Letters to the editor

Addiction

Not one more brain cell or human life or spiritual aspiration need be wasted to drugs of abuse in Lake County.

Thomas Gould, Ph.D., in “Addiction Science and Clinical Practice,” December 2010 documents that cocaine, amphetamines, opioids (heroin and pain pills), alcohol, cannabis and nicotine damage the actual brain cells that control cognitive function including learning, memory, attention, reasoning and impulse control. He says, “Without the memories that define an individual, it would be difficult to generate and maintain a concept of self.”

There is treatment to help people be free of alcohol and drugs and thereby benefit themselves, and by example, people who respect them. Chronic pain pills are sometimes necessary, but even when used carefully, all too often, especially in the young, they go on to trap people in far greater suffering than the original pain.

The Federation of State Medical Boards has published a “Model Policy for Responsible Opioid Prescribing,” and in it says, medication assisted treatment for addiction to heroin and pain pills saves 75 percent more lives than non-medicated treatment alone.

Many local people have undertaken the proud and hard path of recovery of the sacred gift of life and physical and spiritual brain and mind. Respect and thanks to them, and patience, as repair takes time.

Ken Cairns, M.D.

Polson

17 Miracles

I would like to extend my appreciation for the courtesy of both the managers of the Ronan and Polson theaters for the community service they offered the public on Aug. 13, 20, 27 and Sept. 3. They showed the movie “17 Miracles” free on those days.

The movie was not advertised commercially, but was offered to many theaters in Montana. It dealt with the journey of early pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons) from Great Britain and across the United States in hand carts. The experience was much different than those who travelled by wagon. My thanks, along with many others who attended the movie.

Eugene Mark Felsman

Ronan

Walking trail lights

I would like to see lights at the walking trail. I am asking the people of Polson that walk the trail by the soccer fields if they would like lights put up on the poles so walking after work at night will be possible. I talked to the commissioner’s office and they said it could be possible, depending on interest and cost.

I was told that it is around $8-10 per month per light. If everyone that walks that trail would donate $1-2 per month, we should be able to put up lights.

If you are interested please e-mail Patty Trusler at lakecommissioners@lakemt.gov.

Wanda Blankenhorn

Polson

Core problem

The recent controversy around the Solyndra company of Fremont, Calif., which manufactured solar panels and went bankrupt, so clearly shows how the media and political parties focus upon aspects of the problem but do not get down to talking about the core problem.

Solyndra was identified, promoted, primed and pumped by the Obama administration. They were given significant loan guarantees through the Dept. of Energy. A most magnificent factory and equipment emerged. They went broke within a rather short period of time, it seems.

The reason that opponents of the White House are all up in arms, exercised and incredulous that this could happen is that one of the original investors to Solyndra, Oklahoma billionaire George Kaiser, was a major contributor to the Obama campaign in 2008. So this obviously leads to cries of greed, payoffs, no oversight, dishonesty and misuse of executive power.

Wonder of wonders! Someone gave money to a campaign and received special favors! How could the Obama administration be so dishonest, so unfeeling for tax payers money, and so greedy?

All the screaming politicians, the talking heads on TV, and the great pundits of persuasive palaver can rant and rave all they want but the fact remains that serious money given to politicians is the backbone and the way of life in U.S. politics.

The ‘core problem’ is not with the dishonest people, those not protecting us taxpayers, and all those with greed in their hearts and minds. The ‘core problem’ is with our political system.

How about this tri-tip solution: (1) Establishing a very equitable, reasonable and workable “term-limits” policy for all in Congress. (2) Establishing very strict limits [suggest $100,000] on how much money can be spent on a national political campaign. (3) Passing a law forbidding any person, group, business, company, or organization giving money or providing perks, either directly or indirectly, to any member of Congress for any reason at all beginning on Jan. 1, 2012. This can be one grand New Year’s Resolution.

Unrealistic? You bet! But what do you think? Are we out of control or what?

Bob McClellan

Polson

Axe-grinding

I’ve seen plenty of axe-grinding in my day, but Tom Eddy’s vendetta with the Polson Rural Fire Board feels like he’s auditioning for Conan the Barbarian.

It strikes me that an emergency service staffed by volunteers and running in the black ink has all the right in the world to use a meager surplus (I’m not sure if Mr. Eddy knows a thing or two about fire engines, building upkeep but a few things go wrong and the fire department can work through $30,000 at the drop of a hat) in order to maintain a very important service that they give to the community.

While the city is apparently bent on spending taxpayer dollars to repair Main Street, then more money on repaving Main Street, and then even more money to landscape Main Street and then again more money to change the landscaping on Main Street, Tom Eddy is apparently more worried about those dastardly unpaid firemen and their shenanigans to rule the county with an iron fire hose.

Give me a break! These people put their lives on the line to protect us and you’re up in arms about their $140,000 budget? Being a former businessman myself in another state, I was more than a little shocked to learn that one of our fire departments has a smaller budget than some low-ranking government officials’ salary.

And let’s say we cut the legs out from the firemen and take away their surplus, which wouldn’t allow them to deal with broken-down fire engines, leaky firehouse roofs and potentially life-threatening equipment malfunctions… and split up that surplus for every taxpayer in the county.

Guess what you get? A hefty $5 back in return. Nope. I’m sorry. I’d rather have a fireman there to save me from a burning building.

I would like to thank all the county’s fire departments for the hard work that they do. God bless them.

Brett Hollum

Polson