Page 27 - Flathead Beacon // 11.2.16

LETTERS
Montana Needs Taylor Rose and Chet Billi
Is it any wonder why more good peo- ple don’t run for public o ce? As my last campaign winds to an end I re ect on the threatening calls, distorted voting records, libelous postcards and some- times even mean fellow legislators of the past. Why do we often remember these when there are terri c people who sup- port candidates, donate money to cam- paigns and become part of the solution to make Montana better?
Things have certainly changed in poli- tics. The new world of social media makes it easy to take to the airwaves and post something based on feelings rather than fact. It’s also easy to pull select words from a complete essay to prove your point or copy slanderous information from an anonymous blogger.
Young people entering today’s legisla- tive races don’t have the voting record or the gray hair of experience many of us do to combat the hearsay. What they do have, however, is unbridled enthusiasm, a pas- sion for the Constitution, ideas on how to make Montana better for future genera- tions and the commitment to spend the time helping solve the problems import- ant to the voters.
I support Taylor Rose in HD3 and Chet Billi in HD5 (my two House dis- tricts before they redistricted me out of White sh) as two of the young people entering the political arena for the rst time. These young conservatives will be my partners in Helena for bills to lower taxes, preserve your property rights and defend the Second Amendment from the socialist attacks.
We need fresh ideas and younger peo- ple to change the often stagnant air in the capitol. Montana needs Taylor and Chet – and we need your votes this election sea- son! Thanks for all your past support.
Dee Brown, senator Hungry Horse
Hartman Deserves Your Vote
We’re fortunate that White sh res- ident Melissa Hartman is running to represent us in the Montana Senate. She deserves your vote. I’ve gotten to know Melissa well over the past couple years and found her to be intelligent, fair, and willing to dig in and work hard on local solutions.
Her opponent, on the other hand, has proven to be an uncompromising ideo- logue. For example, Keith Regier cast the deciding vote in the House last year to kill a bipartisan infrastructure bill that had passed the Republican-held Senate.
One big di erence between the can- didates is public lands. Melissa wants to keep them in public hands. Regier wants to turn over the Flathead National Forest to state land managers, a short step away from privatization.
You may recall that local residents had to raise millions of dollars to keep state forests near Beaver Lake from being developed into trophy homesteads with no-trespassing signs. It cost huge sums to protect these working forests and secure the community’s right to build the
White sh Trail.
That’s because the state is in the busi-
ness of maximizing revenue from Mon- tana state lands. So the community had to match the price that out-of-state develop- ers would pay to privatize them.
If Keith Regier has his way, the Flat- head National Forest will be privatized. Either that or we’re going to have to hold a lot more bake sales to keep public lands in public hands.
Better yet, vote for Melissa Hartman.
Steve Thompson White sh
Juneau a Person of Integrity
Throughout my 40 years of teaching, I have known many people who professed to be advocates for children, education, and the public good. Many of them sin- cere in their e orts who contributed mightily to the educational system and political discourse we share in Montana. The list is far too lengthy to acknowledge each of them now – perhaps in a later tome’. For now, I want to acknowledge a person who I believe to have contributed as much or more than anyone to our edu- cational system, a person who has been a tireless advocate for children, a person who is of the highest of integrity: Denise Juneau. Let me brie y explain why I have such profound respect for this woman.
Denise is the daughter of two highly respected parents, Stan and Carol – advo- cates for education in their own right. And because of the respect she has for her parents, as such, she has followed in their footsteps. And as any educator knows, you can “talk the talk, but you must walk the walk.” The only way you teach respect is by modeling it. Denise is a prime example of the adage that “knowl- edge is power.” She is a graduate of Har- vard School of Education and the Univer- sity of Montana School of Law. She has used her education to become one of the most valued public servants the state of Montana has had in its history by becom- ing the rst Native American elected to a state executive o ce in the United States. She has empowered teachers through- out the state by helping to shepherd the groundbreaking Indian Education For All law. She has helped to increase Mon- tana’s graduation rate by initiating the Graduation Matters program. As a pub- lic servant, Juneau stands as a model for others. She is sel ess in her motivation yet ambitious to accomplish meaningful progress for our state.
Denise Juneau has stood for all peo- ple, young and old, rich or poor through- out her career. It is time that the people of Montana send Juneau, a person of integ- rity, to represent us in Congress.
David R. James Eureka
An Election of Issues, Not Personality
Whatever your view on the candidates for president, I have made my own deci- sion based on what kind of America I wish to live in. This is an election of issues, not personality.
I will vote for the candidate who is least likely:
- to appoint Supreme Court judges who regard the Constitution as obsolete and whose decisions are determined by their progressive ideology, not their adherence to the law;
- to further erode my freedom of speech through overreaching political correctness;
- to further reduce my freedom to act in accordance with my conscience;
- to further reduce my ability to defend myself and others by restricting my right to bear arms;
- to feel obligated to the banking oli- garchs and the political class;
- to enter into foreign adventures in places that are not a threat to our secu- rity, that cost the lives of thousands of America’s nest;
- to reach ever deeper into my pocket for programs whose sole purpose is to secure votes;
- to be involved in a vast conspiracy with the media and innumerable special interest groups to pervert the course of the election;
- to have not committed high crimes or obstructed justice or engaged in the ped- dling of in uence;
I will vote for the candidate who is most likely:
- to reduce the scale, scope and reach of the federal government into the daily lives of the people;
- to reduce the overwhelming burden of regulation on private enterprise and private citizens;
- to reduce the crippling taxes that inhibit investment, sti e growth, and cause real wage stagnation;
- to respect the right of the states to self determination on any issue that is not explicitly the province of the federal government;
- to encourage US corporations and cit- izens to repatriate wealth and in doing so, stimulate the economy and drive private sector job growth;
- to expose and attack the massive, pervasive corruption that taints every action of our federal government;
- to advocate for term limits on all elected federal o ces;
- to renegotiate trade treaties on more favorable terms;
- to prefer excellent relationships with our allies over pandering to our enemies; - to approach all foreign relations
issues from a position of strength;
- to attack radical Islam and its adher- ents, enablers and sympathizes with the full force and might of our military and
economic strength.
These are my issues. If you have any
doubt which candidate this is, please pay more attention to the issues, and less attention to the endless parade of media talking heads and the scandals they have contrived to distract you from the issues.
Helene T. Robinson White sh
Let’s Talk Truth About I-177
Some people say this initiative would lead to removing hunting and shing rights. I’m 70 years old and have been down this road before. When I lived in
Arizona over 25 years ago an initiative came up to ban trapping and there was the same talk how it would lead to the end of hunting. Wrong! After it passed it had absolutely no impact on our right to hunt or sh. Nobody even talked about going after hunting and shing because that initiative passed.
I-177 seeks to stop trapping on public lands only. People who foster talk about an attack on hunting rights, I believe, seek only to divert attention from the real issue which is the inhumane treatment of wild animals. We do not allow people to mistreat horses or dogs or other animals on their own property. Do you really have less respect for wild animals who make their own way, fend for themselves and do a good job until they stumble in to a baited 17th century style mechanical steel trap?
What is trapping about? Fur pelts? Seriously? Who really needs that in this day.
We need more to respect our own decency and good will.
Every hunter I have known expressed the desire to make a quick kill and cause no undue su ering. As I grew up this was a creed. My father wouldn’t take a shot if he wasn’t sure he could make a quick kill without su ering. But trapped ani- mals endure unbelievable pain and long su ering for days or weeks. I believe we have come to an understanding where this is beneath the dignity of a reasonable human being. It’s just not worth it. Come on you sports men and women of today, step up and vote yes on 1-177.
Robert Lance Kalispell
Gianforte will Attract High-Paying Jobs
Please join me in voting for Greg Gian- forte, Republican candidate for governor of Montana. Greg stands for the values Montanans believes in. Greg is against unvetted refuges, for legal immigration, for proper management of our public lands, in favor of access to public lands, for lower taxes, better jobs and less gov- ernment. Greg is a staunch supporter of our constitutional rights, especially our Second Amendment rights. We need Greg to protect our freedoms, our pocketbooks and to bring high-paying jobs back to the state of Montana.
Greg is a successful businessman that has created hundreds of high-paying jobs for Montana workers. Greg wants to bring his successful business leadership skills to the governor’s o ce so Montana can get back to being on top with high-pay- ing jobs. It is time we get a successful businessman in the governor’s o ce in the state of Montana. Please join me in supporting Republican Greg Gianforte for governor.
Ardis Larsen Lakeside
NOVEMBER 2, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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