Letters

The Republican ability to ignore reality is again shown by John Wozniak's letter ("What wave?" Nov. 11, 2018). As of now, the GOP picked up only two Senate seats in a very extremely beneficial choice of which seats were up for election. At the same time, they've lost 32 seats in the House of Representatives. One tangent to note is that they won those seats with the same vote margin the GOP had when they won more than 60 seats in Obama's first mid-term, showing clearly that Republican voter disenfranchisement is working to cling to power.

John Blanchette's column, Broncos' ad a shot across Zags' bow, referencing the full-page ad purchased by the Santa Clara athletic department, brought a smile to my face while sipping my morning coffee. Talk may be cheap, but based upon S-R advertising rates, cheap talk will cost you $4,000.

I can't tell you how confused I am. There are cattle ranchers who want/demand access to public land. They don't want the federal government to interfere. Yet when a few cows are eaten by wolves, they want the federal government to intervene. By killing wolves

No clearer sign of a political party at risk of becoming inbred, out of touch and self-defeating than the barrage of attacks-from-within against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan, intended to ensure the young Native woman would lose by at least as many points as the usual old white millionaire nominees do.

Since when is it OK to ride an electric-assisted scooter or bicycle on a city sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to step aside to avoid being hit, RCW 46.61.710(3)?

We must not allow our lives to be governed by politically subjective talking points. It is imperative we direct ourselves to unprejudiced understanding and attain a knowledge that transcends political party lines.

In Spokane and throughout Eastern Washington, physicians play a major role in our communities. For the past 45 years, many physicians and clinical partners here in Spokane have given generously of their time to teach and mentor University of Washington School of Medicine students. These doctors see benefit in giving back and recognize that they play an important role in developing future physicians; those who will be taking care of us, as well as our friends and neighbors.

The Spokane Jewish community, including the congregations of Temple Beth Shalom and Congregation Emanu-El, would like to express its thanks for the incredible outpouring of support and sympathy from the Spokane community in response to the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Flowers and cards appeared at our doors the morning after the shooting and over 1,000 people poured into our synagogue for a community vigil on Oct. 30.

The American women and men who have and continue to serve our country have lived through harsh and brutal conditions in a heroic effort to defend the Constitution and democracy.

What has happened to the Spokane I grew up in I the '50s and '60s ? We had a real gentleman named Tom Foley who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years. He eventually became Speaker of the House. During the '60s at a time of real turbulence, he was a statesman and not just a politician. Tom believed right makes might - not might makes right. He believed that hard-working people deserved to be treated with respect and should be rewarded for their hard work. He also found ways to work across the aisle in Congress even with people he disagreed with, but still showed them respect.

The elections are over for now. Politicians are already fundraising for 2020 and the blame continues.

I agree with Craig G ( "Cover Joe Albi Stadium," Craig Gerlack, Nov. 3, 2018). I was born and raised in Spokane. 74 years.

While it appears that duplicity has become the D.C. norm, here in Washington state, we can do better. We can begin by insisting (and through initiative if necessary) that no means no. Yes means yes, and that to vote against a ballot measure ought not require a vote of yes ... as was directed by Initiative 1634 (groceries tax).

The practice in the criminal justice system over the last few decades has been giving longer sentences. For many people given a life sentence, for example, the desperation of incarceration becomes very apparent. I have witnessed so-called "lifers" erode over the years into case studies of the institutionalized.

I see that Cathy McMorris Rodgers is leaving her leadership position in the House. I sure will miss all those photographs of her smiling with her GOP pals as she tries to take away our health care, our Medicare and our Social Security benefits to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

As if there weren't already enough reasons to reject the sale of Avista to Canadian company Hydro One, now we learn that if the sale goes through, Christine Gregoire will sit on Avista's board of directors ("Gregoire chosen for Avista post-sale board of directors," Nov. 7, 2018). The former governor is a career politician with absolutely no business experience - just exactly the type of person who should not be on the utility's board.

Now that Matt Shea and his Biblical babble have enabled him to be re-elected, I am even more encouraged to proceed with my imaginary plan to hire about 100 bulldozers and raze the entire Spokane Valley from Freya to Barker in one cold swoop.

I feel it's time for Congress to get a backbone and censure this president who has bullied, denigrated and lied to Americans and other nations. This latest comment regarding immigrant caravan: He said, tongue in cheek, that if stones are thrown at the military by the immigrants, pretend your rifles are stones!

I don't know who they are. They only told me their first names. But five big, strong fellows showed up at my door and informed me that they knew I needed a strong ramp and larger porch since I was immobile and needed wheels to get around.