Lied to again

Dear Editor,

The Democrat-led U.S. Senate just passed the falsely named “Inflation Reduction Act,” a huge boondoggle of a spending bill, apparently forgetting that no government has ever successfully spent its way out of inflation. The congressional budget office has concluded that this $740 billion bill not only doesn’t reduce inflation, but will also raise taxes on everybody making more than $30,000 per year, including all those with small businesses. Oops, so much for those campaign promises that Biden made on not raising your taxes. Now the Democrats are taxing almost everybody to pay for this financial giveaway to their Democrat cronies. There is nobody in Alaska who benefits from doubling the size of the IRS and giving rich people money to buy $80,000 electric cars. Learn your lesson everybody: friends don’t let friends vote Democrat.

Sincerely,

Greg Sarber

Hopelessly divided

One thing is certain about the state of American politics – we are hopelessly divided. Moe Johnson’s letter of Aug. 4 reveals why. He identifies 10 transgressions by President Trump and challenges “Trumplicans” to share in his disgust of the former president.

Politicians often tout inputs (i.e. spending) and ignore or are vague about outputs (i.e. results from the spending). Mr. Johnson is disgusted by inputs — the negative things that former President Trump allegedly said or did. I care about outputs — the things President Trump accomplished. I care deeply about the kind of person my family member, friend or neighbor is. I care much less about the kind of person my president is.

I DO care about what a president achieves. I prefer an unlikable president who contributes to a strong economy, energy independence, controlled crime and safer world than I do a likable president who creates a poor economy, energy dependence, runaway crime and unsafe world. Similarly, if I needed life-saving surgery, I much prefer my life saved by a competent surgeon who’s a disgusting person than my life lost by an incompetent surgeon who’s a wonderful and lovable human.

So, my reaction to Mr. Johnson’s one-sided negative view of President Trump is, “So what?” Even if he did ALL the things alleged, any disgust is rendered insignificant by the positive things done and by the results achieved. I ask Mr. Johnson to place greater weight on outcome than on personality or style. I ask him to focus on what is best for our country, not on how he feels personally. Until we agree on what is important – statements vs. results, best for country vs. best for me — he is speaking apples and I am speaking oranges … and our country remains hopelessly divided.

Don Grayson

Voting is critical

This year’s voting is critical. Alaska has a new system of voting creating a need for us to do more to learn about those people who are running.

Tuesday, Aug. 16 involves voting for the person to fill the remainder of the late Rep. Don Young’s vacant seat. That person will serve in the U.S. House of Representatives through early January. On the ballot are Mary Peltola, Nick Begich and Sarah Palin. You have an option to vote not only for your first choice but also second and third choice. This is new.

The other side of the ballot lists names of people running for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Governor, Lt. Governor, State Representative and State Senator. You vote for only one person in each category. The top four vote getters will be in the race in November.

If you want to know more about any of these candidates, you need to do some research. Look for articles or listen to radio or television broadcasts and interviews.

Our democracy is at a tipping point. There has been a great divide that has been very polarizing. Candidate Mary Peltola said in an interview in Kodiak recently, “In order to make the progress that we need in Alaska, in order to make the right decisions, we have to have a lower blood pressure. We have to respect all the people in the conversation at the table, or else we’re just not going to be productive.”

If we want a democracy, we need to actively participate in it. We need to seek out truth in reporting, in what is said, and be willing and able to differentiate fact from fiction.

Get informed and Vote in ALL the elections.

Be well and may truth prevail.

Michael E. Murray

Kleps Fund helps Imagination Library

Growing readers is one of the greatest jobs we have as adults. Whether you’re singing to your infant, enjoying a picture book with your toddler grandchild, or getting drawn into a chapter book with your kindergarten class, sharing your love of reading can be transformative for the young readers in your lives and you! Sometimes, making sure young children and their families have access to books can be a challenge. In the Homer area we have some great resources through the Homer Public Library. For our youngest readers, ages 0-5 years, there is another way to receive books: The Imagination Library.

Homer’s Imagination library makes sure kiddos in Homer, Seldovia and Port Graham get free books in the mail every month until they turn 5. In fact, over the past six months, the Homer Imagination Library has delivered almost 4,000 books! This campaign for growing readers is made possible by funding from Best Beginnings Alaska, Sprout Family Services, and people like you. Over the years, we have had some donors choose Homer’s Imagination Library to support our community’s families with young children. The Homer Imagination Library would like to recognize the Kleps Fund for always keeping young readers in mind. It is because of the fund’s support that we are able to expand the reach of the Homer Imagination Library as well as always have books to give families at any community event where Sprout and/or the Homer Imagination Library is present. This year the Imagination Libraries of Alaska celebrated their 2 millionth book delivered in the state.

It is because of funds like the Kleps Fund that more kids will be starting school ready to read!

“Red” Asselin, for the Homer Imagination Library/Sprout

Definitions

“Woke” means “well-educated and open minded.”

“Republican” means “loss of all our freedom and rights as provided in the U.S. Constitution.

D. Stanfield

SPH Foundation holds fundraiser

You are invited to attend an extravagant community fundraiser next Thursday, Aug. 18, when the South Peninsula Hospital Foundation holds its first signature fundraiser, Bounty On the Bay, on the deck of the Kachemak Shellfish Growers Co-op. The event will be from 6-9 p.m. Broken Oar Oyster Bar and Vida’s Thai Restaurant will delight with flavors of the sea and beyond. Tickets are $125 per person and includes hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, live music from the Cosmic Creature Club, and a deck party to remember. The event is outdoors and is age 21+ only.

Bounty on the Bay is an evening of incredible food, great music and an engaging opportunity to learn more about the SPH Foundation and the work we are doing in the community.

When the SPH Foundation began nearly 20 years ago, the founding members wove an intricate vision of an organization that brings together the expanding medical facilities, conversations on community health, and the programs which we would need in order to ensure awareness and access to a healthier standard of living.

Over the last two decades, board members, hospital staff, and our neighbors have given generously to establish and build an endowment that any small organization would be proud to manage. This opened the door to funding an impressive range of services, programs, and facilities.

From the construction and installation of the Reflection Room at the Hospital, the Serenity Garden, to the programs you all know well, such as Homer Steps Up and Walk with a Doc (Homer Walks), The SPH Foundation has been active over the years. Hosting a scholarship program which has funded over 60 students in medical education as well as support for the Safe Sitter program, the Foundation is always looking to expand educational opportunities.

Foundation Board Chair, Angie Newby was excited to share “We’ve never intended to wave our flag. The board and our efforts have always been about what needs to happen, not who gets credit for it.” She added “but looking forward to our fundraiser next week, it has been such a joy to discuss the facilities and programs all over again to show the community what we can do with a bit more financial support.”

Beginning in December of last year, the Foundation hired executive director Jeffrey Eide to help enact a vision that started 20 years ago. Since his hire, he has spent time building the relationships necessary to understand what needs to be done.

“Getting to hear from so many people in the area, we were able to establish a clear picture of what the precise barriers are to community health and healthy living and could build an ever-growing map of resources, organizations, and passionate people who want to be a part of the change.” Eide shared, highlighting the core needs to address for healthy communities and medical access: housing, Childcare, Youth Services, and Transportation. “The South Peninsula Hospital Foundation wants to be the spark in the community to bring folks together, facilitate conversations, and give structure to issues which may seem daunting to tackle.”

The Foundation cannot do any of this on their own, and are proud to coordinate with so many other organizations in the community. The Foundation has teamed up with the Resilience Coalition of MAPP and a diverse group of youth services and childcare experts in the area to coordinate plans to bring the Boys and Girls Club back to Homer once again. Working to develop housing solutions, the Foundation is working alongside development experts and MAPP Health Coalition of the Southern Kenai Peninsula to help build an inclusive round table to ensure no facet of our community is unheard.

Along with so many other initiatives, the Foundation needs your help. They are asking for your passion, your volunteer efforts, feedback, and of course, your financial support. By attending Bounty on the Bay, we invite you to learn more about the wealth of activity happening and how to further support the development of our community and access to healthy living.

Learn more at foundation.sphosp.org.

Jeffrey Eide, Executive Director,

South Peninsula Hospital Foundation