Letters to the editor
Occupy thoughts
To Peregrine Frissell and Occupy Polson students,
You are to be commended for working hard and tackling the difficulty of paying for college. One point needs clarification: According to UM’s website, the basic cost of a year at college is $13,275; adding books and personal expenses comes to about $18,000. But it includes $7,500 for room and board, which a person needs regardless of attending college or not.
No doubt you’ve been invited to explore private grant sources. PHS reports that typically $180,000 in local private and service club scholarships are available each year; a whopping $580,000 in merit-based scholarships from colleges were awarded to PHS students in 2009.
You may be more productive – in the wake of the Board of Regent’s proposed $78,300 increase in the Commissioner’s salary – to assail the impression that University leadership is not working to contain escalating costs.
To be sure, the Commissioner’s job is demanding. Polson can be proud of Clay Christian, PHS graduate and successful businessman. His real-world background will serve him well, since academia is already well-represented on the Board. But their pay bump inflames your point over increasing costs. This $283,300 salary is two-and-a-half times what our governor makes; two-and-a-quarter times what our Supreme Court justices make and is one of the highest in the state.
You might suggest the increase could be wisely used toward holding down student costs. Yes, it’s miniscule compared to the gross costs of Montana’s university system, but the Regents should send the message that their priority is to provide an affordable, rewarding education. Because you are right, an educated public enriches us all.
Sen. Carmine Mowbray
Polson
Invest in education
I have enjoyed reading about the “Occupy Polson” movement, and the letters expressing opinions on the subject. I appreciate Carmine Mowbray’s letter, although I don’t agree with all of it. It is impressive that she took the time to talk with the occupiers and hear their perspective.
I agree with several of her comments about our capitalist economy, we need entrepreneurs and the ability to borrow money for business, cars and homes. I don’t see our local business people as “money-hungry entrepreneurs” – but do feel that way about the largest companies in the country that seem to be setting government policy with some of their profits.
There are many things going wrong these days, including cutting money for education. Education is a very important investment for us to continue to make in our youth, and our future. I believe everyone should have a chance at a college degree, even if they don’t have a college fund, or parents who are financially able to help.
We need to give young people every opportunity to reach their education goals including income based grants and student loans. They will still have to work a job to get a degree, not to mention work hard to get the degree.
Our future depends on our well-educated youth, I don’t believe they are slackers.
Judy Preston
Polson
Corporate campaigning
The recent decision by the Montana Supreme Court to restore our state’s century-old ban on direct spending by corporations on political candidates and committees is a great victory for “We the People” of America and for the entire Occupy Movement. In large part, we have Montana’s present Attorney General Steve Bullock to thank for this.
This action is a step. There are many other steps to take, and most of them boil down to electing the right people to political office who truly represent our best interests. And by “our,” I mean ‘we the people,’ the vast and overwhelming majority of America’s population who feel so disconnected from direct influence upon our executive, legislative and judicial branches of our government that we lose all hope.
We know something is very, very wrong, but often don’t know what we can do about it except grouse over ‘coffee with the girls and/or boys,’ or whatever group we happen to be sitting with. When we say that change will only happen from the ground up, that is exactly right. And “ground up” really refers to our actions in electing people who will truly represent our best interests.
Often our political affiliations get in the way. We are so fixated on our party winning that we actually believe what candidates tell us when they are running for office. They tell us what we want to hear. We get lulled into actually thinking that they are telling us the truth. Just look back 20, 30, 40 years. We, as a nation, have been held in the firm grip of greed, horrible economic policies, unethical politics and just a myriad of political actions which run counter to healthy growth, an outstanding educational system and equal opportunity for all.
To my way of thinking, nothing will change until we have our leaders, lawmakers and judges with motivations, attitudes and mind-sets in harmony with President Abraham Lincoln when he uttered that great phrase at the end of his Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1863: “(A)nd that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth.”
And “people” surely did not mean “corporations!”
Bob McClellan
Polson
SNAP reply
I applaud Representative Janna Taylor and the members of the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee for their concerns over the nutritional health of food stamp recipients, as well as costs to taxpayers.
I have three points to make regarding the committee’s efforts to restrict purchases of certain food products that contain additives of questionable nutritional value:
1) The committee’s first item of dubious nutritional value is high fructose corn syrup. In the spirit of true concern for the nutrition of all citizens and taxpayer funded expenditures, I assume that the committee will also present a proposal to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) via the Montana Congressional Delegation to request that the USDA eliminate all farm subsidies to corn producers for use in the production of high fructose corn syrup.
2) As the State Legislators’ health benefits are also taxpayer funded, I presume that you will strongly encourage all of your fellow legislators to follow the same food lists as you propose for those individuals receiving food stamp benefits. Your health will be improved as well.
3) Your article did not provide any data sources for the statistics you present regarding the percentage of food stamp recipient purchases for items high in salt, fat, cholesterol, and sugar. To validate your assertions, I am requesting that you provide in writing to this newspaper the sources for the data you presented.
Kathy Farmer
Polson
Sustainable development
Saul Alinsky would be proud of Virgil Hess. With two words, he attempted to neutralize an important message.
There was a time when Americans were skeptical and wary of growing government and organizations like the United Nations, but this is no longer true. The only serious threat people now see are those who still boldly ask questions. Instead of debating the issue, Mr. Hess chose to stifle it.
Had he been inclined to offer a counter point, he might have researched “sustainable development” in Montana. He would have discovered that Missoula recently renewed their contract with ICLEI, a UN organization, and Bozeman and Helena also work with ICLEI. He might also have found that ICLEI provides a manual to “assist” U.S. mayors with the implementation of sustainable development in their town.
He might have wondered, is sustainable development good or bad? There are many warm, fuzzy definitions out there, but in reality it’s best defined by looking at what it considers to be “unsustainable”: grazing animals, pastures, agriculture, paved roads, railroads, hunting, dams, logging activity, private property, and human population density to name a few.
I could go on, but wouldn’t want to do Mr. Hess’ homework for him.
The UN didn’t fund the Polson grant, but it’s possible their sustainable development philosophy did. They don’t have to fund these programs because there are many groups and individuals connected with the environmental movement willing to fund it for them.
Stifling debate erodes freedom of speech, much like political correctness. When people aren’t free to express their opinions because society won’t let them, we lose the ability to grasp and understand important problems and issues.
Surely this wasn’t Mr. Hess’ intent, but it matters not. The end result is the same.
Terry Backs
St. Ignatius
A great job
Last year at the Tommy Parker benefit silent auction, I got an unbelievable deal on two certificates for snow plowing from SKS Unlimited, Inc. With all of the snow this past week, I felt it was time to use one of them.
The snow plowing team came — all the way to our house in Polson from Ronan — were really friendly, did a great job on a difficult driveway and didn’t even accept a tip.
Thanks to SKS Unlimited for your donation to a great cause, and for going out of your way to honor that donation a whole year later.
Michael Brandt
Polson
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