Letters to the editor
Aug. 13
Pay increases troubling
Back in 2005, I suggested some constitutional changes in regards to electing the Tribal chairman and vice chairman. Yesterday at the tribal chambers, people were addressing this issue along with the chairman’s $30,000 pay increase, which he said he wouldn’t rescind nor decline. I believe I heard these figures being thrown around; a council member makes approximately $54,000 a year while the Chairman makes around $117,00.
Back to my thoughts on the Tribal Constitution changes I would like to see occur. Presently, the “Tribal Chairman” and “Vice Chairman” are elected one at a time from the other nine councilmen—in the chairman’s chamber behind closed doors. Then, once the four officers (chairman-vice chairmen-secretary-treasurer) are elected, they come out into main council chambers and announce the new elected council officers to the public; then the new council members elect a sergeant-at-arms in the annual January quarterly meeting. The present council can change this “electoral process” as stated under “Article X—Amendment.” The Tribal Council can, with a 2/3 vote, propose an amendment change to the Secretary of the Interior, so these amendments can be placed on the November 2009 ballot as a “Referendum” vote to amendment Article III-Section 3 and 5.
These changes can be amendments in our Tribal Constitution and Bylaws in Article III sections 3 and 5 Districts and How the Tribal Council chairman and vice chairman are elected. Here are some thoughts to consider for proposed changes to Article III sections 3 and 5: Article III Section 3: Elect eight (8) council-representatives one from each districts; Mission, Arlee, Pablo, Elmo-Dayton, Hot Springs-Camas Prairie, Dixon, Polson, four will be elected every two years on stagger terms.
Article III Section 5: The Tribal Chairman and Vice Chairman shall be elected by majority vote by eligible & qualified voters of the Confederated Tribes and shall be elected every two years by all qualified members of the Confederated Tribes and any qualified member may announce their candidacy for chairman or vice chairman and must live within the exterior boundaries of the Flathead Reservation. The Council so organized shall elect from within its own number from within or without its own membership: a secretary, a treasurer, sergeant-at-arms, and such officers and committees as may be deemed necessary.
This would not change the total number of councilmen but would give every district one council-representative. I understand making changes to the constitution is a very complicated and complex process but it can be done. If we truly want a “democratic system” let the people vote. This would mean the chairman and vice chairman would become more directly accountable to their constituents—to the membership, not to the other council members who voted them in. Let’s allow the tribal people to choose their chair and vice chairmen. This is about change, a change in an electoral process. This is about the positions of the chairman & vice chairmen, not about the present individuals in those positions. The chairman & vice-chairman would truly be representing the reservation as a whole and the other eight councilmen representing their districts. This would be valuable and positive change in the electoral process. This change will not cause an instability or turmoil in our electoral process or number of council members.
Gary M. Stevens, St. Ignatius
Open letter to Sen. Baucus
Now is the time for you to represent the citizens of Montana and the nation and not the Beltway. This is a chance for your legacy to be made so that you will be remembered as fondly as Mike Mansfield. You must rise above the politics and fulfill the higher calling of statesman. These days will be remembered, when we moved out of the dark ages of healthcare and joined the other nations of compassion and fairness. But this will only happen if we begin the process of building a single- payer system. You cannot bring out a bill which does not accept the reality that a large majority of Montanans and the American public favor such a plan. With 20 percent uninsured here in Montana, the situation is a financial disaster here and across the country that can only be fixed by the cost savings that universal coverage can provide.
Thanks for your consideration. I know we can count you to represent US.
Allen Lundgren, Polson
Choose breastfeeding
As it is National Breastfeeding Month, I’d like to encourage moms-to-be to choose breastfeeding! The health benefits compared to formula are amazing — like breastmilk composition changing as the growing baby’s needs change, greater immunities for the baby, and potentially reducing allergies (important to me since allergies run in the family).
After seven months of breastfeeding, I’m only 2 pounds away from pre-pregnancy weight without dieting. What’s even more wonderful are those special bonding times where my daughter, as she nurses, reaches up to touch my face or when she pauses to give me a sparkling grin before she resumes nursing.
But breastfeeding, although natural, isn’t always easy for many of us. I’m really thankful for the Breastfeeding Coalition of Lake County because I needed help learning to breastfeed in the beginning, especially because my daughter lost too much weight at first and later, when I had mastitis (a breastfeeding infection) and needed to learn what to do to get over it.
Today, when so many of our mothers didn’t breastfeed, we’ve lost the art and knowledge of breastfeeding, so I needed to learn from “the experts.” Diane Grogan, lactation consultant, and Angie Vance, RN, were wonderful. Even though the learning curve may be steep for some mom-baby pairs, it gets easier every month.
An experienced midwife said, “first-time moms really need to be mothered.” I think she’s right. The Breastfeeding Coalition provides one more avenue of support to moms.
I urge any pregnant woman to contact the Public Health Department to hear about available services. Try breastfeeding for at least six weeks. If you face difficulties, call quickly for help. Breastfeeding isn’t supposed to be painful. Skilled help makes a difference. We’ve got a great and free resource in the Breastfeeding Coalition — check it out!
Tammy Rosenbrock, Polson
Patience needed with Obama
This evening, June 6, having just returned from a visit to my Wisconsin roots, I tuned in to CNN. Their team of political experts were commenting on the just completed CNN Opinion Research Corporations results in a poll of Americans grading from A to F our congress, our president, and the media after 200 days of the new administration.
Not one of these three categories received very high grades. In every instance, the grades were lower than a similar survey completed after just 100 days.
What does this tell us? It would seem to tell us that many Americans are upset with the way things are. People are impatient. People want results and want them now. People see many things tumbling down around them and are filled with anger and fear.
The Obama administration has chosen to address concerns from the economy to text messaging when driving, and everything in between. Is this bad? Is this too much? Should we wait on some of these things?
One of the CNN experts said this: “President Obama is simply shooting too high.” Really? That’s a rather curious comment. What’s wrong with shooting high? Is it because we might not achieve all that we aim for? How about shooting low and achieving at the low level. Is that what creates success? Is that what opens the door to greater things, to the beginnings of improvements and moving on to higher achievements?
All great achievements have involved aiming high. Sure, there are some failures, some delays, some disappointments, but the high achievers always keep a clear focus and are true to their goals and beliefs. And they don’t always accomplish these goals in ways that everyone agrees with. It is the results that count.
A few thoughts: “You can’t base your life on other people’s expectations.” “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” “One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.” And as we say on the golf course, “It is not ‘how,’ but ‘how many.’”
Bob McClellan, Polson
Senators take our money, guns
You may have not noticed but Montana’s two Democratic Senators voted yes to confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court as an Associate Justice. (Max) Baucus and (Jon) Tester, without blinking an eye, threw the Second Amendment off the cliff and with it your rights to gun ownership.
Oh! I can hear the voices of Montanan’s saying in unison “you’re wrong no way that will ever happen.” Get the sand our of your eyes. You had more than enough time to learn just who Sotomayor is. How many of you hunters and pleasure shooters took the time to write these two and tell them that if they voted for Sotomayor the price of their betrayal would be their jobs? These two Democrats don’t fear you. If they did, they would not have voted for this woman.
But wait there’s more: These same two will vote for the Obama healthcare plan but there is a twist. Baucus is in Montana right now soft selling his and Tester’s version of the Obama plan. You know why!
People, we are losing our Republic. Ask Max and Jon if they will give up their current congressional healthcare plan that’s bought and paid for using your hard earned dollars and go on the plan that’s being pushed by Obama. You know the plan I’m writing about, the one where a government committee will decide if you will live or die? Can you believe that I’m witting this? What have the citizens of our beloved country caused to happen. When you voted for these fools did you not understand that you were voting to destroy our country and our way of life. For the sake of us all make your voices heard.
Robert Starks, St. Ignatius
SIns are rampant
Recently, I came across a quote by David McCasland that I believe clearly describes our country, us as Americans: “An upscale London department store launched a new gift card with the slogan, ‘The Gift of Self-Indulgence.’
Throughout the store signs, slogans and even nametags called attention to the cards. According to one employee, sales of the gift cards during the first weeks of the promotion had been very strong, far exceeding company expectations. Generosity may prompt a person to give a luxurious gift to someone special, but too often we find it easier to purchase what we want for ourselves. Self-indulgence is a gift we do not need.”
Many, many years ago, the Old Testament prophet, Ezekiel, spoke about a city that experienced God’s judgment, in part, because they pursued a lifestyle of self-indulgence. These are God’s words through his prophet, “Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen.” (Ezekiel, 16:49-50 – NLT)
We Americans have always considered ourselves a cut above people of other nations (pride); America is suffering an epidemic of obesity (gluttony); we’ve raised a generation of inactive kids (laziness); we’ve turned a deaf ear to the poor and needy around the world (covetousness); our detestable sins (theft, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, spousal abuse, divorce, duplicity, murder, pornography, abortion, cursing, pedophilia, all forms of idolatry and witchcraft, etc.); would cause even Sodomites to blush!
Is there any hope that America will survive; only if we repent and change our attitude toward God, Jesus and sin. If not, we’ll go the way of Sodom!
Harvey A. Town, Polson
Safety is essential
Knowledge if mre than power, it can mean the difference between life and death.
Do you know there is “room to live” within your vehicle in the event of a crash? Do you know the types of car safety seats for children? Do you know which type your child should have? Do you know that the majority of safety seats installed, are not installed correctly?
How aware are you of the potential fire hazards in and around your home? Do you know what the special response team does? How about search and rescue? How does Jaws of Life work? Ever experienced K-9 dog in action? Curious about drug awareness?
How about bike safety? Child identifications? Suicide intervention? How does Life Flight work? What about environtmental safety? . . . What about . . .
Please attend the Eighth Annual Safety Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 in the Polson Wal-Mart parking lot.
Professionals from a variety of services throughout Lake County will be there to help you.
While Safety Day offers a variety of fun events for all ages, it also gives us an insight as to how services work for us, what is available to us and more importantly, it offers a variety of life-saving information.
The emergency services provided to us are vital to our community. Please know that many of the services we have, are afforded to us only through the dedication and committment of men and women volunteering to do so.
Please remember to say thank you to them.
Erin A. Melugrin, personnel manager, Polson Wal-Mart