Letters to the editor: miscarriage, supporting veterans, women’s rights and others

Miscarriage care

In the mid-1990’s I was the OB doctor on call for an ER called to evaluate a patient who was hemorrhaging from an incomplete miscarriage. She lost half her blood volume in the first 30 minutes in the hospital. The placenta was detaching itself and the fetus was trying to deliver sideways. The only treatment to stop the bleeding was to remove the fetus and placenta. The fetus was 22 weeks with no chance of survival but had a heartbeat for a short time. To avoid hemorrhagic shock in the mother she was taken to the OR immediately and after a short stay in the ICU she recovered. Unfortunately for myself and the OR crew, the state legislature had just enacted a strict abortion law that made what we did illegal. Luckily, no criminal referral was made. Laws which try to regulate pregnancy are too clumsy to account for the different medical scenarios that can arise. Idahoans, with one of the highest COVID death rates, resisted mask mandates due to personal freedom. Now women are told they have no control over their health even if raped. So let’s watch the bodies stack up, Idaho. It’s the Idaho way.

Cynthia Lee Brooke, Meridian

Supporting veterans

Our senators say they support veterans, but we see that is not true by their actions in DC I ask them, “Senator Crapo and Senator Risch, Why did you vote against helping our veterans?

“The PACT bill would provide medical benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins during their military service.”

Jean Weingartner, Boise

Women’s rights

With regard to blocking the federal government from using federal property for abortion services quoted in The Idaho Sun and later in The Idaho Press, U. S. Sen. Jim Risch says: “Attempting to bypass states that have made the commitment to treat every human life with respect and dignity is shameless and unacceptable, and we must ensure this option is not on the table. States must be free to stand up for the unborn.”

Excuse me, Sen. Risch, but what happened to treating women with respect and dignity and standing up for the rights of women?

Scott Herndon, the Republican nominee for the Idaho Senate from North Idaho has compared abortion to slavery, saying it is a human rights violation. And what is enforced pregnancy but a violation of human rights and a form of slavery?

Women are not baby breeding robots; they are also living, breathing human beings with rights — which have now been stripped away from them. Where is the respect and dignity in that? Give women back the right to choose.

Bertha Barton, Boise

Protecting robbery

How would you feel if you found out that someone has been robbing you? Mad, right? Now, what do you do when you find out that the people you put in charge to protect you are working with the robber? Double mad. Well, that is what your Sen. Mike Crapo is doing in Washington. He and his fellow Republicans are working with the pharmaceutical companies to keep prescription drugs price at an all-time high.

You would think that a company that is making a profit, selling their medication to other countries would have no problem selling you the product at the same price. But no when they can charge you over 100% more and it appears that your elected officials are joining them.

Now, maybe you are wondering what else they have done to block laws that would save you money? How about Medicare as a public option for health care? How much are you paying in taxes for city, county, state and federal workers’ health insurance? Billions. You could be saving over a thousand dollars a month with a public option. Money that I am sure you could use with the high cost of everything today.

Jerry Johnson, Payette

Elect Democrats

I am a third-generation Idahoan and have lived in various parts of the state. Although I am a proud life-long Democrat, I have worked beside and been friends with hundreds of Idaho Republicans who are as dismayed as I am by the direction of their party.

At this month’s Idaho Republican Convention, the delegates overwhelmingly voted to oppose abortion even if the life of the mother is at mortal risk (how is that pro-life?), control the form of birth control a person can use, overturn marriage equality, eliminate public education, and restrict voting rights. How is this the party that once espoused small government, local control and individual rights?

The newly elected chair of the Republican Party stated: “Our guns are loaded and ready to keep this state free”, apparently endorsing violence against those with differing views. Ms. Moon needs to recognize that Idaho was much more “free” before she and her other radicalized transplants moved in.

If you’re ready to fight back against the extreme, out-of-touch Idaho GOP agenda, help elect Democrats in Idaho.

Carol Richel, Eagle

Affordable housing

Kudos to the City of Meridian for allocating $552,000 of American Rescue Plan funds to support the development of affordable housing in Meridian. This housing is urgently needed by hard-working Meridian residents who are rapidly being priced out of rental housing due to skyrocketing rents. Affordable housing tenants pay approximately 30% of their income for housing, leaving money in their budgets for groceries, childcare, health care and other necessities. Affordable housing enables people in service jobs to live closer to where they work. A win for workers, a win for employers. It’s even a win for the environment.

A strong community provides opportunities for and protects the interests of all its citizens. I hope Mayor Simison will reevaluate his reluctance to use city funds for affordable housing in the future. No one wins when low-income families fall out of housing and into homelessness. Let’s keep Meridian a great place to live — for everyone.

Lila Fetherolf, Meridian