What were they thinking?
To the editor,
Recently the Daily Inter Lake published an editorial with the headline, “What were voters thinking,” in which they gave their perspective on two of the ballot initiatives. Although I don’t share their perspective, I do share their wonderment as to “What were voters thinking.”
Given the troublesome situation in which we find ourselves, and considering whose actions, or non-actions, resulted in getting us where we are, I have to question the logic that prompted voters to send individuals who adhere to the same ideals that caused our problems back to Helena and Washington.
How can we expect the same Flathead delegation that failed to anticipate the property appraisal problem in the 2009 session to be able to effectively address it in the 2011 session?
Locally, Flathead County voters were so swept up by the endless bombardment by nationally financed special interest entities who filled the airways catch phrases such as “less government,” “stop spending,” and “repeal Obamacare!” that they managed to elect a commissioner who manipulated the rules for filing for a county commissioner position. These rules require a candidate to actually live in the district in which they run. A business address was used for voter registration purposes in order to meet the “residency” requirement for filing. This definitely does not meet the intent of the filing regulation!
If less road maintenance, less law enforcement, less planning, less protection from air and water contamination, less funding for education and less health care is what voters really want when they call for “less government,” then I would say their wishes will be reflected by the results of the recent election.
Let’s just hope that somehow our representatives will finally act responsibly, and enact measures that fairly address the social and economic challenges of our times in ways that benefit each of us individually, instead of benefiting the corporate, ‘for profit’ interests that paid to get them elected.
Edd Blackler
Bigfork