Letters for July 7, 2022

Our fate is in the voters’ hands

The revelations of the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 attack have made it clear the thinness of the hair suspending a Damocles sword over the United States’ Constitution and system of government. Former President Donald Trump and his followers have decried the select committee as conducting a “witch hunt,” but it appears that the true witch hunt was the frantic search for election fraud favoring Joseph Biden after the November 2020 election and nary a witch was found. Meanwhile, the select committee has found Trump “witches” swarming out of the woodwork!

It also appears that much of the American electorate is reacting with an appalling apathy. That electorate is all that stands between our Constitutional system and a Putinesque dictatorship.

If the hair holds, it will be because enough of the electorate cared enough to strengthen it with its votes. It will snap if they do not.

It is said that we receive the government we, the electorate, deserve. It was never so true than now.

John Simanton

Spokane

Solve Jan. 6 dispute

The former president is disputing some testimony from the Jan. 6 select committee. Thank God we have a way to quickly resolve the issue. Let’s get the ex-president sworn in to testify as soon as possible.

Joe King

Spokane

Actual solutions to help prevent mass shootings

School and mass shootings are heart-wrenching tragedies. We wonder how this could happen and how we can stop it. Unfortunately, those who shout the loudest and those in power consistently focus on nonsolutions instead of what might actually make a difference.

We’re told we need more laws on gun control on “ghost” guns and the like. These suggestions are misdirected and are missing the point.

These “solutions” focus on limiting Second Amendment rights for law-abiding citizens. (Here’s a hint: Criminals don’t follow the law. In fact, “criminal” is defined as “one who has committed a crime.”) I don’t hear questions about why we aren’t enforcing current gun laws.

Preventing school shootings requires community involvement. Ninety-four percent of those plotting school shootings shared their intentions about carrying out an attack. Communications about the plots were often observed by friends, classmates and other peers 69% of the time. In fact, 19% specifically warned friends about their impending attacks.

Most mass murderers exhibit bizarre or worrisome behavior. For example, the Buffalo, New York, shooter wore a hazmat suit to school for a week. Parkland, Florida, school shooter Nikolas Cruz had a lengthy violent history. Several times his behavior had been reported to law enforcement, including the FBI.

If we are concerned about preventing future mass murders, there are reliable resources available. I recommend beginning at www.secretservice.gov: “Averting Targeted School Violence.” Reported concerns must result in assessment and intervention by public safety officials.

Jacalee Michaelis

Spokane Valley

Renewable energy means security

Americans are feeling the heat as high oil prices drive inflation across the board. We need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and make it accessible to more Americans. We also need to improve our advanced manufacturing capabilities to create more economic opportunities.

Solar and wind energy, for example, require advanced components such as inverters that turn the renewable energy into utility grade electricity. American manufacturers of solar inverters are eligible for a tax incentive; manufacturers of wind inverters should also have access since small scale, distributed wind energy systems are slightly different from those for solar energy. American manufacturers can scale up production of these critical wind energy components, ensure a reliable domestic supply chain and create economic opportunities at the same time.

According to a recent study from the National Renewable Energy Labs, distributed wind capacity could grow to 1,400 GW with continued policy support. If tax policies are extended and strategically expanded to enable direct pay options, the potential for small-scale wind energy increases by more than 80% for homes and farms and by a factor of nearly nine for larger grids.

The Onshore Wind American Manufacturing Act would equalize the treatment of domestic manufacturing for these vital wind and solar components. If enacted, it will help U.S. companies meet today’s energy challenges.

Ian Brownstein

Seattle