Ignored by McMorris Rodgers

Reading Don Peters (Aug. 30) invites us to write Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers for her “thoughtful” views. I did write her on Sept. 28, 2012. The Veterans Jobs Corps Bill (S. 3457) had been defeated and even though our party wrote the bill, four GOP senators lobbied for its defeat. As a Korean War U.S. Marine Corps vet, I wanted to know why. She never responded.

Then the situation for veterans worsened: 349 vets committed suicide in 2012, more than had died in combat, and 900,000 filed claims for pensions and disability. But each had an average waiting time of 273 days. I wrote McMorris Rodgers again to ask her, as a member of the Armed Services Committee, to help the vets. Again, she never answered.

Instead, she had her staff call me on Feb. 5, 2013, to ask if I would support her positions. I asked what positions they were talking about and could I speak to her personally for clarification. They promptly hung up.

I can only conclude that McMorris Rodgers has no thoughts on anything other than getting re-elected and preserving her sinecure.

Bill Leong

Spokane