Letters to the editor May 8

Unfair attack

Marc Racicot, your letter (What it will take to preserve our republic, April 30) was thoughtful and well written, but unfairly laid at the feet of the president and the Republican Party. We would be able to take it more seriously had you stated what this administration has inherited from years of poor governance. 

Your fourth paragraph extolled the virtues of good governance and we agree. We all want our constitutional republic to be sustained by these virtues. But to attack one party as the sole culprit is not helpful.

You mentioned the chaos and injury and fear created by this administration without any reference to what this country has experienced for the last four years under the previous administration. This current president and his party were elected because we have seen the erosion of the “eternal values” that you spoke of. 

And to your specific point of their reckless behavior; are you sure your concerns rise to the level of unconstitutional? Many constitutional lawyers would disagree with you. There is an urgency to our crumbling foundation that the governing body in Washington, D.C. has failed to address. A nation will not flourish and survive with a national debt in the trillions brought about by both parties.

As for the motives of our present administration it is unfair to attack them. To charge them with only the desire for power and with neglect of legitimate and lawful reform is misleading. They desire the “public good” as do you. I’m assuming that you did not see the interview of eight men assigned to the duty of exposing the wasteful spending in D.C. They were gentlemen. They were very professional in their manner, astute businessmen, not arrogant, and certainly not “gleeful,” but very transparent in informing the country as to the millions of dollars in government waste not to mention what it was being spent on. 

Another very recent interview with DOGE workers has revealed good collaboration with many of the government agencies and their employees. These government employees expressed their gratefulness to DOGE for being empowered to do their jobs well. Admittedly, mistakes have been made by the DOGE team and Mr. Musk said that corrections were being made.

Concerning the president, many of us cannot excuse his manner or his mouth but he seems to understand what this country needs at this present time. If our founding fathers lived in this time they would work hard to preserve the Constitution but they would also be appalled at our national debt, the enormous federal bureaucracy, the leaning toward socialism, the moral and sexual revolution, the corruption of higher education and the overreach of the judiciary.

There are always two sides to a story.

— Susan Sullivan, Kalispell

Stand up for Medicaid

Many of the extreme attacks on our government by the current administration worry me. After 40 years as a physician, I’m compelled to speak out against the assault on our health care.

Congress, the president and the billionaire-led DOGE are rushing to dismantle decades of progress. Medicaid now covers pregnant women, children, working families (92% of Medicaid enrollees are employed), the disabled (including veterans) and seniors who rely on long-term care. Expanding this coverage isn’t just the ethical thing to do; it’s fiscally responsible.

Coordinated care reduces costly emergency interventions. Claims that Medicaid cuts are necessary to reduce waste and fraud are a smokescreen. In fact, Medicaid, Medicare, the Indian Health Service and the VA spend less on administrative costs than the insurance industry. Unlike private insurers, these programs aren’t funding shareholder profits or bloated CEO salaries.

We already spend more on health care than any other country — yet our health outcomes fall far behind. For decades, health care providers, administrators, researchers, bureaucrats and politicians have worked toward a better system. More Americans have health insurance coverage than ever before thanks to their efforts. Clearly, our system needs reform — but indiscriminate cuts aren’t the path to making America healthier again.

Here in Montana, everyone would feel the impact of Medicaid cuts. Clinics would close. Rural hospitals would struggle. Patients would lose care. Even the Montana Legislature, despite ideological resistance, has continued Medicaid expansion because the need is undeniable.

Now, Congress is considering budget proposals that would gut Medicaid, despite widespread popularity of Medicaid among Americans. If passed, these cuts will hurt our communities. I urge our representatives to do what’s right and vote for their constituents’ best interests, not those of the rich and powerful. Stand up for your constituents and protect Medicaid.

— Dr. Lisa Fleischer, Kalispell

No experience, no wisdom

As a follow up to Ben Long’s opinion letter regarding Evergreen House District 8 Rep. Lukas Schubert (May 6), I couldn’t agree more. 

According to the Independent Record , of the 33 bills Schubert sponsored, 29 died. That’s a batting average of 0.121. He wouldn’t make a tee-ball team with that average. 

Then he warns other Republicans who don’t vote for his bills, saying, “It would cost them in their next primary election.” Pretty brazen statement. 

He now wants to exonerate Derek Chauvin in Minnesota (the Gopher State). Buddy, that ship has sailed. What we don’t need is any “Gopher” beholding to the rank and file of the Senate president along with our distinguished head of the Montana Republican party in which they say, “Jump Mr. Schubert, and he replies, how high?” In this case how low can he go?

I urge Mr. Schubert to use some common sense in his next run, and I don’t mean for re-election but a run or walk along the sidewalks of Evergreen which his predecessor helped to create and ponder how he can really help the people of Evergreen. That includes School District 50, which supports many of the special needs kids in the valley, Evergreen Fire Rescue, or perhaps get more funding to continue sidewalk expansion. The problem is Mr. Schubert has forgotten about his constituents and promotes lame brain individual agendas.

If this is the best the Republican party can do, we’re in tough shape.

— Rob Tracy, Bigfork