Letters to the editor: Interfaith Sanctuary, Medicare drug prices and freedom of speech
Interfaith Sanctuary on State Street would be beneficial
Those of us who volunteer and work with the population of folks we call homeless are mostly in favor of Interfaith Sanctuary’s move to the State Street location. This new facility will have so many benefits that opponents ignore: It will be a 24/7 shelter for all, including families and medically fragile folks. There will be a medical clinic on-site, as well as supportive services and case management. There will be programs for recovery and mental illness support, job training and education, and support and preparation for housing when it becomes available, plus no one will be kicked out until they have permanent housing to move to.
This is the compassionate way to provide shelter. Sure, there are a lot of other things our city needs to do to reduce homelessness, such as: build affordable housing on city-owned land; stop tearing down current affordable housing; get creative with accessory dwelling units/tiny home villages/mobile homeowner cooperatives.
Interfaith Sanctuary’s mission will be best served by moving to the State Street location. Let’s be Boise nice and do all we can to support this essential work they do.
Neysa Jensen, Boise
Let Medicare negotiate drug prices
So many things are going on in Washington. Did you know that Medicare is not allowed to negotiate drug prices? Medicare spends $500 billion every 10 years for prescriptions. That’s over twice the rate other countries pay.
Just think if Medicare could bargin for prescriptions. That could lead to over 250 billion dollars that could be sent to states to improve the lives of all of us. But you can be thankful that your representatives and senators are more interested in sending those billions to the pharmaceutical companies. The very companies that used $50 billion to buy back stock to enrich themselves.
If you look at population then Idaho could get over $280 million a year. Why you could possibly provide 2 years of college or trade school for every student. But your fiscal responsible Representatives,would rather gouge you and give tax cuts to the rich.
Next let’s talk about how much money is being given to health insurance companies, how much in savings would be there if all government employees had to have Medicare?
Jerry Johnson, Payette
Who gets gagged, Rep. Blanksma?
Dear Idaho Rep. Megan Blanksma,
Maybe instead of focusing on gag-orders regarding the central district health department posts, you should be focusing on gagging the violent extremist posts of your fellow legislator Tammy Nichols, but then again I highly doubt you would since all of you Idaho Freedom Foundation believers are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Yep, all about freedom of speech — free to oppose masking, free to refuse vaccines, free to badger and harass — but good heavens how fast you are to gag people who you are opposed to.
Hypocrites, plain and simple. You can’t have it just your way no matter how hard you try. Governance is for all of the people.
Ralph Heckard, Pocatello
