Letters To The Editor

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

KREM wrong to keep ‘thugs’ ad

Obviously, KREM and its editorial mouthpiece, Barry Barth, don’t subscribe to truth in advertising standards or they would have joined in discontinuing the dishonest AFL-CIO political ads attacking Republican legislators.

Since KREM has chosen to continue airing these outright distortions of fact, I have chosen to eliminate them from the selections on my remote TV control. Hopefully, others who still attach some value to honesty will do the same. It might also be suggested to advertisers that they may not be reaching some of us through KREM for a long time to come.

While it might be more difficult to turn off supposed newspaper reporters with personal political agendas, their thinly veiled drivel isn’t that hard to expose. Specifically, the “analysis” offered by staff writer Jim Camden in the July 20 Spokesman-Review was as pathetically transparent as to be humorous.

By declaring Gingrich’s speech to be both “ambiguous” and “poorly constructed,” Camden attempted to take AFL-CIO thugs and KREM off the hook and designate Gingrich as the responsible culprit. And who could possibly be more qualified to pass judgment on Gingrich or his speech than one as widely recognized as an expert as Jim Camden? Ken Weber Colville, Wash.

Stations, Nethercutt all contemptible

I was appalled to see in last Saturday’s paper that two local TV stations had bowed to Unrepresentative George Nethercutt’s blatant and whining censorship efforts, regarding the ads projecting him as part of House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s anti-Medicare crowd.

Shame on both KHQ and KXLY. I will do everything within my power to avoid watching or listening to either of these stations in the future.

As for Nethercutt, grow up, George! Quit whining and play the political game like a man. After all, it was your own party that refined rough and/or dirty politics to a fine art. Of course these ads were geared to destroy your candidacy. That’s the name of the game.

A greater statesman and politician than you can ever aspire to be said it best: If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Roger Erdman Spokane

KXLY and KHQ out of the loop?

Jim Camden’s July 20 article (“TV stations pull commercial,” Region) has left me with a couple of questions on why KHQ and KXLY pulled the ad, “Withering on the vine,” and why KREM decided to keep the ad.

Barry Barth from KREM said he had documentation to substantiate the ad. Didn’t KHQ and KXLY have the same documentation? Donna Stanek Spokane

Pulling of ad outrageous

My indignation knows no bounds regarding a column written by staff writer Jim Camden. I find it inconceivable that KHQ and KXLY would censor a political ad just because it displeased Rep. George Nethercutt. Just who does he think he is and what type of influence does he have over these two television stations?

I find this action by Nethercutt to be at the height of arrogance and I hope the good people of this district will keep this in mind when going into the voting booth this fall.

As for the two stations, I think their owners should review their editorial staffs and make whatever changes are necessary.

KXLY has been my station of choice for news and programming for years, but this gaffe has given me second thoughts. I intend to boycott this station and use whatever influence I have to see that my friends and acquaintances do the same. Louis Wright Republic, Wash.

Republicans, Dole need infusion

Your July 22 “Moderating Dole cool to NRA; Choice of Powell as speaker sign of inclusionary party” commentary by New York Times writer Richard L. Berke hits the mark but misses the potential conclusion.

Looking to expand his base of support, Bob Dole announced that the upcoming Colin Powell address at the Republican national convention signals a further step toward abortion rights supporters. “We’re an inclusionary party,” Dole said recently.

Powell, a supporter of abortion rights, is scheduled to speak on the convention’s opening night. This, coupled with last week’s selection of keynote speaker Rep. Susan Molinari, R-N.Y., an outspoken backer of abortion rights, may very well show us who Dole intends to select as his running mate. It could be New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, currently basking in the glow success after keeping her aggressive campaign promise to lower taxes 30 percent. Whitman would likely help Dole with the gender gap.

For too long, the Republican Party, of which I am a staunch member, has relegated both women and blacks to minor supporting roles. This is what we, the Republican Party, and presidential candidate Bob Dole both need: an infusion. David Elton Spokane

All did prosper under Reagan

In “Think tank’s figures sort of figure” (Letters, July 22), John Griffith cites data for 1979-1993, but Ronald Reagan did not enter office until 1981. Griffith’s numbers are biased by a major downturn in 1979-82 (of which Reagan policies were not a cause).

For the actual Reagan years, 1981-89, real household income for the bottom 20 percent rose 11 percent (from $7,166 to $7944 in 1992 dollars), and all income groups saw their income increase by at least 10 percent.

These are also Bureau of the Census statistics. Unlike Griffith’s figures, they more accurately reflect how the poor fared during the Reagan years. Chris Cathcart Spokane

Deregulation pays, all right

Although Bill Clinton is president, the Republicancontrolled Congress sets the rules and establishes the funding that affect big business, individuals and the nation’s welfare. Congress sets standards for plant inspections, worker safety, product control and food quality.

The GOP claims industry needs less regulation to better serve citizens. So Republicans keep minimizing inspections, supposedly to speed production, minimize product costs and better serve consumers.

Fewer inspectors ensure that environmental quality, air travel controls and product supervision can conveniently be overlooked, thereby allowing inferior foods and drugs to be marketed. Quality levels are lower for many products, for air and water, and for air travel.

Quality control is preached, not practiced, especially in food. Perhaps this is the reason for recent cases of E-coli. Fewer inspectors mean more contaminated meats and fish, resulting in mercury-loaded tuna fish or tainted baby foods marketed to unsuspecting parents.

When it comes to industry making an extra buck, you can be sure the Republicans are strong fans of deregulation. They, the GOP (Guardians of the People?) have something for everyone: colic for the babies, E-coli for kids, cigarettes for teenagers, salmonella for all, military weapons for the anti-gun-control nuts, AK-47s for street gangs, unbreathable air and more-expensive medicines for the elderly - all to generate huge profits for business and industry, and to ensure even larger PAC contributions for themselves. Andy Kelly Spokane

White House at an all-time low

After being viciously attacked for revealing that the Clinton White House was overrun with people who couldn’t get security clearances because of drug use, House Speaker Newt Gingrich has been proven right.

As the facts are slowly becoming known, the number who could not pass drug tests has risen to over 40. Secret Service agents and others testify of past crack, cocaine and hallucinogenic drug use by White House staffers.

The improper search of confidential FBI files, coupled with access to other government documents by staffers without security clearances, carries serious concerns for individual citizens as well as national security. Irene Beeson Spokane

Gingrich-phobes gullible and dumb

Some members of the press have been able to demonize House Speaker Newt Gingrich. This is a tribute to the public school system and its ability to dumb-down the American mind. (In the case of the logically disadvantaged female mind, it needed small effort).

Gingrich is a doer. Many persons cannot do, and so they “teach.” Many others can neither do nor teach, and so they criticize. If some members of the press were to show their true colors, it would be green - green with envy (present company excepted, of course). Mike Anstine Spokane

Nethercutt antidote to extremists

The environmental extremist community has its coordinated attack on Rep. George Nethercutt in high gear. It must be hard for these groups to swallow the fact that they aren’t always going to have every issue go their way.

They have, for 20 years, directed legislators to close public lands, stop multiple use and have almost destroyed our natural resource industries. Extremists have used thousands of plants and animals, from salamanders to rats, as weapons in their war against modern man.

Their latest effort involves the EPA’s 303(d) list. This list has 600 Washington streams listed as violating Clean Water Act standards. This listing will force government controls on all the drainages. If these watersheds were closed to all uses because of this inadequate data, they will have reached their goal of total control of our lands.

I would like to thank Nethercutt for taking a stand on these issues and trying to reach for common ground that would benefit all concerned. Nethercutt’s open-door policy, with offices in every corner of his district, has been a breath of fresh air. Gary Olson Curlew, Wash.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Gorton reform measure a good one

Sen. Slade Gorton has proposed an amendment to the Northwest Power Act that would improve the way fish and wildlife programs are selected and prioritized.

Currently, decisions are made primarily by state and tribal agencies. They have the authority to allocate funding as they deem appropriate. In reality, most funding goes to their own projects.

For example, recent statistics show that they allocated 82 percent of the funding to their own projects. Seventyfive percent of the projects proposed by independent groups, including universities and private researchers, were rejected.

Gorton commented on the current system in a July 16 press statement, “It’s like having the Defense Department ask Boeing to decide which brand of aircraft the military will use.”

With this amendment, a newly formed independent panel of scientists would select and prioritize projects. Selected projects must be based on sound scientific principles, benefits to fish and wildlife, and have clearly defined goals and principles for evaluating success. State and tribal agencies could still propose projects and, if they are the best, will continue to be used.

Impact: Forcing all parities to compete for the best salmon recovery plan is a great idea. It will force groups to develop the most effective programs. It will also help keep salmon recovery efforts affordable. Please support this amendment. Dave Clinton Columbia River Alliance, Spokane

Don’t sacrifice the planet for profit

Re: “Clinton planting seeds of doom,” by columnist Tony Snow (Opinion, July 25) - talk about overreactions. In order to defend the status quo, Snow argues that we shouldn’t try to be environmentally responsible.

While the evidence on global warming may not be complete, certainly, common sense dictates that creation of too much carbon dioxide - which we cannot breathe - is something we should try to curtail. If American business, because of governmental rule changes, manages to find more environmentally friendly production methods, this will be best for us in the long run.

Snow, and those like him, would rather wait until the problem becomes “critical” - meaning it has to be proven (probably by industry scientists) to kill an awful lot of people (or, will we all be carrying portable oxygen in Snow’s future?), before doing anything about it.

Snow and his followers care more about their own short-term monetary gain than they do about the longterm needs of all people, both rich and poor.

Yes, changes in the means of production will no doubt affect manufacturers and their workers. But, what about all the American entrepreneurs who will find themselves on the hero’s list for being creative and figuring out nonpolluting or lesser-polluting means of production? And, what about all the jobs created in these new industries?

The only people who afraid of change are those who are making too much money right now. Hopefully, the rest of us will use our brains and support change that is made in the interest of wise long-term goals. Micki Archuleta Pullman

Take care sealing old mines

The Forest Service should be congratulated for its recent effort to seal the many nearby abandoned mines (“Forest Service to seal hazardous mine shafts,” July 10). However, doing so without proper technical evaluations can be hazardous and could prove costly in the near future. Sealing such mines by caving causes two problems.

First, water issuing from many of these mines contains heavy metals that have a detrimental affect on downstream fisheries. Caving, or blasting shut, only hides the problem until water pressure builds as the mine naturally refills with ground water.

Second, as water pressure builds, water travels along fractures, causing nearby soils to become saturated. Such soils are less cohesive, which usually leads to slumping of the hillsides.

I know of a mine in southern Idaho that simultaneously suffered from both problems. A mining company discovered an old caved-in mine opening when a large slump broke loose, partially damming a small creek. The slump was an environmental headache and had to be removed because it contained old mill tailings.

A spring at the caved opening was exposed on the hillside scarp where the slump had been. The spring was sampled and contained dissolved metals. The mine operators relieved water pressure from the mine by driving a pipe in through the caved area. Contaminated water shot out a distance of over 150 feet for over an hour until the pipe could be capped. Fortunately, the remainder of the water was diverted to their nearby tailings disposal facility. Fred Kirschner, Ph.D., Associated Environmental Scientists and Engineers Valleyford, Wash.

ANIMALS

Extremist views threaten freedoms

Regarding Kerry Masters’ chiding, condescending letter (“Being humane not so terrible, July 22) directed toward David Hayward Jr. (“Halt animal rights extremism,” Letters, July 13):

Masters has completely misinterpreted the factors of the animal rights movement that cause concern to most people who have done in-depth studies of this movement’s agenda and objectives.

I assume that Masters came to her animal rightist position by her own free will and not by coercion or force of law. If animism is Master’s religion, philosophy or way of life, she is entitled to that in the United States, which guarantees freedom of religion and protects her pursuit of happiness. Yet Masters, and those who follow her views, would effect legislation which would force their view onto those of us not willing to embrace them.

Most of us would not want a government so invasive that it would control our diet, wardrobe, our ownership or use of animals, or animal byproducts in our lives. The bottom line of the animal rights movement is to strip us of our most ancient culture and traditions. In the JudeoChristian traditions, skins of animals were given by God to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. Although there is no specific reference, one would suppose that the meat from the animals was given as well.

Under the guise of compassion for animals, ethical vegetarian Adolf Hitler instituted the most inhumane government policies toward humankind at the same time he instituted “animal rights” and anti-vivisection of animals as part and parcel of the National Socialist (Nazi) regime’s policy. Cherie Graves Newport, Wash.