LETTER: A practical solution to climate change?

We are being told that the vast majority of scientists believe that humans are increasing carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere and therefore bringing about destructive climate change.

We are also being told that climate change is the biggest threat facing mankind. We are being told that carbon dioxide levels have to be reduced. If what we are being told is true, I am here to tell you that I am aware of a solution to this problem existing here in the Flathead Valley.

We are being told by the vast majority of scientists that trees and other plants consume carbon dioxide and with the aid of photosynthesis (sunlight) produce cellulose containing carbon and at the same time release oxygen. In the case of trees, cellulose is wood. So every piece of wood contains carbon taken from carbon dioxide and stores it. We are also being told by the vast majority of scientists that young trees consume carbon dioxide faster than older mature trees.

These same scientists will tell us that forest fires produce huge amounts of carbon that is released into our atmosphere. Well, we can be thankful that there are groups of people in the Flathead Valley who are working very hard to solve the global carbon dioxide problem.

I want to give a huge shout out to the wonderful men and women who are sharing with us large quantities of carbon that has been sequestered in wood. Please join me in thanking the following folks: Weyerhaeuser/Plum Creek, F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber, the U.S. Forest Service, the Montana State Department of Natural Resources, building material suppliers, contractors, builders, homebuyers and others. They are all contributing to the solution.

Every tree that is processed into wood products is locking up carbon and preventing devastating forest fires. The wood is being processed here in the valley using our wonderful source of green, renewable hydro power. Win, win. Many new trees sprout and grow as a result of removing the shadow of the large trees. With each new tree that is allowed to sprout and grow, more carbon dioxide is captured and sequestered.

I also want to thank the vast majority of scientists for telling me how important the actions of the above named groups are in helping the environment and saving mankind. I am going to do my part by encouraging more production and use of wood products so we can lock up more of that bad carbon. —Richard “Grif” Griffin, Kalispell

What if Trump got elected? Would GOP heads explode?

Consider this just for fun: Regardless of all his bluster, absurd rhetoric, harsh retaliation when challenged and rather strange way of answering whatever the question is with comments on how great he is; regardless of all this, Donald Trump could sail through the Republican primary, go on to win the general election and find himself sitting in the Oval Office in January 2017. This could happen.

Let’s assume he is a man who listens to well-chosen advisers he values and trusts. Let’s assume he is a willing student of U.S. and world affairs. Let’s assume he has the will and capacity to grasp the enormity of the office of president of the United States of America. Let’s assume he knows how to gather good people around him, charm his adversaries and make sensible appointments.

I use all these “let’s assume” propositions because this man, Donald Trump, the head of the huge Trump empire, is a man who does understand fiscal responsibility, does know how to engage in discussions of significant importance, can negotiate and has an impressive bearing and a lot of energy. He has also had experience dealing with many, many different people in his business dealings. He is not without experience.

Another interesting and related thought on all this: If Trump is our next president, will the leaders of the Republican Party continue their disdain of this man or will they have accepted him and backed him by that time? If they don’t back him, will they do the same thing to him that they did to Obama and block everything he, as president, attempts to accomplish through the legislative process?

This raises the question, how many times can you cut your own throat before you totally bleed out? It seems unbelievable that the party leadership might cut their throat again. What an interesting time in American political life. Is there a Grand Old Party anymore?

Remember, we are considering this just for fun. —Bob McClellan, Polson

Vets getting runaround?

Do you remember when Congress passed the Veterans Choice bill? Well, it may sound good but here is what I think about it. It’s just another thing that the government can’t get right.

Yes, it sounds good, and they can brag about helping vets and just maybe it is helping some, and I hope it is, but I doubt if very many.

Now I have used the local veterans clinic here almost from the time they started and have nothing but good to say about the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff. They are kind, caring and I believe have nothing but our best interests at heart.

I have also had cancer surgery at Fort Harrison and was confined and treated there for blood clots in my lungs. I can honestly say I have never had better care in any other hospital.

Now, on to my complaint. The V.A. furnishes eyeglasses to vets and before Congress got involved with their choice program, you just got your doctor to OK an exam, which you got and your prescription was sent to the fort and within about three weeks you had your glasses.

Last year, about the first of September, I requested an exam. It took to almost the end of November and after three phonecalls from Veterans Choice to get an appointment, which they made for me, they were billed on Nov. 20 and to date have not paid the provider. It took almost until the end of March to get my glasses. That’s almost four months, and I believe I got them only because Sen. Daines’ office was hounding them, and then I could not use them because the prescription was wrong.

I have talked to several other vets and some are even employed by the Veterans Administration, and get the same thing from them: It was good before Congress got involved, but now I am getting billed for something I should not be. You know they tell you if you have an emergency, you can first go to a hospital before notifying them for approval. No way would I count on them. I can visualize a bill so large that you would lose everything before they got around to paying, if they ever did.

Fortunately in my case, I have Medicare but we have a lot of younger vets that could go through hell trying to get their bills paid, as I understand this whole program was outsourced to a private company, and it appears to me like Congress just does not care enough to see that it’s being run right.

—Glen Hook, Kalispell