Scripted CMR avoids issues
I attended the carefully scripted, timed-to-one-hour Cathy McMorris Rodgers town hall on Aug. 18. She spoke as a nervous substitute teacher on her pet talking point, the Reauthorization Act of 2016, which she reiterated to Shawn Vestal (“Across country, Republicans turn to McMorris Rodgers,” Sept. 13)
Which program or service — The FBI, national parks, U.S. Capitol or National Academy Of Sciences— would she downsize? Couldn’t we use more drones instead of planes, tanks and warships? Or cut 100,000 Department of Defense civilian employees?
Many people present were skeptical, upset and angry that she has unashamedly spent 12 years representing the far right and blamed President Obama for Congress doing nothing. American Action Network falsely claims she is protecting Medicare from bureaucrats. She voted for the Ryan budget, which privatized Medicare and Social Security. Another pet project, the VA’s physical therapy program, was cut on Aug. 30.
She pleaded ignorance to Nestle’s plans to bottle water in Waitsburg, even though the topic came up at a Dayton town hall. Flustered by questions about her support of bigoted Trump, she said, “he would be a lot better than Hillary.” Moreover, her anti-science party was shamed as Pope Francis addressed Congress and the United Nations on climate change.
Michael Kraft
Spokane