Treat wolves like dogs

Re: “Sheep rancher learns to keep the wolves at bay” and “Governor wants felony charges for dogfights,” Aug. 12: Unbelievable good news for Idaho!

When killing a certain species becomes a matter of human policy and concerted effort, the fight is almost one-sided. Wolves have been brought to the brink of extinction with ease. Despite decades of persecution and killings, wolves are not going to be wiped out. They remain an endangered species primarily because they are easy to kill.

“Before the invention of guns and traps, top level carnivores like bears and wolves had virtually no predators.” According to a study, “They don’t show a lot of inherent fear.” As a result, bears and wolves did not develop the survival skills they need to thrive.

Against the wishes and funding of a powerful minority for the unrelenting persecution toward extermination of our wolf population, more environmentally conscious sheep and cattle producers will follow the monumental steps of Mike Stevens, “Lava Lake president,” to ensure survival of one icon of success and defiance of humans who think they can control nature.

Gov. Otter, who “strongly opposes any kind of animal fighting,” hopefully will take Idaho into the 21st century! Staging such barbaric practices should be a felony. Would the governor also give us hope for change of heart and policy toward wolf preservation?

Cecilia Nolthenius

Coeur d’Alene

Give recycling a chance

My wife would say I’m a bit fanatical about recycling, but really, folks, how hard is it to toss your empty beverage bottles and cans into the blue “Bingee” for weekly pickup – instead of out the window of your car or in the garbage? Those plastic bottles are made from oil; let’s recycle and conserve! Recycling uses less energy than making new containers.

Here’s a couple more tips for those that care about our city (and world): (1) bring a bag on your next walk and recycle the can and bottle litter in your neighborhood; (2) use a refillable bottle for drinking rather than purchasing pricey bottled water – that came from a tap. Besides, Spokane has excellent water!

George Waldref

Spokane

Make alleged husband pay

The Social Security Administration wants Judy Sullivan to pay back $90,000 because her husband isn’t really dead. They are collecting from the wrong person. She acted in good faith and her claim was reviewed by SSA. The person responsible for the erroneous payment is her husband, who skipped out without a forwarding address. He’s the one who should be paying the money back to SSA. He may not be legally responsible, but he is certainly morally responsible. And if this is a case of identity theft, what better punishment than to be saddled with someone else’s debt?

Gail Johnson

Spirit Lake, Idaho

Idaho testing goals fail

If a teacher fails 75 percent of his students on an important test, he may need to change his methods and goals. Idaho educational management recently gave a failing grade to 75 percent of their school districts because of low scores on state educational tests (“Many schools off the mark,” Aug. 14). Those who put together the Idaho Standards Achievement Test may need to formulate goals more realistic to the needs of Idaho students.

Chris Wellman

Rose Lake, Idaho

Mayor doesn’t deliver services

If you live on the South Hill, Mr. Hession takes care of things. LeAnn Riley found out (“Hession denies role in art gallery rejection,” Aug. 17).

Take for instance alley closures. The efficiency report states, close alleys for garbage pickup; it’s more efficient. That’s not so if you live on the South Hill. The mayor and City Council are holding off closures there. But you no-good North Side citizens, who cares what you have to say? The city needs to close them, subject closed. It’s in the report and the mayor says the report is a godsend to the citizens of Spokane.

The mayor has stated city services will not diminish; they will improve. But when asked where services have improved he just dances around the subject and blows smoke. I asked him the question personally. Spokane needs a mayor who listens to the citizens.

In a recent letter to the editor the mayor told a citizen the council is no better than the average citizen. The council is our elected voice. So we citizens have nothing of value to voice as concerns – especially we citizens up north.

Curtis L. Borders

Spokane

Congressional baby covered

I read the front-page article on our congresswoman and her newborn special-needs child with sympathy and interest (“Mother works on handling 2 houses,” Aug. 17). However, nowhere in the article did the reporters mention that McMorris Rodgers voted against CHAMP (Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act) in the House just two weeks ago. This bill would have provided medical insurance for millions of children whose parents do not get such care through their employers and who cannot pay for it on their own.

I recognize that it’s a sensitive subject, but don’t the readers of Eastern Washington deserve to know that McMorris Rodgers’ child receives wonderful care, which she gets for free as a member of Congress, while her legislative action has denied thousands of similar children the same care? On her Web site, McMorris Rodgers complained that the bill meant choosing between senior care and child care, but she has been an ardent supporter of Bush’s ill-advised military campaigns and their expense since her election to Congress.

She offered no amendments to try to make the legislation more palatable. The Republican version she voted for would have only provided one-tenth the funding, which all experts agreed was grossly insufficient. Some balanced reporting about our legislator would be welcome.

Greg Presley

Spokane

Police mistakes costly

I find it refreshing to find there are a few citizens in Spokane who will speak up (thank you, Bob DeMotte) after years of oppression by an out-of-control Police Department. While the fearful always support those who can literally kill them (like an abused child), my praise rests with the brave hearts who stand for the right.

For too long SPD has been bullying Spokane citizens behind a cloak of assumed authority. It’s time Chief Kirkpatrick, Mayor Hession and the City Council realize this is not their city. It belongs to us: taxpayers, merchants, homeowners, young and old, wealthy and poor. We absolutely deserve officials with clean hands, compassionate hearts and clear heads.

Most of us live paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford an increase in taxes to pay for (police) mistakes and the resulting million-dollar lawsuits. Are these officers under high stress sitting behind a desk writing reports or taking down incorrect phone numbers or IP addresses (as Dan Beatty assumes)? Were they still stressed out when they hid the video of Otto Zehm for months?

Let’s stop the excuses, OK? I’d like to see some intelligent, ethical behavior for a change. Maybe that’s asking for the impossible.

Donna J. Reilley

Spokane

Silent Generation speaks

It seems many of us have forgotten that the president of the United States is in charge of (a CEO if you prefer) our government and is the representative of that government. Our representatives serve in the U.S. House of Representatives after direct election by the people of their various districts. Senators represent their states after selection by the various state legislatures (no, wait, that’s been changed).

What a great system that was. The House (the people’s real house) represented the people, the Senate represented the states, and the president represented the USA.

I’m supporting Ron Paul for president because I think our country should return to that system. Dr. Paul and I are members of the so-called Silent Generation and give the same meaning to words we use. His message and my support are directed mainly to those 42 and younger. Those 43 and older (the boomers and earlier) are just not interested or worried about the possible changes. Maybe that’s as it should be.

Dr. Ron and I must speak out to remind people that they have the power to bring our great country back to its constitutional foundation again. The outcome is up to you.

Jon. J. Tuning

Spokane

A man with no plan

Reference Sen. Obama’s campaign speeches. One of his earlier speeches he said, “I didn’t vote for the war in Iraq because it didn’t have an exit strategy.” There was an exit strategy! “Victory!” Victory in itself is an exit strategy! An alien concept to Obama and his Democratic cohorts.

Further, he states, “I would go into Pakistan and hunt down the terrorists.” How? What plans does he have to execute hunting down terrorists? None! He doesn’t have an exit strategy!

In another earlier speech he said people didn’t think he had enough experience in national and international politics to be president. His answer: “My inexperience is my asset, I have nothing to cloud up my mind.” Be that the case and millions of Americans are more eminently qualified than he is.

The saddest part is that he has no plan and plans to stick to it. He’s the media’s “golden boy.” They are trying their best to elect him. Is this the man we want as our commander in chief? I want a president who is not popular. I want one who is forceful, direct, and can deal with determination politics on the world stage.

E. R. King

Spokane Valley

Column omits A-bomb facts

Robert Scheer’s one-sided, left-wing column on Hiroshima (Aug. 14) left out many facts:

(1) Both the Japanese army and navy had atomic bomb programs;

(2) With money tight during the war, the Japanese leadership combined both projects into one;

(3) When asked if they (the Japanese) had possessed the “bomb” and would they have used it, several high-ranking Japanese said, “yes”;

(4) Nuclear material headed for Japan via Germany was confiscated by the U.S. in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and according to the U.S.’s top nuclear procurement officer, the late Army Lt. Col. John Lansdale Jr., it was used in the Hiroshima bomb;

(5) Did Truman know how far the Japanese had progressed on their A-bomb (genzai bakudan)? An article by an award-winning reporter for the Atlanta Constitution, David Snell, who was investigating on the scene in 1946, claimed that the program (during the war) had been moved out of range of our B-29 bombers and had continued on in haste in Japanese-occupied Korea;

(6) There were rumors that Hideki Tojo, the Japanese prime minister/dictator, was willing to sacrifice anywhere from 2 million to 20 million more civilians before he was willing to give up – perhaps to give him time to complete his own bomb!

Keith A. Gunther

Moscow, Idaho

Give surge story straight up

In your paper I read that there is a possibility that Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker’s report on Iraq may go to the White House and Congress before going public. My son is in Iraq and I want to hear what these two men have to say about Iraq no stops first, straight up in front of Congress.

I want to hear about the specific progress of the surge. I want to know why the Iraqi Parliament takes a month off while our soldiers and theirs are dying in the field and on the streets. I want to know why the rules of engagement are such that our troops are just pawns waiting for the fight to come to them instead of our troops finding the fight. But most of all I want to know what the mission is for our U.S. soldiers from here on out in Iraq.

There is a memorial service today at a forward operating base in Iraq for three soldiers killed last Monday. There won’t be a dry eye, my son included. That is the straight-up we parents experience.

Bob Calohan

Spokane