Letter: Treat 5th District better

Although the 2014 election is still 11 months away, incumbents and challengers are gearing up for the fight right now. The question for the residents of Washington’s 5th District is: Do we re-elect and stay the course, or do we take a new direction?

Ever since the defeat of the late Tom Foley, Eastern Washington has been represented by people more interested in national politics than the people they claim to represent. Just ask yourself what have former Rep. George Nethercutt or Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers done for Eastern Washington? McMorris Rodgers has been little more than a prop for Speaker John Boehner, and Nethercutt was known for little more than being the guy who ran on term limits, then did not honor his promise of serving just two terms.

We simply can no longer afford to be treated like a block of votes for the national Republican Party, or be ignored by the national Democratic Party. Eastern Washington needs representation that puts the interests of its people first. Wake up, 5th District, and pay attention to whom you vote for this year. We have to let both Republicans and Democrats know that the proud people of Eastern Washington deserve better.

Steve Barber

Spokane