Public backs Obama
One would think from reading the letters in the Tribune that the public was overwhelmingly against President Obama's proposals designed to reduce the amount of gun violence.
However, in late January, Gallup reported results of a national poll on the president's specific proposals. All had majority public support, including universal background checks, 91 percent; increasing mental health spending, 82 percent; more training for law enforcement and school officials on response to armed attacks, 79 percent; increased penalties for buying a firearm for someone who hasn't passed a background check, 75 percent; more federal assistance for keeping police officers on the street, 70 percent; assist schools to develop emergency response plans, 69 percent; banning armor-piercing bullets except for military or law enforcement, 67 percent; reinstate ban on assault weapons, 60 percent; limit sale of ammunition magazines to 10 rounds or less, 54 percent.
When the results were broken down by political party, support by Democrats was generally somewhat stronger, but a majority of Republicans also favored all these measures, except for the assault weapons ban, which garnered 49 percent GOP support, and limits on ammunition clips, with 39 percent in favor. Universal background checks were supported by 97 percent of Democrats, 86 percent of independents and 92 percent of Republicans.
Bill Lipe
Moscow
Big trucks bill unwelcomed
Bennett Lumber Products is opposed to Senate Bill 1117, which would allow larger-capacity trucks by increasing the weight limit from 105,500 to 129,000 pounds. ...
We have been opposed to increasing the length and weight of trucks for many years. Northern Idaho highways are not designed for heavier/longer trucks. Northern Idaho highways are not properly structured and designed for the longer, heavier trucks that will start to migrate through the area immediately after this bill passes. Northern Idaho roads are mountainous, twisting and experience a much wetter climate than southern Idaho's highways, which are more properly suited to handle the longer, heavier configurations.
U.S. Highway 95 needs a lot more redesign and has several alignment issues to be handled before this bill passes. Reisenauer Hill ... is a perfect example. It has a higher incident rate of accidents
As a battalion chief for the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department, I have personal experience with this notorious stretch of highway. If the trucks are allowed to be longer and heavier, this will only be a recipe for disaster and many more innocent lives will be lost.
The Idaho Legislature should deal with the safety of these roads before it approves extra-heavy trucks.
This bill keeps being proposed each year, but still there is not enough funding to deal with the current issues, much less the increased damage that will occur with these heavier trucks!
A better proposal would be to put this on an election ballot as an initiative for the voters to decide.
Brett Bennett
Bennett Lumber
Products, Inc.
Princeton
Where's common sense?
When did Idahoans lose their ability to use common sense? I thought the idea was to keep guns out of the schools. If we arm our teachers and volunteer civilians to keep our kids safe, we might as well send them to a prison to learn instead of a school.
If the National Rifle Association really wants to help our children, it can build a new high school and leave the guns at home where they belong.
We need to do what's right for our kids and Idaho. We need to take a stand against hate and bullying, which is the real reason behind most school shootings.
We need to elect people to office who will do what's right for Idaho and not what's best for their political career.
And I would hope our sheriff would stop anyone walking around with an assault riffle, not pass them by just because he has the right to bear arms.
Bryce Wilson
Lewiston
