Our Readers Write

A pitch for the Moo party
Editor:
While not a studious observer of politics, as a senior citizen I have seen many changes in the political landscape. In the earlier years of my observations, differing opinions were managed such that government did function.
These differing opinions, especially within each party, have become irreconcilable. When marriages face irreconcilable differences, divorce is generally the result.
So maybe we should consider the merits of a formal divorce within the Republican Party, where the conservative purists can run their own party and the moderates can go their separate direction. Similarly, the Democratic Party is facing its own irreconcilable differences between the ultra-progressives and socialists and its moderate wing.
Within each party, splitting the existing party’s assets would be very problematic, as each wing is now blatantly trying to use these assets of the marriage for its own ends.  Each “spouse” is insisting that the other take a subservient and obedient role to his orthodoxy.
Thus, the irreconcilable differences. Therefore, today’s political environment may need a divorce within both parties.
The far right of the Republican Party could keep the elephant as its symbol.  After all, the elephant trumpets loudly and is hard to move. The far left of the Democratic Party could claim the donkey as its symbol because indeed the donkey brays loudly and is stubborn.
This would leave both moderate groups to consider uniting. It would be Moderates United! The cow, that is rather placid yet very productive, could represent the MU, or Moo, party. (Elsie would be so proud.)
John C. Tobin
Evergreen

Majestic public lands deserve protection
Editor:
After conducting a review of parks and monuments, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke recently submitted unpublished recommendations to President Trump calling for the closure of reportedly vast swaths of national monuments across the country. These recommendations would represent unprecedented privatization of protected areas in the United States. Never before has the United States eliminated, at a large scale and in a systematic way, permanent protections for national parks, wilderness areas or national monuments.
Public lands and waters have strong economic, cultural and scientific benefits to their communities. They are the backbone of America’s $887 billion outdoor recreation economy. Here in Colorado, we cherish places like Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado Monument and Browns Canyon.   
Please call Secretary Zinke at (855) 747-9643 and ask him to release the recommendations and tell us which parks and monuments are in danger of being closed, mined and drilled, and let him know that the public will hold the administration accountable for any actions they take to diminish protections for America’s majestic public lands and waters.
Jane Cadwallader
Evergreen

Indivisible Evergreen fighting for progressive policies
Editor:
Indivisible Evergreen is a subgroup of the national Indivisible group, an umbrella of loosely connected like-minded groups around the country.  We are Democrats, unaffiliated voters and disaffected Republicans who feel that the current administration and Congress are more interested in profits for the top 1 percent than the needs of ordinary citizens. We feel that greed has become the overriding factor in executive orders, deregulation and legislation.
Indivisible Evergreen believes strongly in the following:
• DACA must be reinstated; the U.S. is the only country most of the Dreamers know, they have been thoroughly vetted and are assets to our society.
• We promote health care for all. The U.S. is the only developed nation in the world that does not supply its citizens with health care.
• We promote civil rights, including but not limited to voting rights, women’s rights, minority and LGBTQ rights.  
• We ask Congress for full funding for the State Department; a strong experienced diplomatic corps is our first and strongest defense against war.  
• The EPA and basic scientific research must be fully funded and the seriousness of climate change must be acknowledged.
• National parks and monuments are our country’s legacy to future generations and must be protected.  
• We are calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United; Citizens United equates corporations with people and makes it possible for immense amounts of money to buy elections.
• The disparagement of mainline media as “fake news” must be stopped; a free press is essential to informing the public when there are abuses of power and obstruction of justice.
• The rule of law must be respected.  Historical norms of ethics and behavior should be followed.
Our Founding Fathers envisioned a government “of the people, by the people  and for the people:” Indivisible Evergreen will fight for progressive policies that unite us and improve the lives of our citizens. America is great and we want it to stay that way.
Candy Decker, co-founder
Indivisible Evergreen