Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 10.29.14

30 | OCTOBER 29, 2014 MITCHELL WILL PROTECT
INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Democrat Stacey Schnebel’s public statements show that she is anti- property rights and is for regulation without representation. The following are Schnebel’s recent statements as reported in local newspapers; “I would have perhaps contracted with a Whitefish planner to help administer those zones while the county goes through the planning process.” “I do favor Whitefish’s proposal for a City-County Lakeshore Protection Committee.” “County leaders will need to do the work of repairing and rebuilding the relationship between the county and the city of Whitefish.” Whitefish lost its overreaching battle in the doughnut to the county. Therefore shouldn’t it be up to Whitefish to mend and repair the relationships they’ve ignored for so long? Her statements tell me that she will advocate for the City of Whitefish instead of Flathead County residents. She has shown contempt for the rule of law when she admitted recently that she illegally voted six times in a Whitefish precinct she didn’t live in. When confronted on it, she blew it off as a “non-issue” and then blamed others.
Trampling on property rights and having contempt for the rule of law, is exactly what we do not need in an elected official. I urge you to vote for Republican Phil Mitchell for Flathead County Commissioner. Phil believes in individual property rights, following the rule of law and is against regulation without representation.
Bonnie Leahy Whitefish
WILL ELECTION BE SOLD TO HIGHEST BIDDER?
The Montana Standard reported that Ryan Zinke’s fundraising now totals $3.534 million dollars and Steve Daines has raised $6.8 million for his campaign. Less than one third of the donations to Zinke and Daines come from Montana citizens while more than 70 percent of the funds for Amanda Curtis and John Lewis come from Montana donors. Aren’t you tired of the rich and famous running our country? Isn’t it time to elect candidates that represent all Montanans?
Amanda Curtis and John Lewis will bring new hope to the middle class and the less fortunate in our communities. Without a doubt they are underdogs in this race, however history has shown on many occasions that Americans support the underdog. Ryan Zinke, on many occasions, has shown his desire to continue the wars in the Middle East. These wars will drag on for many more years with the power struggle between the various Islamic factions and tribes. These people have been warring and killing each other since biblical time. The U.S. interference only heightens the threat of terrorism and violence throughout the U.S. and the world. The U.S. has spent $1.1 billion on the new war bombing of Iraq and Syria and it is becoming more of a quagmire. The national debt stands at between $14
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trillion and $17 trillion dollars and yet we plunge deeper in debt. Who is paying for these wars? Answer, American taxpayers and borrowing from foreign countries. Zinke’s war mindset and play on his military career must be considered by all voters.
Multi-millionaire Steve Daines is a former executive for a Bozeman software company. He spent much of his career in China providing jobs for the Chinese while U.S. workers were losing jobs in the same field. His effort to privatize Social Security and reduce benefits of Medicare for our seniors must be noted. Women, be alert to his actual vote to deny equal work pay for equal work and women’s healthcare. All Montanans must go to the polls and vote or Daines and Zinke will buy the Senate and House seats with their millions of dollars and an R behind their name. Amanda Curtis and John Lewis will support the middle class working Montanans and be guardians of our interests and way of life.
Jerry Reckin Kalispell
MITCHELL’S WORK ETHIC SECOND TO NONE
With two of Democrat Stacy Schnebel’s supporters being Bill Baum and Cal Scott what could possibly go wrong? Bill Baum writes letter after letter promoting global warming, the Endangered Species Act, and any other leftwing cause of the day. Cal Scott is the sore loser who got beat by a 70 to 30 percent margin in the Republican primary; marched with an Occupy Wall street sign; said he had an engineering degree he did not have; and ran up almost $200,000 in unsecured debt and then filed for bankruptcy. We have known Phil Mitchell for 13 years and know him to be an honest, compassionate person whose work ethic is second to none. We will be voting for Phil Mitchell, the pro- property rights, pro-business, protect our rights Republican candidate for Flathead County commissioner.
Jeff and Kellie Brus Whitefish
HOMEOWNERS UNITE!
For the past several years the taxes that go to support cities, school districts, counties and our state government have become a major burden on homeowners.
As election time approaches, we should ask candidates their positions on protecting homeowners from shifting tax burdens onto us.
Having managed a business for some 44 years, as real estate taxes grew, I was able to make changes by improving operational efficiencies, charging more fees, paying less dividends, etc.
We homeowners don’t have those options as we are at the “beginning of the food chain” with no place to shift increasing taxes.
I have been before legislative committees a few times on this issue and have been insulted by our representatives telling me, “If you can’t pay your taxes, sell it.” I have begun to wonder who represents us –
the homeowners? I always mistakenly thought it was those we sent to Helena. But I’m beginning to think they represent the 442 registered lobbyists and the government agencies – not us.
Where do homeowners fit in with timberland, agriculture, real estate speculators with 20-plus-acre parcels? Those special interests all get tax breaks, as do businesses with the decreased business equipment and inventory tax.
Our homes are special places, very special, and they need to be treated as such – not the second homes, rental properties, recreational properties.
Suggested legislation should consider length of ownership and occupancy (five years), primary living quarters 10 months per year, ability to register to vote where your home is located.
Since our elected officials give no consideration to homeowners, must we band together and hire a lobbyist to get noticed? We shouldn’t need to, as we are a tremendous voting block. How do we get their attention?
Charles R. Abell Whitefish
O’NEIL THE ONLY REASONABLE CHOICE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 3 Jerry O’Neil’s rebuttal refuted the
lies of his accuser in her letter to the Flathead Beacon. No need to repeat the refutations. Jerry is a man of the people, a servant leader, hardworking, principled, and therefore consistent in his fight for individual liberty (which means limited government) and government fiscal responsibility.
A constitutionalist Republican who can work with those across the aisle, he does not hesitate to support Democrats’ bills that promote liberty. His two opponents seem identical in their support of big government and abortion. One calls himself a Libertarian yet promotes Obamacare. In an amicable conversation, giving him the benefit of the doubt, I have told him he’s a mixed up kid. He hasn’t figured out that Libertarians oppose government intrusion. If you care about life and liberty, government accountability, and have concerns about the progressive intrusion of government into your life, Jerry O’Neil is the only reasonable choice for House District 3.
Annie Bukacek Bigfork
PRESERVE THE POWER OF THE VOTE
While 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of Montana women’s right to vote, few Montanans can compete with $10,000 to $425,000 campaign donations.
Montanans contributed to only 28 percent of Ryan Zinke’s funds and only 32 percent of Steve Daine’s funds. Compare that to Montanans donating over 70 percent of John Lewis’s funds and over 70 percent of Amanda Curtis’s funds. Zinke’s recent fundraiser cost $10,000/couple to speak with John Boehner, who leads the most unpopular U.S. Congress ever, with only a 10
percent approval rating. Steve Daines collected $425,000 from a Wall Street billionaire and vulture capitalists. Corporate fundraisers are the newest fad in Washington, D.C., thanks to fewer anti-corruption rules.
Your vote is extremely important!
In 2012, the conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justices, many whom were nominated with a religious promise to strike down a woman’s right to vote on her own reproduction, struck down Montana’s 1912 Corrupt Practices Act, diminishing all Americans’ right to vote in elections.
As a result, in 2012, 75 percent of Montanans voted for a referendum directing Montana’s two U.S. Senators and one U.S. Congressman to create a U.S. Constitutional Amendment to stop unlimited corporate money from buying elections. In September 2014, Republican U.S. Senators blocked this bill.
Can you afford to buy politicians?
Preserve the power of the vote! Get your community to vote for math teacher Amanda Curtis to be Montana’s first female US Senator, and instead of the most unpopular U.S. Congress ever, vote for John Lewis starting October 6th at your county courthouse!
Jackie Gysler Bigfork
CAN WE NOT PLAN TO VOTE?
As a chief judge for the Flathead County Election Department, I can attest first hand to the benefits of changing the law regarding a cut off of the previous Friday at 5 p.m. for registering to vote.
Our very competent, capable and dedicated Election Department is extremely busy on the Monday before Election Day and more so on Election Day. They don’t need the additional distraction of “poor planners” to take away time from their busiest two days of the election cycle. And, especially, the 6-8 p.m. latecomers. It is as if someone swept the bars and brought them all to vote as evidenced by the beer cans (bottles) outside the Election Department.
Our right, our obligation, our privilege to vote is perhaps the most important thing we do all year. It is the glue that keeps our Constitution and republic together. Not only should we vote at every election (then you don’t have to register), but we should be informed as to issues and candidates so with pride we go to the polling place, vote and receive our lapel flag declaring “I VOTED.”
After all, we schedule and plan for our oil change, haircut, doctor visit, pet grooming, dinner out, taxi pickup, tax prep, finger nail cleaning, motel, etc.
Can we not plan ahead to register to vote before the weekend of the election? Please vote for referendum No. 126.
Dale Haar, Sr. Kalispell