Letters to the editor June 17

Tax cuts for the affluent

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” in its current form is morally wrong. Not only does the bill extend the 2017 tax cuts but adds additional tax cuts for the most affluent Americans while eliminating health insurance (Medicaid) for 8-10 million less affluent citizens, including Montanans.   

This bill needs to be rewritten without cuts to Medicaid. The bill is currently being debated in the Senate. It is not too late to email Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and express your opinion.

— Jim Swab, Kalispell

Reject ‘Big Money’

No one likes things that take over: Weeds, governments, people, businesses, cancer. But like a cancer, both “big money” from out of state and local opportunists, including our commissioners and others in our government agencies, are cashing in on those seeking to develop the Flathead Valley for their own personal gain.  

I grew up with a generation of Montanans who said, “Keep your money. Leave my land alone.” 

Now it’s just, “Show me the money.”  

The Flathead Valley is being governed by pure greed. We are seeing this from Woods Bay and Bigfork to Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls.  Out-of-state “big money” is  bullying and intimidating people into giving up their land so they can further develop and expand their own empire.  

Wake up people, before it’s too late and the whole valley turns into one hateful wasteland. Where do we go from here? What do you want your legacy to be? All of us are responsible for making decisions that contribute to the Last Best Place becoming the first worst place.

What has always made Montana the Treasure State was not its material wealth. Its treasure is in the land, the wildlife, the beauty, the quality of life lived at a little slower pace and in touch with its natural resources. You cannot have it both ways. Either some of your conveniences, indulgences and/or your excess wealth will sacrificed (how much is enough?) or everything you love about Montana will be sacrificed.  

It is up to each one of us to stand up to the money and the bullies that are taking over our land and our Montana way of life.

— Kathryn Berg, Bigfork

Technological revolution

I am an electrical engineer and resident of Columbia Falls and I am writing to encourage Montanans to consider the impact that cutting the Clean Energy Tax Credits from the federal budget would mean for the future of our country. 

For the last century, the U.S. has led the world in the development of critical new technologies, from microchips to GPS and the internet. These history-changing technologies relied on some form of government financial support over the course of their development and commercialization. Despite that, the initial investments the taxpayers made in these technologies have more than paid for themselves and turned the U.S. into the military and economic powerhouse we are today. 

Technologies such as batteries, solar power and electric vehicles are very similar in their potential to revolutionize the world in the coming decades. These technologies are in high demand worldwide, and there are two countries who lead in selling them: The United States and China. 

So, we find ourselves at a crossroads: Do we allow China to become the leader in the next technological revolution, or do we become the leader in the next technological revolution? My vote is for the latter option, and the Clean Energy Tax Credits help support American jobs developing the best technologies the world has ever known. 

Please call Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and Rep. Ryan Zinke. Tell them that Montanans support Clean Energy Tax Credits. Our future is in the balance.

— Dominic Meier, Columbia Falls