Holding my nose

In November 1966, I voted for the first time in my life, voting for Perry Swisher for governor of the state of Idaho.

Perry had a few faults (like gambling) but he was honest and would have made a good governor had he not lost to the “chainsaw salesman” from Sandpoint, Don Samuelson. Samuelson garnered 41.4% of the vote, Cecil Andrus 37.11%, Swisher 12.24% and Phil Jungert 9.16%. In fact, the integrity of all four gubernatorial candidates that year was above reproach.

Who would ever have thought some 58 years later my choice for president of our great country would be between the likes of Donald J. Trump and Kamala D. Harris. Neither of these two can speak for long to the public before spouting what I will politely call “untruths.” If it is not a lie (excuse me, I mean an untruth) then it may well be a gross exaggeration.

You cannot rely on what the vast majority of the mainstream media tell you because if the facts run counter to their allegiance to the left-wing candidates, you will not hear of it.

As bad as I hate to admit it, it looks like what I am going to have to do this year is hold my nose as I mark my ballot.

Steve Rice

Lewiston

This is your guy

Donald Trump makes no policy recommendations to convince citizens he’s worth voting for and drums up pathetic nonsense and fearmongering, especially toward veterans and immigration.

Mimicking the “Price is Right,” before boxes of cereal and other merchandise, the Donald, again, insulted veterans by denigrating values of the Congressional Medal of Honor and uplifting the Presidential Medal of Freedom as, “... the civilian version,” which is, “actually much better, because everyone who gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, that’s soldiers; they’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.”

Trump represents a horrid example of compassion. This is your guy.

Trump displayed his vaunted math skills, saying, according to C-Span, “jobs in the Biden administration in the past year — 100% of available jobs — has gone to migrants. It’s substantially a much higher number than that.” This is your guy.

Always-Trumpers, I’m no math whiz either, but, using hidden subtlety — illegal immigrants taking substantially more jobs than 100% is impossibile. This is your guy.

Despite continual diatribes about nothing being done concerning the border, he ordered his lackeys to block a very conservative immigration package. This is your guy.

Recently, he lied, saying, Kamala Harris “stole the nomination from crooked Joe.”

Trump the child also continues to use third grade schoolyard taunts, name-calling and “I’m rubber, you’re glue” blather. This is your guy.

Jim Roach

Moscow

Better off today?

I saw a letter the other day criticizing former President Donald Trump for attending the wreath ceremony for the 13 service members who were killed by the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris withdrawal from Afganistan.

Many consider this to be one of the worst military decisions in history. Not only were 13 men and women of our military killed but many Americans left behind as well as $85 billion of our equipment and munitions.

Vice President Harris said she was the last one in the room with the president and supported the withdrawal. The Gold Star families asked former President Trump to attend the memorial. About the only thing you can figure out from the anti-Trump rhetoric is a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, lack of common sense or lack of information. Possibly all three.

I watched three or four of those families express their gratitude for Trump attending the memorial. Another attempt was made on Trump’s life and was partially stoked by the far left’s ridiculous claims against the former president.

The far left is pushing socialized medicine, free child care, treating veterans worse than illegal immigrants and increasing taxes, including taxing unrealized gains so if your house or 401(k) had an increase in value during the year you would have to pay tax on the gain. Trump’s tax plan is no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no taxes on Social Security.

Are you better off today than you were four years ago? Just asking.

Jerry Linehan

Clarkston

Supporting Parker

I’ve been thinking about elections as a resident of Idaho’s District 6.

We need a humane approach to government, not catering to the special interests of out-of-state dark monies like those of the so-called Idaho Freedom Foundation, a group hell-bent on destroying our very constitution by starving public schools and stealing identities from small communities, a group determined to get their noses into your doctor’s office with you, a group committed to a new Idaho that would be unrecognizable.

Julia Parker would be a refreshing change from the clutches holding onto our Sen. Dan Foreman. I asked Julia how she would consider and write legislation. She told me that she has a standard for making those decisions, considering if it is necessary, how much it costs, if it helps, who it might harm and how any harm could be mitigated.

Julia supports public education K-adult, important in our district. Julia supports a family approach to health care that keeps the Legislature out of your personal decisions. Julia supports common sense tax structure that doesn’t burden the most vulnerable with a grocery tax, fully funding our schools and reforming our tax structure to a fair and equitable structure. Julia supports conserving our public lands and our environment for our recreation and that of future generations.

I know that I can trust Julia Parker to represent me in the Legislature. She has my vote because of that human approach to legislating. I hope she also has yours.

Brian Potter

Potlatch

Parker studies issues

Are you a traditional Republican, looking for a candidate who doesn’t make the hair on the back of your neck stand up? Voters across the country feel the tension of a political continuum pulled taut by extreme positions on both ends. It’s harder to justify casting a straight party ticket.

Most of us are somewhere in the middle anyway, so here’s an idea: Julia Parker is running for the Idaho Senate in District 6. She’s a Democrat who gets along with everybody. Not that she’s a pushover, but when presented with sound arguments, she’s persuadable. She gains perspective from talking with people from all walks of life.

As a Moscow City Council member, Julia is collegial and pragmatic. She studies the issues, makes her case, compromises when warranted and continues to work collaboratively beside colleagues, regardless of political ideology. Those would be valuable traits to advance in Idaho’s Senate, which has had a proud reputation for that over the years, but which now seem imperiled by the taint of negativity and hyperpartisanship in today’s fevered political environment.

Julia is a nurse, a mom, an educator and eldercare expert, all good skills to have in a Legislature tasked with voting on complex issues that include health care, family freedom, personal choice, education and the well-being of Idaho seniors.

Check out Julia’s website (votejuliaparker.com) or invite her to meet you and your friends for coffee so you can get to know her. Then cast your ballot for Julia Parker, District 6 senator.

Nancy Chaney and Gary Bryan

Moscow

Easy vote for Ferguson

It’s complicated, this modern American life. I binge science lectures and podcasts, wander around Google Scholar, and gorge on humanities (history and social studies for context) just to keep up. It’s comforting to me to know there are smart people working out complex problems and innovative solutions for today. And tomorrow if we’re lucky.

I’m feeling lucky thinking about voting for Bob Ferguson for Washington governor because Bob is a smart man (an internationally ranked chess champion) who could have a corner office in a prestigious law firm anywhere. But Bob has a penchant for public service. Double lucky.

Ferguson’s record defending the taxpayers of Washington is a brag board of successful consumer protection and financial recovery from corporations defrauding and price-gouging residents. He negotiated a better opioid settlement for Washington communities to address the crisis and support law enforcement. Ferguson is a tireless advocate for women and children, veterans and military families, environmental and public health, and public safety. Ferguson is on the side of taxpayers and consumers.

I hate to lose a sharp attorney general currently producing curative rain on a world inflamed with injustice, but Ferguson has earned my trust to manage all the moving parts of being a governor. Intelligence is vital for the highest office in Washington state, and I’ll bet on Bob’s brains any day.

It’s refreshingly easy to vote for Democrats top to bottom over Republican plans for tax shelters for unpatriotic tax evaders, state-run child trafficking and plans to kill family farms.

Janet Marugg

Clarkston