Letters to the Editor: Qualified water board appointments

Qualified water board appointments

Having been an active supporter of the CSKT Water Compact, I am very pleased with the appointments to the Water Management Board. Lake County commissioners nominated, and our governor appointed, individuals with strong water law and hydrological backgrounds. So did the Tribes.

During the board’s first meeting, one public speaker suggested that water users should have been appointed. Sounds reasonable, but it would be very hard to find one or two users who could credibly speak for all users.

More importantly, many of the board’s decisions will involve competing claims among different users. I believe that board decisions in individual cases should be based on water law and hydrological considerations.

To keep water users informed, I hope the water board will hold meetings that enable the board to discuss the legal and hydrological issues that will underpin its decisions in individual cases.

— Dick Erb, Moiese

A threat to democracy

The John Lewis Voting Rights Bill rammed through the House of Representatives on a partisan Democrat vote and promoted with false allegations by their mainstream media allies and other acolytes like the League of Women Voters would destroy the integrity of our elections and create the specter of single-party rule in the U.S.

Proponents either haven’t read the bill or don’t want the public to know what is really in it. Here is what the bill does by amending the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Require all states and subdivisions (counties and cities) to receive pre-approval from the U.S. Justice Department before making any changes that affect voting rights and redistricting (federal control of state elections); picture ID nor proof of citizenship (approved by 80% of voters) not required to vote; no signature verification required for mail-in ballots; unlimited ballot harvesting; unattended ballot boxes must be available to voters; and online voter registration.

These changes would allow undetectable voter fraud. With minorities voting in record numbers, claims of voter suppression lack credibility.

We need to contact Sen. Jon Tester at 202-224-3121 and ask him to oppose this bill.

— Philip L. Barney, Polson