Letters for Nov. 7, 2022
Party matters
Please vote carefully when casting your ballot. The United States is facing a diesel shortage. The supply is at historic lows, which leaves us vulnerable to production issues. This will affect everything from heating your home, food and other items that Americans purchase every day. Transportation will come to a standstill and Americans across the board will suffer because of the energy policies in place right now.
Lori Taylor
Spokane
Simple elections
This coming election is really quite simple. If you want to keep your present freedoms, liberties and life, vote Democratic. If you want a total dictatorship to tell you what you can read, see, say and think, and what women can do with their bodies, vote Republicans. They have already shown what they intend to do in most of the presently conservative controlled states.
Eric Johnson
Spokane
County prosecutor
On Tuesday, the voters of Spokane have a clear choice when selecting a county prosecutor. This year we have a choice between Larry Haskell and Deb Conklin. On one hand, we have Larry Haskell who, when his country went to war, re-enlisted, served and then returned to prosecution both as a state and federal prosecutor. On the other hand, we have Deb Conklin who hasn’t practiced law in 35 years. She stopped practicing law and prosecution after having a rape case dismissed for her “gross prosecutorial misconduct.” (State v. Stephans, No. 8654-9-11) This is an easy choice. Haskell has served his country as an officer in the United States Air Force as a B-52 pilot. He has been tough on gang-related crimes and sending away the worst offenders. In a time when crime is out of control, we need a prosecutor like Larry Haskell.
Kirk Neumann
Spokane
American patriot
What is an American patriot? A real patriot will always put the good of the country above all else. This of course includes party loyalty. Democracy cannot flourish if party loyalty outweighs the good of the country.
So, a real patriot must work to discern truth from fiction, or made-up stories, seeking the truth involves fact-checking. Several news sources must be involved and evaluated for truth content.
One of the most glaring examples of truth denial involves the last presidential election. A significant portion of America believes the results were fraud-related. This, despite 60-plus court cases across the country saying there was no evidence of significant voter fraud.
Even the Supreme Court agreed with the lower court’s decisions. Also, Bill Barr and several top administration/lawyers and officials declared no significant fraud.
We are left with our democracy being seriously damaged and facing existential threat.
Gary Kavanagh
Spokane
Attack on Paul Pelosi
On Oct. 28, Nancy Pelosi’s home in San Francisco was invaded and her husband brutally attacked by a conspiracy theory devotee wielding a hammer. Fox News published “Paul Pelosi attack should be a ‘wakeup call’ to Democrats on crime, but they won’t change: Leo Terrell.” On air the commentators wildly spun the attack as a result of “soft on crime” and had the gall to suggest the suspect might soon be “out on the streets.” I searched in vain for any Fox News mention that the attacker was eerily intoning, “where’s Nancy?” Any hint of condemnation of the widespread culture of violence nurtured by Donald Trump throughout his presidency? Not a peep …
Where are the Republicans willing to denounce the culture of political violence nurtured for the last seven years by Trump and many of his followers? Silence is acquiescence and their silence is deafening.
Are local Republicans exempt from this hypocrisy? Watch the free hour long Frontline documentary on YouTube, “Michael Flynn’s Holy War.” In September, Gen. Flynn brought his holy war to an audience of “thousands” in Post Falls. Flynn preached his unholy gospel of necessary violence and wingnut conspiracy theories that animate people like Paul Pelosi’s assailant.
Right wing media trying to capitalize on the bludgeoning of Paul Pelosi as just another example of crime they say they will control is a sickening hypocrisy as long as they refuse to acknowledge, call out and quell the calls for political violence made by members of their own party.
Jerry LeClaire, M.D., retired
Spokane
One-party rule
Sue Lani Madden says we can’t have meaningful conversations and compromise because Democrats control the state Legislature and governor’s office. How do you have either of those things with an election-denying, book-banning, Trump-worshiping political party like the GOP has become? A party that has decided they know better than doctors when it comes to women’s bodies and infectious diseases. A party that, if they had their way would have overturned a free and fair election in favor of keeping a treasonous, crooked, grifter as leader of the free world. Until the GOP reforms itself, their members need to demonstrate their commitment to country over party or they don’t deserve to be any where near government leadership roles.
Rick Gallinger
Greenacres
Represents her party, not her people
In 1995 or 1996, I was a member of a small (five-six people) community banker’s group that traveled to Washington DC to meet with our elected officials to discuss matters of importance to community banking. We confirmed appointments with the Washington State congressional delegation, including Patty Murray and Slade Gorton.
After traveling 2500 miles, we arrived at Senator Murray’s office a few minutes before the appointed time. An aide to Senator Murray eventually came to greet us, telling us that the Senator was there, however, she had decided not to see us because “she disagrees with your positions and will not support them.”
Later in the day, we had an appointment with Senator Slade Gorton. When we arrived, an aide came to greet us and told us that Senator Gorton had to be on the senate floor for a vote, but that he could take a few minutes to talk with us if we could come to an antechamber off the senate floor. The aide led us to the room, and Senator Gorton came by and listened attentively to us for 15-20 minutes.
The contrast was striking. In blowing off a confirmed appointment with a handful of small bank executives who had traveled thousands of miles to talk with her, Senator Murray betrayed a fundamental level of ethical bankruptcy that sticks with me to this day. It was evident she was there to represent her party, not the people of Washington State. She is well past her expiration date.
Bob McKean
Liberty Lake