Baucus’ calculation doesn’t make sense
I spent four years at the University of Montana getting my finance degree, but I still can’t figure out how Sen. Max Baucus calculated the value of Plum Creek Timber Co.’s land investment.
They paid $0 for land that was given to them by the federal government in the 1860s (technically it was given to the Northern Pacific Railway, which became Burlington Northern, which spun off Burlington Resources, which spun off Plum Creek Timber Co.) and they are now selling it back to the government for $510 million.
Max Baucus should at least have the decency to cuddle and get our phone numbers after screwing us like that.
Adam Hertz, Missoula
Errors abound in hunting comments
Don Bothwell (guest column, July 18) made several factual errors and misleading statements in his attempt to “set the record straight” about trapping in response to researcher Betsy Robinson (guest column, July 8).
Regarding the number of dogs trapped, he claimed only six “incidents” have occurred in the last decade. That number - fatalities reported to Fish, Wildlife and Parks - is neither current nor comprehensive. Furthermore, Robinson referred to dogs “caught or killed.” Is trapping dogs a problem only when they die?
He mentioned the setbacks “I submitted through our subcommittee.” This sounds like he’s taking responsibility for those setbacks, yet he has publicly spoken against the increased setbacks as too difficult for trappers to measure.
He completely mischaracterized Robinson’s point in comparing wolverine and elk populations. Her point was obvious: if elk numbers were as low as wolverine numbers, FWP would suspend hunting.
He quoted researcher Robert Inman saying trapping wolverines is “necessary” to maintain healthy populations. Perhaps Inman will respond also, but I wonder if this researcher actually called trapping “necessary.” What did wolverines do before Bothwell’s predecessors arrived to save them?
He referred to Montana’s trapping regulations as some of the “most current in the nation.” Well, they’re “current” if he meant “revised this year.” If he meant “appropriate for the 21st century,” they are anything but. Montana still does not have even a mandatory trap check.
He claimed Flathead County law requires dogs to be leashed at all times. That, too, is untrue. Dogs must be leashed or under voice control. Of course, even being on leash doesn’t mean a dog can’t be trapped, as happened last year in Idaho.
Is it any wonder, with such statements, that an increasing number of Montanans are unwilling to allow trappers to continue monopolizing the management of so many of our wildlife species?
Chris Barns, Lolo
It’s time to use common sense
It happens every time they see a chain saw in the back of a pickup, or someone notices a bull trout squirm over a sand bar, or a rancher shoots a wolf ripping his livestock or dogs to shreds.
Without a lick of common sense, they come hyperventilating with lawsuit in hand and manage to take up valuable court time and taxpayers’ hard-earned money.
We often wonder, have any of these poor, misled individuals ever been gainfully employed?
Anyway, not knowing U.S. District Judge Don Molloy personally, I was wondering if he was an outdoorsman and could see through their ridiculous argument that wolves wouldn’t travel to breed.
Well over half a century ago, as a young boy roaming the forests, I was quick to observe there is a time and a season for everything. When nature turns hormones on red alert, neither man nor high water can not stop what comes naturally. Darkness settles out in the woods, and most humans sleep; Mother Nature comes awake.
The whole thing is like a conspiracy to let wolves multiply and decimate game. Then what do we need hunting seasons for?
Alaska Fish and Game could show some hard facts to anyone interested as to what will happen when wolf packs are out of control. Even here behind our place we had three moose last fall. They never made it to spring - that is, not alive. They did manage to show up though in wolf do-do on the log road.
We’re looking for some old-fashioned common sense. Surely, in all of Missoula, there’s a few who possess this great virtue?
Dale Terrillion, Proctor
Judge Molloy misinformed on issue
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy granted a preliminary injunction restoring protections for a gray wolf population that is estimated at 2,000 wolves in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
He assumes that it will be “irreparable injury” to the wolf communities if they are hunted. Does Molloy have a background in zoology?
Molloy seems to take sides with attorney Doug Honnold, Earthjustice and the other 12 unnamed environmental groups! They quote, “perhaps as many as 500 wolves would be killed; this would be a slaughter.” How can they come up with a number that doesn’t exist? Does Molloy know for a fact that “inter-breeding” takes place?
It seems like Molloy should consider another career after he is retired and become another Marlin Perkins or Marty Stouffer. This agency of our government has been the one that has “flip-flopped” without explanation!
Listen to the other side for once, as they have the expertise in these fields of study - as they are part of our government also.
Tim Wessel, Lolo
Impeachment must be considered
To Gov. Brian Schweitzer and others:
I respectfully demand that you fulfill your sworn duty and obligation to the people and your public office to bring President Bush before the people for impeachment for criminal offenses committed during his two terms in the Oval Office.
The people have raised a public cry. We are outraged that the crimes committed by this highest office in our land have continued to go unchecked and we implore you to do your jobs as outlined in the Constitution of the United States. This is a constitutional imperative and we demand you fulfill your obligation to the people of this country and prosecute George W. Bush for impeachable offenses carried out during his presidency, a presidency he stole.
Taylor Drew Kelly, Missoula
Leaders shouldn’t get away with crimes
The American people may well be tired of impeachment calls, and skeptical as well, thanks to the debacle of impeaching former President Clinton for sexual peccadillos, but it would be a huge and ironic mistake if George W. Bush and his vice president, Dick Cheney, were allowed to get away with their gross misconduct of office.
The attack on Iraq is not a peccadillo. This is a crime, a war crime, and it will reflect very badly on our democracy, our seriousness as a body of citizens, if it is allowed to pass without action by Congress, which was so shamefully mislead.
Jon A. Jackson, Missoula
Media not covering U.S. success
This may support the fact that the freedom of this press is guaranteed to those who own one.
A terrorist force that once numbered more than 12,000, with strongholds in the West and Central regions of Iraq, has for more than two years been reduced to a mere 1,200 fighters, backed against the wall in the northern city of Mosul. The destruction of al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) is one of the most unlikely and unforeseen events in the long history of American warfare.
We can thank President Bush’s surge strategy, in which he bucked both Republican and Democratic leaders in Washington by increasing our forces there instead of surrendering. We can also thank the leadership of the new general he placed in charge there, Gen. David Petraeus, who may be the foremost expert in the world on counter-insurgency warfare. And we can thank those serving in our military in Iraq who engaged local Iraqi tribal leaders and convinced them America was their friend and AQI their enemy.
Things are going so well that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has even, for the first time, floated the idea of a timetable for withdrawal of American forces. He did so while visiting the United Arab Emirates, which over the weekend announced that it was forgiving almost $7 billion of debt owed by Baghdad - an impressive vote of confidence from a fellow Arab state in the future of a free Iraq.
But where are the headlines and the front-page stories about all this good news?
The war in Iraq has been turned around 180 degrees both militarily and politically because the president stuck to his guns. Yet apart from IBD, Fox News Channel and parts of the foreign press, the media don’t seem to consider this historic event a big story.
John Valentine, Stevensville
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