Letters: Luna’s optimism on Trump’s legacy is off base. He was a narcissistic menace

I don’t mean to dampen Tom Luna’s guarded optimism for a brighter GOP future, but touting the former president’s fictitious achievements and claiming party leadership can play a role in permanently moving him to the political backwaters, where he belongs, isn’t the answer.

Trump didn’t do anything in four years except stoke his narcissism, stack the Supreme Court with justices who have no qualms about abandoning precedent to further a political agenda, attempt to undermine critical international alliances like NATO, support armed rebellion against the Constitution he swore to defend and uphold, and explode the deficit with tax cuts that most Idahoans won’t even realize. Saying he could or maybe should be remembered as one of the most successful one-term presidents in history is a sick joke.

Trump is out of the spotlight, at least for now, not because the GOP is finally growing a spine, but because he soiled himself in public one too many times, offending the common decency that animates the lives of most Americans. If Luna and the rest of the GOP don’t understand this and continue to pay even the slightest homage to a man who has absolutely no redeeming human qualities and cares nothing for democracy, they will continue their losing streak for years to come.

Trump never had it in him to lead anything except his own parade, and no amount of political Ivermectin is going to change the result.

Douglas Siddoway, Ashton

Government can do a few things

In reply to a recent letter that I sent Sen. Risch, he included this statement, “I know that government cannot create prosperity.” This comment is astounding and troubling for it reflects blatant ignorance and/or willful disinformation. Here are a few facts on federal investments that belie his comment: the Louisiana Purchase, a national transportation system, dams and reservoirs that provide cheap power and water for communities and agriculture, NASA’s research yielding numerous private industry spinoffs and the privatization of space, “proof of concept” fracking prototypes, a bio-medical industry reliant upon government-funded research and the production of a skilled bio-medical workforce composed of graduate students largely funded by federal research grants, computers, artificial intelligence, iPhones, the internet, Google, the video tape recorder, new crop varieties, oral contraceptives, the electron microscope, the laser, decades of molecular biology research that enabled the rapid development of COVID vaccines, are among many others. Note that 73% of patents refer to publicly funded research whereas 27% refer to industry-funded research. These few examples of federal government investment produced tremendous prosperity. Our national and socioeconomic security will benefit if the senator and his staff would base policy on facts rather than political claptrap.

Thomas Weingartner, Boise

Idaho’s reputation is costing us

A friend of mine has a son in higher education who was recently asked to interview at Boise State. He would have enjoyed living in Boise and would have been closer to family, but his reasons for declining made me realize that rational voices need to be much louder in Idaho. His reasons for declining were education funding uncertainty and the reputation Idaho has gained nation-wide. We need to counter the loud voices of far right groups working for “parents rights” in our public schools. This is code speak for vouchers intended to dismantle public education. This intention is easy to find in the words of Idaho Freedom Foundation leadership, “I don’t think government should be in the education business.” Idahoans who value and want to attract qualified educators need to Google “Idaho voucher petition” to tell our legislators we value public education and want it fully supported. Providing voucher money to “follow the student” mostly follows students already enrolled in private (can be religious or for-profit) schools. Let’s be a voice that encourages thoughtful and talented individuals to want to live and work in Idaho. Speak to your friends and neighbors, and especially to your legislators.

Donna Carlson, Boise

Too little too late Mr Luna

Donald Trump tried to trash the U.S. Constitution on January 6, 2022. Why does what he said now weigh more with you than what he actually did then?

And Rush Limbaugh missed so many road-signs to democracy along his wretched path, it is absurd to quote him now. What Republicans need to do now to get elected is simple: Learn to lead. Learn to govern. Learn to represent this country in truth, with civility and class.

Jeanie Lynn, Nampa