Foley’s concern

Reading the Spokesman-Review March 6 guest opinion column on Tom Foley, I recalled a telephone conversation Tom and I had a month before he died.

When he called he said, Sal, I’m so concerned and distressed about the negative atmosphere here in D.C.

He said, when I was in the House we naturally had our political differences, but when the workday was over we were friends. We went out to dinner, celebrated birthdays and anniversaries together. We liked one another.

Most importantly, we cooperated and compromised to solve this country’s problems.

Then he said, now there’s too much anger and hatred here. What really bothers me is that it’s getting worse and I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. I worry about our country’s future. This is no way to govern.

Tom Foley was a remarkable man. He was so kind and so humble and at the same time a brilliant man. He deeply loved this country and its people.

I was devastated when Tom was defeated. He’d done so much for Eastern Washington as well as our country. The older I get the less I understand why voters use their vote to shoot themselves in the foot!

Sally Jackson

Spokane