Shootings show jail needed

My sister’s dad, Mike Northway, was the Spokane County sheriff’s deputy who pulled over Charles Wallace on Tuesday. He was shot four times and had to go through multiple surgeries on his arm, femur and pelvis. So when I turned on the news and found out that the man who he pulled over for erratic driving had already been convicted of 15 felonies and multiple misdemeanors, yet had been let out for drug rehabilitation, I quickly turned from worried to livid. Someone convicted of drug, theft, driving under the influence, eluding officers and more should not be able to walk around Spokane. I wonder what our judges were thinking. And if this is about limited jail space, the taxpayers in Washington should put themselves in my sister’s shoes. Instead of complaining about our police force, maybe they could bear a tiny increase in taxes to assist the officers risking their lives for the very people complaining. After all, people spend $8 to see “The Avengers” instead of giving that money to the real heroes out there — our police force.

Julie Kostelecky

Spokane

Obama hypocrisy a threat

Any president whose actions so consistently refute his own words must have deep contempt for the intelligence of the American public. This sitting president seems to have the strategy of punishing success and subsidizing failure. The Democrat leadership from top to bottom is the essence of hypocrisy. Under the guise of helping the poor, they enslave them; under the guise of freedom, they take away our liberty; and under the guise of justice they profess to give it to some while denying it to others. This so-called leadership from the top down must go this election in order to preserve our Constitution and the American way of life.

Alfred P. Jones

Lewiston

Why L&I plumber wage boost?

After reading the June 11 letter from Rob Guild regarding the prevailing wage action of the Department of Labor & Industries, I am left to wonder why this travesty of justice isn’t a subject for investigative journalism. Maybe we just don’t care anymore.

Henry Gerber

Spokane

Coal trains will create jobs

The guest opinion of Amber Waldref and Robert Truckner, M.D., makes the baseless statement of increased rail coal traffic on the horizon “without any benefit to our city.” What a laughable statement to anyone retired, working or looking to find a local job in the railroad industry. All trains passing through Spokane stop to change crews, most of whom live here and use local services, own property and support our struggling local economy in a significant way with good-paying union jobs with good benefits. These benefits include excellent medical coverage, allowing us to support the jobs of those such as Dr. Truckner himself. Many have forgotten or are not aware of the thousands of current and retired railroad workers that live in this city and region. It seems to me we would want to create more jobs in our region, so I would like to remind the Spokane City Council to consider the increased employment opportunities for Eastern Washington and North Idaho when they debate “concerns regarding health, economic and environmental effects” as the opinion states. I believe the environmental effects to be minimal, and the health and economic benefits to be greatly beneficial for reasons stated above.

Dan Thompson,

President, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Local 443

Colbert

Corporation pledges empty

It may seem like something small, but it simply underscores the meaninglessness of corporate pledges to do the right thing whether involving going green or supporting health reforms.

I’m referring to the decision by Fred Meyer Stores’ parent company — massive Kroger Corp. — to drop 5-cents-per-bag credits for customers providing their own shopping bags, a fiat which negates what had been a relatively progressive voluntary step. No other major grocer in this region matched it.

As anyone aware of widely reported huge numbers of ocean creatures’ deaths from ingesting discarded plastic pellets (used making everything from garbage bags to toys) will attest, grocery chains’ financial incentives for customer reuse of their own canvas bags produce significant environmental contributions.

So, if the so-called magic of the marketplace can’t function to compel major corporations to honor mundane promises to go green with simple nickel-per-bag credits, just how can health care consumers trust insurance providers’ promises to retain popular health care reform provisions even if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the reform law?

Answer: They can’t. Corporations’ promises to do things that aren’t required by rule of law are as valuable as used bathroom tissue.

Robert A. Ethington

Spokane

Senate best on anti-violence act

Will justice be served?

The Violence Against Women Act is due for reauthorization. Since 1994, the VAWA has combated violent crime and protected victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate voted to reauthorize the act and strengthen protections for victims in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, immigrant and Native American communities. However, the House has its own version of the bill. Progressive provisions that are absent in the House legislation are in the Senate version of the bill. For example, the House version fails to protect victims of violence in the LGBT community, Native American and immigrant communities. Not only does the House bill remove important protections for vulnerable communities, but it also cuts funding used to combat domestic violence.

How is a victim of violence supposed to feel safe when they are living in violent households and the alternative is homelessness? It makes things more difficult to leave when local service programs and shelters are struggling for survival due to budget cuts. As the Obama administration noted, “no sexual assault or domestic violence victim should be beaten, hurt, or killed because they could not access needed support, assistance, and protection.” Will justice be served?

Erin Rojas

Spokane Valley

Limit terms, negate cash

Are the rest of the citizens of this country as upset as I am over the amount of money pouring into this election? Plus our president is spending half his time on the campaign trail trying to raise as much money as possible.

My 86-year-old neighbor has a worthy suggestion: Our presidents should serve one six-year term. No worrying about re-election. Just working at getting the job done.

The same should go for congressmen who spend half their time raising money, lunching with lobbyists and doing their bidding. They could stay in Washington, D.C., and legislate while voting their consciences, and not have to worry about being primary-ed. We’d need a national election to get that passed.

And while we’re at it, let’s not let the U.S. Supreme Court off the hook. No more lifetime appointments where they only retire when their party is in office and they can be replaced by someone of the same political persuasion so we can have more 5-4 decisions.

At age 65 you are gone.

Judy A. Layton

Spokane

Remove trees at intersection

It has come to my attention that Spokane County will hold a hearing on June 26 on a traffic revision for the intersection of 55th Avenue and Freya Street on the South Hill. The revision would turn a two-way stop into a four-way stop.

The revision will make the intersection safer, as the visibility looking south for eastbound traffic on 55th stopping at Freya is poor. This is due to the curve of Freya and trees planted right along the west side of Freya south of the intersection.

And while I applaud the county for attempting to make this a safer intersection, I am concerned that this will cost me and hundreds of other drivers who use this road time and the cost of additional gas and brake wear. Given the traffic patterns at this intersection, the vast majority of the cars are travelling north/south on Freya.

An equally viable way to make this a safer intersection would be to remove the trees. It appears that they are on the right-of-way and should not have been planted there.

John Livingston

Spokane

Ladenburg best for court

The August Washington primary will contain elections for state Supreme Court, which are often not highly publicized. Position 9 will be an open seat. Bruce Hilyer is a predictable Seattle liberal backed by pro-abortion rights and gay marriage groups. Former Justice Richard Sanders was a disaster in his tenure, constantly voting to overturn criminal convictions and sex offender commitments.

The best choice is John Ladenburg. He received undergraduate and law degrees from Gonzaga University and was born in Leavenworth, so he at least knows Eastern Washington. Ladenburg had a solid record as Pierce County prosecutor and is a political moderate more in line with Eastern Washington views than the other candidates.

Sam Watt, Jr.

Spokane

Angry citizens have questions

A few questions from angry, disappointed and confused citizens:

Why doesn’t the country have a budget?

Why would our government allow us to accumulate a $16 trillion debt growing at $4 billion daily and not exclusively focus and work to resolve this each day?

Why would anyone oppose the requirement of voter ID?

Why are national secrets being leaked to the press?

Why is the attorney general refusing to give the House Oversight Committee the information concerning the transfer of 2,000 military weapons to a Mexican drug cartel, resulting in both American and Mexican deaths?

Why is the government promoting the use of food stamps (1970 - 1 out of 50 families, 2012 - 1 of 7) rather than job growth, including apprenticeship programs that pay people to learn practical skills needed today and in the future? Apprenticeship is very successful in Germany.

Why have we allowed agencies like the General Services Administration to spend $1 million on Las Vegas parties and fail to sell and/or lease the 14,000 empty buildings that they manage and we own?

Answer: arrogance and abuse of power along with no knowledge, aptitude or experience in management of innovative competitive business.

David Hamer

Spokane