byway

Better reasons needed for Sand Creek bypass route

Presumably, a U.S. 95 bypass is needed to ease the flow of traffic through Sandpoint.

Then, why is it that some very important people around town as well as some rather noisy but not too bright sages have all climbed out on a limb and proclaimed that a Sand Creek bypass will solve the traffic problems in Sandpoint? None of them have offered any rational analysis to support their position, relying on faith that some supernatural deity that will just somehow make a significant difference.

Others, including the former ITD district engineer, have made careful studies of the various bypass route and have concluded that the Sand Creek idea is a no brainer and, that if a Sand Creek bypass ever gets built, a west side bypass will still be needed.

So, when the issue inevitably comes before the court, the proponents of the Sand Creek bypass would well be advised to come up with better arguments than the nonsense they keep shoveling out.

JOSEPH HENRY WYTHE

Sandpoint

child support

Don't balance budget

at children's expense

Recently, I received a letter from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. For those who didn't one, this is what it says, and I quote: "A new federal law requires an annual fee be paid on child support payments. The purpose of this fee is to reduce the federal deficit!" End quote.

Starting Oct. 1, 2007, Idaho child support services will charge this fee to the custodial parent. The $25 fee will be automatically deducted from the child support.

Many will think $25 isn't much to give the government. Unless of course you are poor, struggling to take care of your children, a one-income family barely surviving, and every dollar counts, and are already paying taxes.

Our United States government has so mismanaged our tax dollars that they are going to blatantly take child support away from kids. We, as a country, are burdening our children more and more for our lack of leadership and accountability, and on the backs of mostly poor and needy children the government feels it's appropriate to create even more hardship for our most vulnerable.

If the United States government had any integrity they wouldn't have allowed billions in runaway spending in waste, fraud and abuse, but would be taking care of our children, their education and not stealing from their future.

If you're as outraged by this as I am, write, call, or e-mail your congressmen and the White House. This kind of absurd injustice cannot go unchallenged.

CINDY AASE

Sagle

politics

Americans obligated

to question leaders

When a child misbehaves what parent doesn't use the opportunity to teach, admonish or punish in order to try to prevent that behavior in the future? Sometimes even corporal punishment is appropriate. (I know I got may fair share.) But who would argue that the parent isn't dealing with that child out of love and their responsibility as a parent? Would anyone suggest that the parent dislikes or hates the child they are punishing?

Then why is it so easy for some Americans to charge others, who take our political leaders to task, with hating their country? I'm really tired of right wing-nuts calling those of us who question our leaders unpatriotic.

Here's something very instructive that Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiently or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.

Thus, it is vitally important that good citizens, good Americans, and therefore true patriots not only safeguard but consider a moral duty the right to question policies of their government and leaders with whom they might disagree."

He also said, "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Was Teddy wrong?

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint

letter policy

What's on your mind?

Letters must be typed, double-spaced and no longer than 250 words. (This is approximately 15 typed lines.) Letters must be signed in ink and include the author's hometown, address and a telephone number for verification. Authors are limited to a maximum of two letters per month.

Please send letters to the Bonner County Daily Bee, P.O. Box 159, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864, or drop them off at 310 Church St., Sandpoint. You may also e-mail your letter with name, hometown and phone number for verification, to bcdailybee@cdapress.com.