Letters to the editor Aug. 30

CHIPS good for business

Computers are increasingly dominate our lives through PCs, smartphones, vehicles and more. But a high proportion of semiconductor chips to run computers are fabricated in Asia, particularly China. That raises supply chain issues and puts the U.S. at security risk by unfriendly nations.

In a rare fit of bipartisanship, Congress passed the CHIPS Act to encourage domestic semiconductor production through incentives and tax breaks for fabrication plants, workforce training and R&D. A Wall Street Journal op-ed in the Aug. 1 Inter Lake shows what’s wrong with many U.S. corporate models.

First, the WSJ warned CHIPS and local production would require higher wages, maybe even union wages. So sweat shop wages are more important than domestic security?

Second, CHIPS can’t be used to buy back stock or issue dividends. So companies actually have to produce something, not just further enrich CEOs and investors.

Lastly, funds have to be used in the U.S., not on overseas operations. That’s the whole point, to create U.S. jobs and make supplies more secure. Companies can invest overseas, just don’t expect taxpayers to subsidize it.

CHIPS could encourage more investment and jobs in plants like Applied Materials locally and REC Silicon in Butte. And that’s good business.

— Jim Vashro, Kalispell

Above and beyond

I just wanted to give a huge shout out and thank you to Matt at AutoZone in Kalispell.

My wife and I were travelling from Canada to Kalispell for a weekend getaway. Shortly after crossing the Carway border on Aug. 20 I noticed that the front brakes were starting to grind a bit and I thought I had picked up a rock in the brake shoe. By the time I pulled into Kalispell the brakes were grinding metal on metal and I knew my front pad was shot.

I took the vehicle to a major tire and auto service dealer who inspected the vehicle and confirmed I needed new pads. They came back with an $800 estimate and explained that they just don’t replace the pads but do a complete brake rebuild because of reliability.

I explained that I just needed pads put in to get me back to Canada. I tried to get them to just put in the pads but they refused. I asked if they knew a mechanic who would put in pads if I bought them, but they did not know of any. I tried a couple of shops but by now it was nearly 5 p.m. on a Saturday and wasn’t having much luck. Zero chance on the Sunday I assumed, and I had to be back at the border on Monday by 11 a.m.

I decided that I would pick up some pads in case I did find some. This is where super Matt comes to the rescue.

I phoned AutoZone and they indicated they had them in stock and offered me different grades a pricing. I asked if they knew a backyard mechanic and Matt offered to put them in for me after he got off work at 9 p.m. He gave me his number, address and the time to me him. I arrived during a thunderstorm and he changed the pads right there in his driveway while I held the light and umbrella. He didn’t want much for his time but I gave him more anyway. Made my way back home on Monday without any problems whatsoever.

Thanks again, Matt. Your expertise and dedication to customer service is a asset to you your community and to AutoZone.

— Les Squires, Ponoka, Alberta

Rebuttal to FBI criticism

The three liberal letters attacking my criticism of the corrupt FBI and Justice Department leadership in the Aug. 23 Inter Lake were humorous, though expected.

During my internship in 1970 at the University of Minnesota, I lived in an apartment complex with several rank-and-file FBI agents, most of whom were lawyers and all of whom were smart and measured in their views of the proper use of their authority. None were out-of-control political operatives like the current FBI leadership. I am quite sure they would not have carried out orders (like the Mar-a-Lago raid) had they doubts about their legitimacy.

Martin is half correct: Wray was appointed by former President Trump (I’m quite sure he regrets that now), but Trump had nothing to do with the selection of the biased Judge magistrate Reinhart since all magistrate judges are selected by judges on the federal district court. Perhaps you should stop watching only CNN biased “news” shows.

Weed — what can I say? So many lies and so little space to respond.

As for classified documents, check out Sandy Berger’s jockey shorts. He may still have a few of Clinton’s stuffed in a secret compartment.

Check Zuckerberg’s latest interview where he was told by the FBI to shut down anything on Hunter Biden’s laptop as Russian disinformation three weeks before the election after FBI and Wray deep-sixed it for a year. Dare I mention lying Hillary and her private email server which might have been a tad easier to hack than getting the secret service into a locked room in Mar-a-Lago.

The Dems failed every attempt to “get” Trump while in office. This attempt to keep him from running will likely fail also.

— David Myerowitz, Columbia Falls