Letters to the editor Dec. 3

Preserving Montana history

We were pleased to read recent articles about planned upgrades of two historic buildings in our area. The O’Brien/Somers mansion article is welcome news! We always note the fine old building when we drive by Somers, and have hoped it could be rehabilitated. Now that seems to be coming about.

Secondly, the recent article about the Texas couple buying the Kalispell Grand Hotel and plans to remodel and upgrade was welcomed.

This brings to mind similar Montana historic sites we are fond of. Before moving to Lake County 10 years ago, we lived in Great Falls. We were only 40 miles from the Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton, and went there frequently to dine at the very fine restaurant for special occasions, to take out-of-state visitors, and a couple of times to stay overnight, including a fine New Year’s Eve stay in 1999.

The Grand Union was finished in 1882, to serve railroad passengers, and it was architecturally well designed and elegant. When the railroads by-passed Fort Benton, it fell into disuse or little use for a long time. It was bought and beautifully restored in the 1990s by Cheryl Gagnon and family, to a fully modern facility and retaining the original design and elegance. We have visited less often since moving here, but we find it is still maintaining its quality and appeal.

The Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks is another historical place Montanans can be proud of. It was built in 1910, and has operated continuously. It has been remodeled twice, the last time in 2009 by the present owners. We celebrated Connie’s birthday there last September, visiting overnight with friends and having an excellent dinner. It is comfortable, charming and another treasure, as is the Grand Union.

It is great to read of the purchase and plans for these two properties in the Kalispell area, and we wish every success to the new owners.

—Kenneth W. Moss and Connie Moss, Polson

Let the market decide

Once again, the climate change lunacy resumes —this time in the form of energy policy. The argument this time is the need to transition to “clean energy.” A response:

1.If you believe that humans are the primary cause of global warming, you’re at best ideologically blind. The effects of the sun’s activity, oceanic oscillations, stochastic events (volcanoes, fires, etc.), and nature’s proclivity to balance itself are far, far more at cause for warming or cooling.

2.Committing to irresponsible programs like a carbon dividend (a carbon tax program under another name) process would be a bureaucratic nightmare costing the consumer far more money than is already being spent on highly-subsidized clean energy programs.

3.In the Northwest, we are already paying a 20-30% subsidy to clean energy producers. An industry that is approximately 30-40% efficient cannot exist without subsidies, and that’s where we are with clean energy programs. The consumer pays for those subsidies, and always will.

4.Governors like those on the West Coast have been told repeatedly that they are risking brownouts and blackouts of a massive scale during periods of peak demand without adequate backup systems such as fossil fuel energy systems. California has experienced those brownouts in the past two years, and those shortages are quite likely to get more severe.

I could go on and on about the ridiculousness of the subsidy programs put in place over the years to promote so-called clean energy programs. The lunacy of such policies is breathtakingly stupid.

What to do? Put in place an “all production means on deck” policy, and let the market decide — with a business person (not politicians and ideologues) in charge. Abundant, cheap, and reliable energy is a tremendous competing advantage in the existing business world.

Let’s put aside the nonsensical ideology and get with it!

—William Gehling, Lakeside

Let’s join together

I lost a friend to Covid-19 yesterday. She was young and should have had many more years. Have you lost a friend or family member to Covid-19? Is someone in your family Covid-19 positive? I hope not. It’s a terrible time!

If we look back to World War II, people joined together – rationed food, tires, gas, and more for several years. Our lives are different now; most of us have access to food and shelter. We have people to love and care for, including our friends and neighbors who should be protected, too.

Let’s join together, not physically but virtually. Call a friend. Please wear your mask and wash your hands. It doesn’t hurt.

Next year, we can embrace each other in larger gatherings. This year, instead, let’s open our hearts to others, protect their futures, and wear masks.

Thanks for caring,

—Diane Grant, Ronan

Biden can’t heal the country

So now Old Joe wants to “heal the nation.” But words are cheap. He has had many chances to promote healing over the last four years, but instead of taking advantage of those opportunities he threw gas on the fire.

Lest we forget, it was the liberals who started this fight four years ago. By this time in the Trump ascendancy, The Washington Post had already called for Trump’s impeachment and Nancy Pelosi had announced her tactic of resist and fight. Then Democrats and the mainstream media, went on a four-year attack against Trump, the presidency and anything in the way of conservative thought or opinion, with Nancy continuing to fight, insult and demonize President Trump at every opportunity. Then, she and the left initiated the fake Russian investigations which went on for two years followed by the bogus impeachment inquiry with good old Joe joining in. Now let’s all be friends?

When our country started into the pandemic and President Trump worked tirelessly to provide our governors a pathway to safety without prompting an economic collapse, was Joe there to bring us together in the effort? Of course not. Rather, spying political advantage, he piled on, even blaming the President for every death. Joe could have advocated for unity then, but to do it now?

More importantly, if Joe were a strong leader and not just a politician, and if he truly wanted to cement his legitimacy and really start healing our country, he would insist that inquiries into voting fraud and irregularities be fully investigated to the satisfaction of all citizens of our country instead of calling for counting all votes no matter if legal, illegal, verified or unverified and/or sent in on time. But Joe is not a statesman, he is the quintessential politician, so he doesn’t care if half of the country believes there was significant fraud, particularly in our major cities, as long as he wins.

Joe can’t heal our country because he’s just a politician and because he is controlled by the far-left wing of his party which means, unfortunately, the division within our country is going to continue.

—Mark Agather, Kalispell