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Discourse in decline

Thu., Sept. 9, 2010

M.W. Monroe’s letter in the Sunday Spokesman attacking Sen. Chris Marr is an especially ugly example of what politics can become.

Mr. Monroe is worked up about Senate Bill 5599, a bill that Sen. Marr co-sponsored. Monroe might have done us the service of explaining the bill, a simple agreement that Washington award its electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote in presidential elections. He might also have pointed out that many other states are passing similar bills. But had he done that, he couldn’t demonize Sen. Marr with preposterous charges.

Reasonable people might oppose SB 5599, but to assert that “this heinous act” will cost us “our precious right to vote for president” is silly at best and at worst cynical and misleading.

Paul De Palma

Spokane

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