Letters for July 29, 2022

Reconsider, lifelong Democrats

Thank you for those who identify themselves as “lifelong Democrats.” Our taxes continue to go up. The state of Washington is currently in a “surplus” of tax revenue.

But the Legislature continues to add new or greater taxes with no real plan to use them.

-Heavy equipment rental tax

-Capital gains tax (really, an income tax)

-Climate Change Act, which includes a new gas tax for up to 46 cents per gallon over the current 51.9 cents per gallon. Our state is heading toward a $1 per gallon tax.

-State’s Employment Security Department scandal, fraud and stolen money.

-Giving the governor emergency power and no effort to stop him – 870 days and counting.

House Republican proposals included tax relief, safer communities, transportation congestion relief and an environmental plan, but Democrats rejected those proposals.

“Taken as a whole, Washington state’s congressional delegation doesn’t make the grade”; according to a report card prepared by the Washington, D.C.-based National Taxpayers Union for their votes on taxing and spending, the Center Square reported.

Three members of Congress representing Washington state – Reps. Jaime Herrera Butler, Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse – were given a “C+” grade. The rest, including its two U.S. senators, were given “Fs” by the organization that calls itself the “Voice of America’s Taxpayers.” Thank you for voting, but please consider not being “lifelong Democrats.”

John Van Dalen

Everett

Cicero was right

Cicero (106 B.C.-43 B.C.) grew up during the revolution between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. He was an orator, lawyer, statesman and philosopher. Known as the defender of the republic, he wrote on what he believed to be the ideal form of government. He wrote two books on government entitled, “The Laws” and “The Republic,” based on the Greek philosopher Plato (427 B.C.-347 B.C.).

The idea of natural law is embedded and rooted in nature. It is eternal and limitless. Law is the highest reason and the guide for human affairs. The republic is about the balance between justice and liberty. The Roman Republic had a sophisticated system of checks and balances to prevent one man or one class from controlling the government.

Cicero looked into the ideal form of government for upholding natural law, establishing justice and ensuring liberty. He started by examining three “good states” and their perverted forms: monarchy, aristocracy and democracy.

In a monarchy, a king could act quickly and decisively in an emergency but could turn into a dictator. An aristocracy is the upper-class nobility who have acquired experience and wisdom, but it was susceptible to conspiracies leading to an oligarchy. A democracy where people had liberty and equal rights in directly running the government, but could lead to mob rule.

All three good states were flawed and unstable, but each state had its merits. Cicero proposed that the ideal government is formed by an equal balancing and blending of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. In this “mixed state,” he argued, royalty, the best men and the common people all should have a role.

Max Tuggle

Spokane

McMorris Rodgers’ hypocrisy

Our 5th District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, voted against last week’s House legislation codifying the right to contraception by falsely claiming the bill would allow “abortion on demand” and was a “Trojan Horse for more abortions.” Wow. Oh wow.

One might erroneously conclude McMorris Rodgers has a deep commitment to protect life. But she decides that inalienable life begins with a cluster of cells and supersedes a woman’s inalienable right to control her own life. Earth to Mars, there’s a problem with this logic; it’s really wobbly. McMorris Rodgers has a long voting record of 100% support for the NRA’s human-killing gun positions. She believes an inalienable right exists for 18-year-old teens to buy military weapons manufactured solely for killing the maximum number of humans in the shortest time possible. McMorris Rodgers’ convoluted reasoning says fully born constituents’ lives are non inalienable; we don’t merit protection. Only fetal lives qualify.

U.S. gun violence deaths from mid-July 2022 and counting (according to Gun Violence Archive):

Total deaths: 45,000-plus

Children under 11: 192

Teenagers: 747

Whatever moral high ground she claims evaporates when valuing a fetus’ life more than the tens of thousands of American children, teenagers and adults dying from guns every year.

Her twisted logic opposing legislation protecting a woman’s right to contraception and abortion is indefensible. In actuality, her commitment to life apparently begins with a few cells and ends at birth. She can spin it anyway she wants but even turning herself into a pretzel can’t rationalize McMorris Rodgers’ hypocrisy.

Sarah Haynes

Colville

Please vote this election

I know this is only the mid-term election, which doesn’t seem too important. So, who cares?

We all care … about what happens to us. If it doesn’t touch us personally, we don’t care because it’s not us.

When we weren’t looking, City Hall decided to ignore our referendum voices.

Now, Spokane is seeing hurried decisions to make our homeless population magically disappear (short-term shelter) rather than the slower long-term solution (tiny homes) which have proven to be more successful (no political posturing). In addition, now East Central Spokane is witnessing lack of transparency for all those directly affected through executive decision.

On the national level, the last administration didn’t listen to us. If COVID-19 would have been targeted as our “enemy” (WWII) versus us as a whole country, together, how many lives would have been saved? And, who else will have their reproductive, marital or voting rights stripped away?

If our dissatisfaction is not heard every time there is an election, the same will keep repeating, kind of like the person who keeps doing the same thing but expecting change.

If you care about our homeland, please vote this election.

Carol Echtenkamp

Spokane