be so weak that its survival will be in doubt, even if turned loose. This will be the only legal trap if I-713 is approved.

So what is generally regarded as the most brutal trap is really the most humane. And the most humane is the most brutal.

When decide about I-713, remember the last failure in balloting emotion fueled by lies over science and nature. Don’t buy into the hype. The photo of the kitty you will see displayed by the anti-I-713 people will depict a cat in a trap that is currently illegal in Washington. That trap is illegal because it causes suffering. Jim McIntosh Spokane

Wolves have vital role to play

Re: “Wolves are bad news for hunters” (Letters, Aug. 8).

I wonder why man and animal can no longer coexist. We’ve been doing it since the beginning of time.

Wolves are the keystone in our ecosystem. In the absence of the wolf, regulators become less than what they were intended to be by nature.

Does a hunter need to have an overabundance of an animal to hunt, where the only predator is man? If it needs to be that easy, why not just have game farms?

Without the wolf there’s an increase in the number of smaller predators that would normally be killed or dispensed with. Wolves might not eat all of what they kill but they provide leftovers year round for an entire ecosystem. Studies have shown that wolves kill the most plentiful prey in an area. They also target the old, sick, weak or injured, enabling the strongest, best genetics of a species to survive, making them what they were intended to be.

Isn’t that more of a challenge and what real hunting is about? Man needs to learn to live with all the creatures on this Earth before it’s too late. It would be a terrible shame if the only way we could see a wolf, or a grizzly, for that matter, was in a book! P.A. Nill Cheney

Events

Our activities beneficial all around

Thanks to the generosity of local and regional artists and patrons, Cheney Cowles Museum’s 15th Annual Works From the Heart auction was the most successful ever. More than $21,500 was returned to participating artists and more than $35,000 was raised for the art acquisitions fund. All proceeds from the auction go to CCM’s art acquisitions fund, which is currently the fund’s only source of revenue.

A successful auction means success for participating artists and the region. Tens of thousands of dollars are returned to participating artists. Remaining proceeds are used to purchase art for the museum’s permanent collection.

The auction creates positive economic and educational impacts throughout the region. It has allowed the museum to put together an important collection of Northwest paintings, prints and sculpture, one that’s an invaluable resource for an audience that includes artists of the community (see www.cheneycowles.org/ permanent/).

A museum goal is to offer support to local and regional artists with programs like the annual Works From the Heart auction, Art @ Work, and Artfest. These programs raise substantial amounts of money for local and regional artists. Last year, Art @ Work paid artists more than $58,000 for sales and rentals of art work, while CCM’s recent Artfest put more than $150,000 into the pockets of artists.

Additionally, these programs bring recognition to artists through corporate collaborations, lectures, marketing, educational publications and comprehensive Internet sites.

Thanks to all who have made the Works From the Heart auction so successful. I look forward to many more years of even greater accomplishments. Jim Kolva, Art Committee chairman Cheney Cowles Museum, Spokane

Government and politics

Three-term limit is needed

In recent years, too many long-term members in Congress have received so much in campaign funds and other gratuities from prominent political action committees that their votes on legislation pertaining to big business are almost completely predictable.

That’s why even when the Texas governor speaks proudly of clean air in Texas, he knows full well his state is ranked 49th nationally. He says he gets better cooperation from big businesses if they are allowed to police their plants voluntarily.

Of course George Bush does , but he shouldn’t let the inmates run the prison.

The only way to prevent a complete takeover of Congress by political action committees is to limit terms of those who can’t say no. Fewer long-term members’ votes would be bought and paid for because the PACs would have to keep starting over with new members.

Bush has set an all-time record for campaign funds, at well over $100 million. Are those contributions merely to wish him well or would the givers like a little return on all those greenbacks? Thankfully, presidents are limited to two terms. If they can do it, why aren’t legislative politicians willing to have a three-term limit? The longer we wait, the more big business will run our government. Andy Kelly Spokane

FDA should clear abortion pill

Buried in the last paragraphs of the Aug. 30 front page story, “Liberal initiatives to mark Clinton’s exit,“ is a muddy account of the continued failure by the FDA to approve mifepristone (RU-486) for use by American women. To clear the waters a bit, here are some facts:

Mifepristone offers women safe, early (under 49 days) medical abortions administered in the privacy of their physician’s office. The FDA found the drug “approvable” in 1996 after exhaustive clinical trials. Mifepristone has been successfully used in Europe for more than 12 years by approximately 500,000 women who’ve experienced few complications. There was only one associated death. Viagra, on the other hand, has been blamed for dozens of fatal heart attacks since it hit the market in 1998.

Mifepristone would greatly increase all women’s access to abortion services. Currently, only one quarter of gynecologists perform abortions. However, one third of those who don’t say they’d prescribe mifepristone and a third of all family practice doctors say they would, too.

Mifepristone is being considered for approval by the FDA but with severe restrictions. Despite all the evidence it’s a safe, effective drug, the FDA proposes restrictions like those applied to the most notoriously dangerous drugs like thalidomide.

Until unintended pregnancy is no longer a risk, until every child born is wanted and loved, women in the United States deserve access to the fullest range of safe, effective family planning options available. This includes mifepristone. Janice E Tilley, public affairs coordinator Planned Parenthood of the Inland Northwest

Debates commission too partial

Now that “Survivor” and the conventions are over, and the political postures assumed, it’s time for the presidential survivors to challenge the more-serious issues facing our country.

The Commission on Presidential Debates headed by former chairmen of the Democratic and Republican tribes has this year for the first time ruled that survivors must reach 15 percent in the polls to be challengers. This number has no basis in history or federal regulation. It just serves to further entrench the two major tribes. This outrageous requirement blocks the progress of thirdparty tribes by branding their survivors as not viable. It silences such issues as real campaign finance reform, excessive corporate bribery and fair trade policies.

The debates commission claims the 15 percent polling requirement identifies survivors who have a “more than theoretical” chance of getting elected. Minnesota survivor Gov. Jesse Ventura was polling only 8 percent before his challenge in televised debates.

Polls show 64 percent of the American tribe want Ralph Nader included in the debates. Call the Commission on Presidential Debates at (202) 872-1020 to demand that it establish fair inclusion criteria and let Nader debate. Visit www.votenader.org. Leonard Butters Spokane

Idaho viewpoints

Busting Butler not the answer

Yes, I would like to see the Aryan Nations and all racist groups out of here. But if anyone thinks bankrupting Richard Butler will do the job, they are deluding themselves.

Butler himself may be bankrupted but the big money has not been touched. Vince Bertollini, and Carl Story have the money and there are many who have the small minds to do the bidding of the big bucks. Racism will not be ended with the ruin of one entity of hate. It will only move in another direction, which will be more insidious and covert than Butler’s parades.

He was open, whereas Bertollini and Story send out their hate message through the mail. They target certain individuals. They hide behind what they hope is anonymity.

The Northwest should make these people unwelcome by ignoring their bids for publicity. We must, by our openness to all races, show them we will not be intimidated. We can make Idaho an uncomfortable place for them through real Christian love, not the brand they would sell. A loving Creator created all men, and he did not create one race better than another. Nor does the Creator love one race over another. Jesus was a Jew and was not a racist! Shirley Hethorn Oldtown

Neo-Nazis out to infiltrate parties

We in the Panhandle have heard the slogan too often and many will remember the local Nazis presenting it to the spectators at the Sandpoint Fourth of July parade a few years ago. Too many are not alarmed with our local Nazi activity but I hope I might awaken a few. The Nazi action now is that when bullets fail, ballots prevail.’

There is a massive movement to infiltrate the Democratic and Republican central committees in Boundary, Bonner and Kootenai counties. I suspect this movement is also taking place around the country. This situation is serious and one might be surprised to see “I love my country but hate my government” bumper stickers and inverted flags displayed by those associated with this movement.

For love of God and country, I ask that Democrats and Republicans check out this new threat and spread the word by phone and e-mail to friends and associates around the country. This threat is moving rapidly and only awareness can stop it, as they are entitled to take part in our democratic process.

The roster of the county’s many precinct committeemen should be made available to the voters by advertisement in the paper or some means so that citizens would know if their party of choice was being infiltrated by these people. A prospective political candidate must be approved by a committee majority vote. Harold “Hal” Riese Sandpoint

More fire? More smoke? Incredible

Grass growers have again placed their own greed over others’ safety. Rep. Wayne Meyer is pushing for a relief on field burning. This is so wonderful, that the grass growers feel the need to endanger more lives this season. Smoke from our area doesn’t help firefighters attempting to fight forest fires.

Meyer (Spokesman-Review, Aug. 25) says he is confident of containment. “We think we can control our fires. We have a pretty good record. Very few fires have gotten away from us.”

Meyer, what happens to the one that does? Aren’t you paying attention to what’s going on out there? People are placing their lives on the line to combat the fires raging around us and here we have some dim individual who wants to set things on fire. G.B. Kubik Hayden Lake

USO comes off as sleazy

While the USO must be commended for its support of our military troops, I question its type of entertainment. I know that the women in those shows have always harmlessly performed in a flirtatious and provocative manner but somehow the article made them sound sort of sleazy. The red nail polish and lipstick, open-toed shoes, feathered boas and silky pajamas, not to mention the close contact with the troops, sounds like a strip show.

It just seems a shame that sexual implication has to be a motivator and reward for men to do their duty for their country, as if they wouldn’t get the job done otherwise. It’s an insult to both sexes, especially the married ones.

I had to laugh when I looked at the lower half of that Aug. 26 front page. The pig picture and the girl’s legs were just too much! Kathy Hood Sandpoint