Liars figure
... President Joe Biden in his second week in office verbally made the observation that President Donald Trump could never say. Biden’s words were, “This virus will never go away.”
That’s truly a fact. Of course, the media did their best to quickly quench his words.
Where does this leave us? Well, as per all the novel viruses of past times, it will sink into the plethora of other flu viruses of our past. Where does this leave us with the masking mandate? That is a good question since with the masking mandate has come power to control others. Once power is given to a person or a group, trying to pull it back usually is close to being impossible. ...
Let’s go down another rabbit trail. They are now saying (guessing) that this vaccine will be good for six months or so. OK, where are we in six months?
Right back in to our usual flu season.
Really? So, what happens then when the numbers start going back up again? How about looking at the data. Overlay the current numbers with the flu numbers of an average year.
I have to laugh, because my grandfather said many times: “Figures don’t lie — but liars figure.”
Boy, have we ever seen that this year.
The bottom line is that this year will be interesting to watch unfold. As is said by my Lord within the Bible: “Don’t look at the tree, but observe the fruit of which it yields.”
Wayne L. Olson
Moscow
Restore the fish
My family developed a steelhead and salmon fishing business on the Salmon River 30 years ago, based in Riggins. Fish numbers have steadily declined, all but eliminating my family’s small business. Likewise, the economies of river communities such as Riggins and Orofino are drastically affected by the lack of fish and fishermen.
Scientific studies have proven dam removal will greatly improve fish numbers returning from the ocean. Please read online the Elwha Dam Removal Study. It has proven the health of the rivers and streams after these dams were removed was greatly improved.
The agricultural community has to be taken into consideration as well. Barging provided by the dams and the lock system has made transportation of grain to market a staple of wheat farmers in this area. Transportation by rail could accomplish this, but infrastructure for loading and unloading the grain must be in place.
Congressman Mike Simpson’s proposal also addresses the costs of keeping the dams in place. The failure of $17 billion already spent on fish recovery efforts has resulted in wild steelhead and salmon listed as threatened or endangered. This is in addition to the cost of dredging behind the dams, maintenance of locks and fish ladders and litigation from the area tribes and environmentalists.
This is not a simple matter with a simple solution. I completely agree with Susan Scully’s recent letter: Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger needs to give up the kneejerk reaction to Simpson’s proposal and do some reading and thinking before spouting. ...
Dee Blair
Moscow
Require masks at games
I cannot understand the behavior exhibited in the photo of a Lewis-Clark State College volleyball game. I can understand why many players are grateful for the opportunity to play. Yet, if this game is like a typical game, fans will be yelling and cheering on their side. Just the kind of activity that spreads COVID-19. Yet I could see no fans in the stands wearing a mask.
If they want to continue playing, it would be in their own interest to require fans to wear masks.
Charlotte Omoto
Palouse
Profiles in cowardice
I find it hard to believe that so many craven cowards could be gathered together, at this time in history, to stand in judgment over the attack on our government by former President Donald Trump.
However, there they were. In the face of overwhelming evidence against the former president, these Republican senators turned their collective backs on all who died to defend the Constitution and on those who died defending our Capitol on the 6th of January.
These senators, including Idaho’s own two senators, stand as cowards amongst the wolves — wolves who would destroy our great country. By now, this spineless minority has found out that cowardice is its own reward.
Like Marley’s Ghost, they now have a weight that they will forever have to drag behind their names and will, one day, be the eulogy of history that will be sung after they are gone.
We need not look across the seas for the enemy that will defeat us. We need only look at those who voted to acquit that grifter and would-be dictator, Donald Trump.
I expect a nasty response for saying these things. But I would rather stand and take it than to remain silent and be cursed by my own conscience for being a coward.
Michael Lamping
Craigmont
Restoring the river
Rep. Mike Simpson and his staff are taking action on the science from biologists who, for several decades, have explained the need to restore the lower Snake River by removing the four dams on the lower Snake River.
By removing these four dams, we will restore 140 miles of significant river habitat and reconnect salmon to 5,500-plus miles of pristine, protected rivers and streams in the wildlands of Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Restoring the lower Snake River will ensure the return of more than 1 million adult Snake River chinook each year to Northwest coastal waters to help feed starving orcas and help struggling fishing communities.
Restoring this historic river will result in the largest salmon recovery project in the continental U.S. I applaud Simpson for taking critical steps that benefit salmon and steelhead restoration extend far and wide, the communities that depend on them for food and livelihoods and the 130 different species that rely on them and their nutrients to thrive.
I ask for Sens. Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to refine the framework and advance it as legislation that will improve our water quality and infrastructure, restore the lower Snake River and its salmon and endangered orca, invest in our regional economy and communities, fulfill our federal treaty and trust responsibilities to Northwest Native American tribes and honors their livelihoods and cultural values while ensuring a reliable, affordable and clean power system for the Northwest.
Theresa Jordan
Pullman
Sold their souls
Today the rage that pounds in my soul — and I’m sure for many others — is over the Idaho senators who sold their souls to the dark side by voting not to impeach the former president who makes the Mafia look like a junior high school gang.
Sens. James Risch and Mike Crapo, your names will go on in infamy in every political science college class and in upcoming history books as far worse than ass-kissers.
You have sided with the murder of a police officer and others who were not as well known but just as valuable nonetheless. Their stench is far worse than a pig sty.
Princess Diana had it right: “He (Donald Trump) gives me the creeps.”
I hope every court in this country gives him the maximum for all other cases yet to be tried.
Diane Mallickan
Lapwai
Attacking the Constitution
The U.S. Constitution is the bedrock of our legal system.
Most of our legislators are actually lawyers, and a majority of them are actually radical leftist activists dedicated to destroying our Constitution in their cynical quest for personal power and profit.
Exhibit A — Former President Barack Obama has a degree in constitutional law. He used that knowledge to attack the Constitution, not defend it. At the same time, he used his community organizer (Marxist) training and his position as president to infiltrate, stack, pack and weaponize every major department of government.
The Deep State includes the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice, CIA, FBI, National Security Agency and the courts. These agencies have been turned against the very Constitution (and citizens) they should be protecting.
Lawyers are trained to twist and/or circumvent the law while protecting the guilty and lining the pockets of themselves and their cronies.
Lawyers should be required to disclose their voting records and their contributions — both given and received.
Almost all universities have become cesspools of radicalism and revolutionary activism. Unfortunately for you and me and our country, every lawyer has graduated from one of them.
I voted for Obama before I understood these things.
Do you really know who you are voting for next time?
J. C. Passmore
Elk City
