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Clean Power Plan is needed

It is critical to look at the true consequences of the recent proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan, the largest effort to cut climate pollution in the United States. The proposed repeal puts our health, our economy, our lives, and our future at risk. The Clean Power Plan would require states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and accelerate a shift toward renewable energy. Many states are already doing this and in fact the market is demanding a transition to renewable energy. Clean energy creates new jobs, prioritizes human health and the health of the land, and leaves the world better for future generations.

Analysis shows that the Clean Power Plan would prevent 90,000 pediatric asthma attacks and up to 4,500 premature deaths every year by 2030. Repealing the Clean Power Plan threatens the health of everyone, but some populations are at a higher risk, including children, older adults, and those with preexisting illness.

Repealing the Clean Power Plan is harmful and reckless. Faithless to its mission to protect human health and the environment and to reduce air pollution, the EPA’s new action reflects a strong preference for protecting fossil fuel interests over people. Repealing the carbon pollution standards is just one of many actions EPA has taken to undermine public health safeguards.

We need to reduce carbon emissions and prioritize the health of Montanans and all Americans and protect the lifesaving Clean Power Plan. —Emily Crawford, Kalispell

Moore was loser, but so is much of political world

Roy Moore deserved to lose. I wouldn’t want him serving me a hot dog. The Chinese say a picture is worth a thousand words, and Moore’s photo, galloping down paved streets in Alabama on a white stallion in a 10-gallon cowboy hat, stunned me.

My own uncle died over Austria on April 15, 1945, dropping underground fighters, two weeks before the end of World War II in a struggle against tyranny and genocide. I also served in the Air Force and found Roy Moore’s antics to be infantile and volatile; considering he wanted to govern in the United States Senate. He was a loose cannon. What does a poor man in Alabama see when that imperial image comes striding by? Has Roy Moore no historical recollection? Had he ever served in the military?

So now, politicians rear their ugly head to impose a novel posture of sexual morality. But it finds itself cutting off its own head. We will see more wild gestures by both political sides struggling to find a compass. Cowboy hats and horses, or third-gender restrooms, don’t change a nation’s lack of integrity, especially when robbing citizens through grandiose taxes.

We now know the once incorruptible FBI, is very corrupt. It became an arm of a leftist regime of the Clinton Foundation, and our biggest politicians, Obama and Clinton, were both worshiping “Hollywood Harvey” Weinstein. Do you expect loyalty and sacrifice in our military for arrogant thieves that consider the common citizen “deplorable.” We have a short reprieve in a unique presidency, but an arsenal of poison and lies continues to flow from a controlled, corrupt media. “Freedom of the press” has all but vanished, and old men jumping on white stallions of main street, Alabama, don’t inspire me. —Mike Donohue, Kalispell

Tax and spend? Could be worse

Here they are again. Those pesky tax and spend Democrats throwing obstacles in the way of Republican progress on tax reform. When will they ever learn?

But wait a minute. If we believe that one of Congress’ fiduciary responsibilities is to protect the American taxpayer and good faith in the United States, then tax and spend takes on a different connotation. At least it implies that if we are to spend, we need to somehow pay for it. That’s called fiscal responsibility.

The Senate just passed a bill that, among other things, adds a guaranteed $1 trillion to the national debt, and possibly as much as $1.5 trillion, all on the nation’s credit card. I’m sure that our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and beyond will forever be grateful for the blessing.

So maybe tax and spend is less an indictment than a virtue. And maybe Democrats should quit running from it and embrace it. At least it offers an alternative to the abyss we are rushing toward. —Robert Harris, Whitefish

Thanks for story on radar base

Kudos to Lynnette Hintze for the feature article of the Air Force Base in Lakeside (Nov. 19 Inter Lake) and to Brenda Ahearn for her photos.

My intent was to inform John and Jill Q. Public of the fact that there was an Air Force Base in Lakeside. Oh sure, many of the old timers remember, but there’s been an influx of so many new people that don’t have a clue that a base was here.

After the base closed, in 1978, Youth With A Mission (a religious group) took over the grounds, and they have maintained and remodeled the site.

The Topsite (Blacktail Mountain) had three radomes (bubbles) that housed radar antenna, but now have only one in operation. The Topsite is now home to the Blacktail Ski Resort.

I was assigned here in April 1963, and left for a year in 1968, and I was reassigned here in 1969, and retired in 1972.

In addition to our regular duties, we volunteered our services to the community by helping fight forest fires, sandbagging during the flood of 1964, and finally (hard to believe) “boot packing” on Big Mountain! Yes ... really!

After the article came out, I heard from former airmen who now live on the East and West coasts, Florida, California, Texas, Arizona and points in between. The Inter Lake gets around! Thank you. —Tony Adrignola, Rollins

Paper’s coverage slanted against Trump?

I find it very interesting that all stories about President Trump that are published in your paper have a negative tone. The wonderful news about the benefits of the new tax plan was put on Page A6 towards the bottom of the page and the implied negative about charity giving was on Page A1.

Personally I think that what large corporations are planning will put more money in taxpayers’ pockets and people can choose what to do with that extra money ... save it, spend it, or give to charity. More people with jobs and better paying ones at that, is a good thing. I am so tired of people and media trying to tear down our government and our country. Whatever happened to our patriotism and love of country? Republican, Democrat, independent, we all should work together, support each other and together we will make this country great again. —Dona Taylor, Kissimmee, Florida