Letters to the editor Sept. 1
It’s not so bad
In reference to Ina Albert’s Aug. 28 opinion letter, I would like to assure her that hysterically reiterating the common climate crisis talking points doesn’t make them true.
Here are some easily checked facts:
Flathead Lake is at full pool; the valley rivers are just very slightly above, or below, normal flow; the river and streams in Glacier Park are most likely at normal flow rates due to the 100% plus snowpack and warm weather melt; the Hungary Horse reservoir is close to full pool.
The Arctic ice is maintaining its extent for this time of year and the Antarctic is gaining ice according to NASA. The Amazon rain forest is not the top producer of oxygen, the ocean is. Another large producer is grass. A healthy lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four’s needs. All green plants love CO2 (their natural fertilizer) and give off oxygen.
Killer storms and flooding are frequent, but not record-setting, or even as frequent as in the past century. Our current string of 90+ degree days is not record-setting either; the state high record was 117 degrees in 1893; Kalispell’s record 105 degrees high occurred in 1961.
Lake Mead’s situation is indeed a crisis, but in my opinion it’s not due to manmade climate change. The drought exacerbates the problem which is an overpopulation of the southwest states. Over eight times the number of people as in the 1930s, when the Hoover Dam was built, depend on an allotment of water and electricity from the dam. President Biden should work on this instead of causing a headlong rush to our country’s bankruptcy, fighting a crisis, which is neither a crisis nor human-caused.
The climate has always changed; we humans have an insignificant effect on the changes. So, smile and water your lawn!
— Gary Goers, Kalispell
What ‘defund the police’ means
I continue to be frustrated at how many people misconstrue the term “defund the police.” It does not mean lessen monies for the department, but to re-allocate some funds for such critical services as response to 911 calls with mental health professionals.
It is, of course, useful to truly teach officers of the court how to de-escalate response to people exhibiting mental health issues, but video I’ve seen have shown a crowd of officers pinning someone down and being very hostile as they tell the person to calm down. I understand adrenaline is running high, so it behooves instructors of de-escalation teach techniques to calm themselves down before they take their hostility out on the alleged “perp.” All lives matter; we should all find ways to treat people humanely.
I remember the lead officer in the Capital Beltway murders some years back was criticized for calling the man arrested as “Mr.” and the officer said it was his manner in talking to or about anyone, a habit he learned as a child from his mother.
Surely we can find that in ourselves today.
— Lenny Granger, Columbia Falls
Republican outrage
The Aug. 25 Daily Inter Lake was filled with Republican outrage.
From Don Kaltschmidt’s rant against Monica Tranel, I counted three smears and 11 outright lies. What was really chapping Don’s chaps is the 87,000 IRS agents that will be able to look at millionaires tax returns.
On the front page Sen. Steve Daines was taking credit for the CHIPS Act, which will send billions in tax credits to his high-dollar constituency. But that is a good thing, we should make our own chips. While he was there he lamented how bad it was to forgive student loan debt. The best investment any country can make is to educate its youth. But the Republicans are more interested in the profits of those holding student loan debt. Daines was perfectly happy with former President Trump’s massive tax cut for millionaires like him. Republicans love socialism when it goes into their pockets.
Lastly, lifelong grifter and disgraced Cabinet member Ryan Zinke was called out for some of his misdeeds while Interior secretary. Just what we need, give Zinke another big government paycheck.
— Tom Shaughessy, Kalispell