Letters to the editor Oct. 6

Join me in making a difference

Jane Doe gave birth to her baby in a Montana hospital with her left leg shackled to her hospital bed. Even after a nurse questioned Jane’s guard about the necessity of shackling — given that Jane was immobilized with an epidural — she remained shackled through labor and recovery.

Montana is one of 26 states that still allows incarcerated women in labor to be shackled to their delivery beds and has no requirements for prenatal care. Meanwhile the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association have decried labor shacking because it endangers women and unborn babies. Even the federal penal system has banned the practice.

While female inmates represent a small proportion of those incarcerated, women are the fastest growing demographic, according to the Montana ACLU. Of the 250 pregnant women in Montana prisons each year, most are in prime childbearing years. Although some counties and cities have local policies, many do not, and there is no state requirement.

It is untenable that we are leaving the care of pregnant women and their unborn vulnerable to favoritism — whether they are liked by guards. The overwhelming majority of women in jail are young, challenged with early trauma, and charged with drug possession.

We can change this. There simply has been no will to do so in the Montana Legislature. I am running for House District 5, Whitefish. Join me in making a difference and a change for women and their unborn in Montana.

— Cindy Dyson, Whitefish

Clark is a county-wide citizen

Tom Clark, a candidate for Flathead County Commission, is a citizen of Flathead County. He will represent everyone: Democrats, Republicans, and Independents and do what is right for the county and its residents. He is looking forward to having a relationship with all of the communities. Working together, planning for the future in an efficient way.

His past experience, representing members of his community on school boards, proves he does not have to wear the name of a political party to work for the good of his community. He will represent everyone. He knows how to do it. Just talk to his neighbors. Tom Clark has a history of working within a given law; can bring together opposing view points to solve problems by using common goals. Too many of the lawsuits against Flathead County, costing millions of taxpayer dollars, were simply wrongful decisions made by the commissioners. They did not follow the laws that were on the books.

He is a fiscally, experienced conservative, and believes the revenue has to be in place to pay for the decisions that require money. The record of his experience is there to see, as a school board member.

Tom knows Flathead County and Montana. He is a local businessman, a sportsman, a property-owner, a public servant and a family man. He is, by far, the most qualified candidate for the Flathead County Commission. He will do what is right for the county. Join me and others as we seek to bring experience, common goals, and a fiscally responsible public servant to the government of a growing Flathead County. VOTE FOR TOM CLARK.

— JoLynn Yenne, Bigfork

Blair passionate about relevant issues

I have known JoBeth Blair for 14 years and have been her real estate partner for most of them. I’ve always been impressed with her intelligence, her ability to concisely convey her thoughts on various matters and her compassion for others. When she first told me she was running for House representative, I was a little surprised but I shouldn’t have been. She just isn’t a “sit on the sidelines and hope for the best” kind of person. She has always been knowledgeable and passionate about relevant issues and genuinely cares about taking care of our elderly and making sure our children are safe. She is a woman of action. A woman who deeply cares about Montana and its residents. And most of all, a person whom I have every confidence would do an incredibly good job for her district. If you live in House District 11 (Smith Valley, Kila, Foys Lake area, Lower Valley, Somers and Lakeside), I strongly urge you to vote for her! Be sure to vote on Nov. 6.

— Lorri Nelson, Whitefish

The lies just keep on coming

When the Democrats put Sen. Jon Tester up to run against Senator Burns, they couldn’t beat him on the issues, so they concocted a charge against Burns, that he had taken illegal money from special interests. I was living in Helena at the time. The Independent Record ran the charges on the front page for days. Burns denied the allegations, but there was no time to prove they were false. Tester won the election by around 3,500 votes.

The following year all allegations against Burns were proven false. The Independent Record ran the story once, on page 5. Tester was still our Senator, to the embarrassment of many of us.

It was a lie that put him in office, and the lies just keep on coming. Without issues to run on, it is the Democrats first play in their book. Why would you abandon a play that works so well? Meanwhile our Obama/Peloci puppet has done quite well for himself, a multi-millionaire by any standard.

— Jay Trepanier, Kalispell

Tester represents wacky liberals

Jon Tester represents wacky liberals instead of Montana. Don’t believe that? Let’s just look at his voting record since he’s been in the U.S. Senate.

According to ProPublica, a non-partisan vote tracker, Jon Tester (also known as Chuck Schumer Jr.) votes with liberal Elizabeth Warren 86 percent of the time. Tester votes the same way as socialist Bernie Sanders 88 percent of the time. His vote is the same as ultra-liberal Chuck Schumer even more than that, 89 percnet of the time. Meanwhile, according to FiveThirtyEight, another independent vote tracker, Two-Faced Tester votes against the Trump agenda 63 percent of the time. Make America Great Again is far more than just a slogan but is a goal that President Trump believes and is truly trying to accomplish, and Jon Tester wants to stop that from happening. That is typical leftist liberal behavior and needs to be stopped.

For the past 12 years, Jon Tester has voted for the liberal agenda. He does not represent Montana, but instead votes, however, Chuck Schumer tells him to. The numbers do not lie. It’s time that we send someone to Washington who represents our Montana values. That’s why we need to elect Matt Rosendale in November!

— Curt Elam, Kalispell

Shirtliff cares about all of us

Full disclosure, I am Andy’s mother. I am writing to ask for your support for Andy in the election for Public Service Commissioner for Montana. Andy will be a great Commissioner because he cares about all of us. When he is elected you can be sure that he will fight for us all. This includes the utility companies, their employees and all of us who have utility bills. He wants to make sure that as a customer your utility bills will be fair. He wants employers make a fair profit and their employees make a fair wage. He would like all of their businesses to grow and support things like solar and wind power while keeping prices as low as possible.

Throughout this campaign he has reached out to many citizens to discuss what a Public Service Commissioner does and what his plans are. A woman in East Helena was unsure what a PSC does. It was hard for her to get out and about so Andy arranged to meet her and a friend at her home on a Sunday afternoon. Andy visited with them for over 2 hours to explain his position and ideas. He is the type of person you want to represent you. He is willing to discuss all matters with you and listen to your ideas and concerns. Please vote for Andy Shirtliff for PSC.

— Gloria Shirtliff, Kalispell

Gianforte takes citizen-first approach

Two years ago, Montanans voted to elect President Trump because we were tired of career politicians who vote against our Montana values. We then elected Congressman Gianforte to work with President Trump and Senator Daines to fulfill their promises to Montanans, and that’s exactly what Gianforte has done.

Kathleen Williams’ radical socialist policies are an indictment against Montana’s farmers, veterans, seniors, businesses and families. Unlike Kathleen Williams dictatorial approach to governing, Greg Gianforte has a record of listening to Montanans and partnering with President Trump to bring our Montana issues to the forefront of Congress. Because of his citizen-first approach to public service, in his first two months in office, Greg visited all 56 counties to listen to Montanans and make sure their voices were heard in DC. Greg heard from folks all across the state that they support President Trump’s agenda. We must re-elect Greg Gianforte because he gives people from each corner of our state a voice in DC -- and he’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we are heard.

— Fred Hammel, Kalispell

Rosendale’s self-serving legislative record

Matt Rosendale, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Montana, is not very well known to many Montanans. However, he fortunately has a record in the Montana Legislature which voters should understand.

Here are some of the bills which Mr. Rosendale, a land developer, sponsored in the 2011, 2013, and 2015 legislative sessions. Granted, Mr. Rosendale introduced other bills in each legislative session, however his sponsoring self-serving bills to limit land use regulations and assist the development community should give voters pause and concern.

Titles of his sponsored bills include and their disposition are as follows:

Revised county interim zoning laws - 2011 - vetoed

Revise zoning laws for sand and gravel - 2011 - died

Revise interim zoning laws - 2013 - passed

Revise zoning laws for sand and gravel operations - 2013 - vetoed

Provide landlord comply with building code in place at original construction - 2013 - died

Establish the property fairness act - 2013 - died

Generally revise the subdivision laws related to lease or rent requirements - 2013 - passed

I question whether a person with such a self-serving legislative record is what Montanans need in the U.S. Senate. Senator Jon Tester on the other hand has a legislative record of supporting agriculture, veterans, fair banking, Montana’s communities, and many other important and beneficial laws.

Senator Tester deserves re-election and Matt Rosendale needs questioning on his legislative record.

— Chuck Stearns, Whitefish

Tester stands with D.C. liberals

Jon Tester is voting against the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. There is no longer any mystery as to where Senator Tester’s allegiance lies. He stands with Washington D.C. liberals, not conservative Montanans.

Tester will have now voted on 4 Supreme Court Justices in his Senate career. He voted for the two liberals and against the two conservatives. Remember that on November 6th.

— Marcus Esmay, Columbia Falls