Letters to the editor Oct. 10

Sheehy and public lands

As an outdoorsman, I would like to know Tim Sheehy’s stand and actions regarding public lands. I have sent two letters to Tim at his website, and have only received a canned response back, which didn’t answer my questions. My questions to Tim Sheehy are really quite simple:

1: What is your stand on FWP’s Block Management program? I understand you have a pretty hefty price tag for hunting on your ranch. Is any of your ranch in the Block Management program? And how many acres?

2: You say “public lands in public hands.” That’s great. How much of your ranch surrounds or is adjacent to either state or federal? Do you provide access to those public lands?

— Rudy Urban, Kalispell

Republican endorsements

I encourage you to vote Tim Sheehy for Senate. His opponent and cohorts continue to villainize Sheehy for his commitment to taking the risks and responsibilities that come with creating start up businesses. They then brag up their candidate who has done nothing but increase your federal deficit since he has been in office through increasing government spending and adding unnecessary federal programs. Vote for the only candidate who understands what it means to take personal responsibility for his decisions. Sheehy for Senate, joined by Ryan Zinke for Congress, and Donald Trump for presiden.

There you have it, but, there’s more. There are three Constitutional Initiatives on the ballot. The first two, CI-126 and CI-127, are initiatives that are poorly conceived and patterned after how California elects their state officials. Stay Montana strong by rejecting both.

The last initiate is CI-128. This initiative significantly increases the number of abortions that are currently allowed in Montana.  Support our Montana morals we hold so dear. Vote no on CI-128.

— Randy Brodehl, Flathead County commissioner

Power to the people

Democracy means power to the people. Political parties play an important role in organizing people, but when they become too powerful, they no longer serve democracy. History has shown how parties can become easy targets for strong-arm tactics and dark money.  

A recent letter to the editor Tod Bernhardt argued that party insiders should remain in control of our elections, not voters. If an Independent other candidate doesn’t satisfy party purists, tough luck, he argues.

But he overlooks the fact that in a democracy, accountability rests in the hands of voters, not parties. Not committees making decisions behind closed doors – decisions that limit our choices on Election Day.

That’s why I am excited to support I-126. Open primaries increase transparency and choices. I-126 will reward elected officials who want to solve problems over those who just cater to their party’s most dogmatic members. I-126 breaks down barriers for everyday folks who want to get involved in our citizen legislature.

Look at the names of the Montanans who are leading this initiative. You will see the names of people you trust, no matter what party you identify with. The people crowing against it tend to be party bosses who are loathe to share the power they have accumulated.

Remember, voting is a right enshrined by the Constitution for the people. Not the party.

— Ben Long, Kalispell

Don’t change the constitution

Ivoterguide.com indicates that every Montana constitutional Initiative you will be voting on this November is liberal.  

CI-126 and CI-127 would subterfuge the election process to favor leftists.  

CI-128 isn’t about “women’s reproductive health” (as they so Machiavellianly assert). It is about codifying the abortion industry into constitutional law. It intentionally contains vague legal language to: extend a woke gender ideology (“pregnant person”), protect unscrupulous medical practices (any “treating health care provider” could perform abortions without recourse for malpractice), and open-ended, no-holds-barred abortion with intent to shut down any future restrictions, all while exposing underage mothers to exploitation and coercion without protection.

Facts: At five days after conception, a chromosomal, blind DNA test confirms the gender and paternity of the child; heartbeat at six weeks; experiences pain at eight weeks; premature baby born at 21 weeks gestation can thrive with medical intervention.

At the crux of this issue is a destructive spirit of fear — the foreboding possibility of an unplanned outcome. Love and faith would say the life created in God’s image holds incalculable potential and promise — one we should not so easily throw away.

Given the well-documented psychological, physiological and financial detriment which precipitates from the decision to kill our unborn offspring, it might give us pause to consider our choice here.

The hard-line, authoritarian approach to codifying abortion would create an unimaginable stronghold of shame for generations to come — a figurative “middle finger to the sky, no turning back” stance that Montana would one day come to regret.  

I believe that (just like slavery, child labor, and eugenics) abortion will one day be looked back upon by the civilized world as a barbaric and cruel historic practice. Consider your choice, Montana. Choose life, so that you and your descendants might live. 

Vote no on CI-128 and no to changing our constitution.

— Brian Friess, Kalispell

Your vote will count

Flathead County elections are secure. I volunteered to be an election judge during the last primary election. To qualify to serve as an election judge, individuals must be registered to vote in the county and attend training conducted by the county election administrator. A detailed Montana election handbook is given to each volunteer.

Voting is secure because the voting equipment has passwords, voters must be registered to vote, and the paper ballot is saved to do a recount if needed. This solves the problem that some voting equipment can be reprogrammed by experts who can change the value of the votes with a cell phone.

I hope you will join the Montana Chamber of Commerce in voting for Dan Wilson and Cory Swanson for the Supreme Court. It is a nonparty race. Your vote will be counted.

— Verdell Jackson, Kalispell