It is time to speak out … and vote

I am haunted by the well-known quote of Pastor Martin Niemoller, who miraculously survived seven years in Nazi concentration camps because of his protests against Hitler; he said:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.”

This year's local political race has been the most dishonest I have ever seen, partially — at least — driven by big money from Nevada, with McShane LLC.

We who know Jim Woodward personally know what an excellent, honest Senator Jim Woodward is — we need to speak out against all the lies in the flashy, sarcastic postcards that flood Boundary County twice a week. People who do not know Jim personally may think when there's that much smoke then there must be some fire/truth in those bright, lurid postcards.

Stop! Do not let yourself be tricked into believing lies … check out the facts for yourself as I did yesterday, when I received a text from "Scott Moore, retired Border and Customs,” a person in Las Vegas, associated with the political strategy group McShane LLC, claimed Jim Woodward voted to grant driver's licenses to illegals.

What actually happened was that Jim voted to form a study committee to address the problems of unlicensed and uninsured drivers who are causing damage to Idaho residents who have no means of recouping their loses. This committee would then make recommendations consistent with the Constitution and the principles of federalism. That's what actually happened — not the implied “grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.”

So those of us who know Jim need to “speak out,” to tell what is really going on, and what an admirable person Senator Woodward is and I hope those who have not met Jim will carefully check out the “information” on the postcards.

Remember to vote May 17.

JO LEN EVERHART

Boundary County