Page 28 - Flathead Beacon // 9.14.16

LIKE I WAS SAYING 30 TWO FOR THOUGHT 30 DRAWING BOARD 31 Viewpoints
LETTERS
Why ‘Reform’ Land and Water Conservation Fund?
If it ain’t broke, then don’t x it. Those are words to live by, and yet, Rep. Ryan Zinke seems hell-bent on trying to x what ain’t broke.
Take the Land and Water Conserva- tion Fund. There are many reasons why outdoor recreation is a $6 billion indus- try in Montana, but one of the most important reasons is shing. Tourists come to Montana from all over the world to cast a y in our blue-ribbon trout steams, and they can do so with ease across the state because Montana has hundreds of shing access sites, most of which have been created through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
So, why in the world does Rep. Ryan Zinke want to “reform” this program, which happens to be working just ne without his help?
Only Zinke knows the answer to that question. Zinke purports to value Mon- tana’s public lands and wildlife, but his true colors come out when addressing this issue. While his position on LWCF becomes increasingly cloudy, Montan- ans actually have a clear choice to make in this election. Do we want someone who will defend our outdoor heritage every time and conserve our last best places, or do we want someone whose positions on public lands change with the wind?
What Montanans need in Congress is a true conservationist, not a “reformer” on a mission to x what isn’t broken.
Lou Bruno East Glacier Park
Bullock and Appointee Jon Motl: Laurel and Hardy Comedy
Named in one of Political Practices Commissioner Jon Motl’s lawsuits, I didn’t hear from their o ce until I wrote a letter to the Helena Indepen- dent Record editor about Mr. Motl. A local reporter told me about the Janu- ary decision, sent me a copy of the law- suit in April, and after his April article sent me a copy of the letter upon which the lawsuit is based. One look at the let- ter and I knew I hadn’t written it. The case against me as president of Montana ProLife Coalition is therefore nonexis- tent. Are Mr. Motl’s other cases capri- cious and sloppily done? No noti cation, no veri cation of data? Is this slipshod incompetence? A Laurel and Hardy comedy? Or is there sinister design? Mr. Motl’s lawsuits that carry signif- icant penalties are against conserva- tive prolife Republicans. This suggests, ratherthanincompetence,pro-abortion big government Democrat Gov. Steve
Bullock appointee Motl is fomenting a concerted e ort to maintain the Mon- tana political good old boys club that includes Democrats and Republicans like Bruce Tutvedt who vote like Demo- crats. I believe most Montanans believe in fairness, regardless where they fall politically. The man who claims to wage a righteous war against “dark money” ... to see what darkness is, he and Bullock need only look in the mirror.
Annie Bukacek, president Montana ProLife Coalition
Donald Trump is Not Trustworthy
Who should we trust to become pres- ident of the United States and the leader of the most powerful country in the world, Donald Trump or Hillary Clin- ton? Donald Trump a wealthy, self-cen- tered man who is used to getting his way with shameless self promotion, bullying and childlike name-calling. A man who has no policies, but in ames crowds by appealing to their fears and anger and promises easy magical solutions: build a wall, deport all illegal immigrants, ban all Muslims, or maybe just “extreme vet” them, bring back manufacturing, and it will all be so easy, and fast, believe me, believe me.
For decades carnival barkers, rain- makers, and dictators have used these same tactics; read your audience and tell them what they want to hear, appeal to fear and helplessness (America is in ter- rible shape, and unsafe), in ame anger and direct it at your target (Mexican immigrants are rapists and killers, the election is rigged, Muslims are poten- tial terrorists, and Hillary is crooked), o er yourself or your product as the only solution (only I can make America great again).
I am sick of these slanderous, out- rageous chants and accusations from Trump, his groupie followers at his ral- lies, and from right-wing groups who are endlessly harassing and pursuing Hil- lary Clinton. It is divisive, demeaning, and entirely unchristian to encourage, or even allow, chants of “lock her up” or “Trump the b----.” What kind of coun- try have we become? No one deserves to be treated with such vitriolic spew of hatred, let alone a woman who might well be our next president. No outside terror group could do so much damage to the integrity of the United States.
Hillary is cool and guarded, not warm and charismatic; perhaps under- standable if you had to put up with the kind of attacks, abuse and scrutiny that Hillary has lived with for 30 years. Who would want their biggest enemies read- ing every word they wrote, looking for whatever statement they could dis- tort or take out of context? Fox News,
Hannity, Breitbart, and Judicial Watch are not trying to be “fair and accurate.” Trying to protect her emails does not mean she is untrustworthy, just that she is guarded; not even paranoid, because they are trying to get her. On the contrary, you can trust her to follow through, to do the work, to read, think, and deeply understand complicated issues and work hard in bettering the interests of all Americans, qualities she has repeatedly demonstrated through years of public service.
In contrast, Donald Trump is not trustworthy. He is an undisciplined, uninformed, unpredictable narcis- sist who does not read or seek outside advice, and has such thin skin that he lashes out in the face of even the slight- est criticism with a stream of tweets, personal attacks, and name calling that is reminiscent of an immature and inse- cure adolescent. And this is who he is, a mean-spirited little man who will not suddenly become presidential should he manage to fool enough voters with empty, false promises.
John L. Santa Kalispell
Support Blackfeet Clearwater Stewardship Project
Working together is working for the communities of Seeley Lake and Ovando. These communities, connected by rivers, public lands, wildlife wilder- ness, and Montana’s rural lifestyle, are key to the Blackfoot Clearwater Stew- ardship Project.
The project advocates for timber and restoration, recreation, and conserva- tion on public lands in the Blackfoot Clearwater watershed (http://www. blackfootclearwater.org/). Thanks to the project, forests in the area are being restored, putting workers in the woods and providing timber for Montana’s mills, including Pyramid Lumber in Seeley Lake.
The project has more to do, including designating the Otatsy recreation area for snowmobiling and designating addi- tions to complete the Bob Marshall and Mission Mountains wildernesses. That task is now up to Montana’s congressio- nal delegation, working together just as these communities have done.
Thanks to Montana’s Sen. Jon Tester for meeting recently with western Mon- tana timber workers, ranchers, small business owners and conservationists to discuss potential legislation, a begin- ning to completion of this collaboration.
Bert Lindler Missoula
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ON FLATHEADBEACON.COM Defenders of Dogs
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Bow Hunters Give Up Kill to Grizzly Bear
Police: Nephew of Montana Senator Killed Near Spokane
Body of Kidnapped Montana Woman Found Near Spokane
Dozens Speak in Support of Expanding Egan Slough Zone
Flathead County Man Convicted of Sexual Assault Charged with Intimidation
Osweiler in Command
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SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
LETTERS
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