Bryant gets farming, trade

In the ggovernor’s race in Washington, Jay Inslee has accumulated a war chest of $8 million, nearly all of which comes from Western Washington sources, compared to $3 million for Bill Bryant.

Inslee’s record hardly merits re-election. In 2014, during a labor dispute between the International Longshore Workers Union and the United Grain Co. terminal in Longview, Inslee withdrew state patrol protection of state Department of Agriculture grain inspectors, who had been harassed and threatened by ILWU members. This put much of the $1 billion wheat industry at risk. It also emboldened the ILWU later that year to embark on a five-month work slowdown that cost Washington farmers and processors $770 million.

Now Inslee has ordered the Department of Ecology to cook up a carbon cap, without input from the Legislature, and to place more regulations on dairies and other areas of farming.

I think 32 years of Democratic Party control of the governor’s office is long enough. I’m voting for Bil Bryant, who understands farming, business and trade. I don’t think we need four more years of Inslee’s wacky schemes to save the planet on the backs of Washington farmers, businesses and consumers.

Jim Els

Harrington, Wash.