Letters to the editor: Supreme Court precedent, Ammon Bundy, abortion, STEM workers, Jan. 6

Nightmare scenario

A nightmare scenario that could be coming soon to Idaho: A young woman is raped by a family member and forced out of the house. She is forced to carry the baby to term because abortion and other reproductive health care are outlawed. She has health issues following the birth, has no funds for daycare, cannot find employment, has no access to a vehicle, cannot obtain ID, has no way to vote.

Alternative scenario: This woman gets timely access to reproductive health care.

She is able to choose when to have a baby. She finds work, is eligible for child care, gets an education, finds a better job, rents an apartment, buys a used car, exercises her right to vote and raises the next governor of Idaho! This could be a next door neighbor, student, friend, family member — or you. Our votes have the power to help everyone make their best contribution to a healthy, safe, and economically strong Idaho and nation.

Pei-Lin Yu, Boise

Overturning precedent

Today Justice Clarence Thomas called on his fellow Supreme Court Justices to immediately overturn Loving v. Virginia citing that as an egregious mistake and that the Constitution did not mention interracial marriage.

Darwin Roy, Mayfield

Women’s rights

Women of Idaho. I’m your neighbor in Washington where we value women’s rights. We value gay rights. We value trans lives.

I invite any woman who cannot get a legal abortion in Idaho to come to Washington where your rights are protected. I can provide housing. I can help with transportation.

Abortions are our right.

Nancy Schultz, Vancouver, Washington

Jan. 6

The fifth congressional hearing on the Jan. 6 event taught us a lot.

The good news: there are still good guys in high places in government.

The bad news: bad guys willing to believe anything and do anything for riches and power can be found most anywhere and anytime, both in Congress and the executive branch.

The horrible news: The sacred political party of Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan in just a few years’ time has become as ignorant, corrupt, and out of control as the party of any medieval Asian despot or bad seed European king and his courtiers ever were.

The even more horrible news: A large portion of the American electorate, supposedly knowledgeable about history and government because they attended school for twelve years, are happy to go along with it all.

Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah

COMPETES Act

Failure to promote the best and brightest to join our STEM workforce threatens our global competitive advantage. Thankfully, lawmakers can take steps to ensure America remains the global leader in innovation and next-gen technology developments needed to support national security and the economy in the 21st century.

The House-passed America COMPETES Act and Senate-passed United States Innovation and Competition Act would promote these goals and differences between these bills are being debated by Sens. Crapo, Risch, and their colleagues as we speak. However, only the COMPETES Act has provisions that would retain international talent in STEM. Without these reforms, our nation will not be able to keep up with global competitors like China and instead send U.S.-educated talent to man the cybersecurity efforts of adversaries like Russia.

I encourage Sens. Crapo and Risch to find a compromise between these bills to ensure foreign-born STEM provisions are included.

Ivan Castillo, Nampa

Extremist? No! Extreme? Yes!

Ammon Bundy is often labeled as “an extremist.” No, Bundy is not “an extremist.” Yes, Bundy is extreme: extreme for liberty, parental rights, property rights, constitutional rights and natural human rights!

Although never convicted of a violent crime, Bundy was jailed for peaceful protests and protecting the liberty of others. He spent two years in federal prison (almost a year in solitary) and was found innocent. Who else was similarly jailed? Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and Joseph Smith.

Yes, I support Bundy for governor. You may not agree with all of Bundy’s positions; neither do I. However, all Idahoans should support candidates with a record: a record of fighting for liberty and natural rights, even risking imprisonment to defend the rights of others.

Several freedom candidates in the May 2022 primary lost to well-funded, establishment incumbents who rarely used or embodied the words “freedom,” “liberty,” “rights” or “Constitution.” Idaho must stand for liberty in November. I see no other governor candidate with Ammon Bundy’s long record of being extreme for natural rights while also exhibiting executive ability, team-building skills, business acumen and boundless energy. Do you?

Elizabeth Olson, Eagle

Rebate

Dear Gov. Little,

I received my tax rebate: the princely sum of $182.52. Thank you.

As a retired person living on my pension and savings, I contemplated the best use of this windfall. Enough for a mortgage payment? Hardly. Enough to make a dent in my property taxes? Nowhere near. Enough to fill the gas tank on my aging truck? Barely twice. Not even quite enough for a round-trip flight to Las Vegas.

Therefore, I have decided to donate this amount to the campaigns of candidates who might actually do something to improve conditions in our Great State of Idaho.

Judy Roesbery, Garden City

Federal funds

The people of Idaho should know that our legislature is holding a billion federal dollars captive. This money could help schools, people who need help with rent, small businesses, and various issues related to the pandemic. This money will soon be returned and given to states that are willing to use it.

My question is why are we not using this money? What does it gain our men and women in the legislature to withhold these funds?

My next question is to the people of Idaho, why are you voting for people who refuse to help you or your neighbors in need? Is this the Idaho Kind that I am always reading about?

Can we in Ada County please have our share of this money to help our city and people and businesses in our community?

What is wrong with our legislators?

Marla Toledo, Boise