Letters for April 12, 2023

We need stricter laws

In reading and watching the news, I am appalled at the behavior of some of our citizens, our local government and our law enforcement officers. It doesn’t matter if you are a conservative, a liberal, a Republican or a Democrat. Obeying laws is basic to a civil and safe society. We have an element that has no regard for laws, ethics or in some cases even human life. In our city we have repeat offenders back on the streets after double-digit convictions! We have rampant drug use from our youth to supposedly mature adults. We have property crime that is unacceptable including break-ins, robberies and carjackings. Now we’re reading about street racing over 55 mph on residential streets.

We need to enact much stricter laws for illegal drugs, property crime, assault and street racing. Repeat offenders need long-term time sentencing and severe fines. Elected officials need to act or be recalled with legislators who will. We need judges who will punish the offenders to the full extent of the law. Lastly, we need to increase our numbers of police officers and their patrols with officers who will enforce the law. I’m not suggesting officers use excessive force. I am suggesting that we arrest those who break the law and ensure they appear in court and are sentenced accordingly. Some cities have offered a signing bonus to new officers. If that’s what it takes to double our force, so be it.

Barry Bauchwitz

Spokane Valley

Digital advertising helpful

Recently, there have been conversations around digital advertising and its negative impact on youth and privacy. What’s missing is the voice of small business owners and how digital advertising helps us grow.

For over 45 years, The Quilting Bee has provided a variety of products and services, fostering a deep sense of community. We are proud to be locally owned and rely on digital advertising to reach new customers.

Targeted digital advertising, especially on a market-specific basis, has helped us to stay relevant and grow. We live in the digital age when more customers are shopping online. This cost-effective tool helps us grow our consumer base and helps us compete against online shopping giants. Without these ads, we would not have the same success.

I understand and share the privacy concerns with digital ads, but a broad approach to a specific problem will have unintended consequences and negative impacts on small businesses. For instance, over 80% of our customers are over 50, so the ability to target this demographic provides a better experience to the ad viewers (something more relevant to them) and prevents us from spending more money to just attempt to reach the same demographic by chance.

It would be shortsighted to revoke tools that bring in vital income. Working together, we can find a better, targeted way of protecting children and privacy. I encourage Sens. Murray, Cantwell and Rep. McMorris Rodgers to consider small businesses when debating legislation that could have a profound impact on businesses like ours.

Scot Auble

Vice president, The Quilting Bee

Spokane Valley

Praise for Doonesbury, Dr. Paster

Prevagen, Neuriva, Brainol and countless other modern-day snake oil placebos: Can’t watch television long without bombardment by advertisers featuring supposedly respectable shills like Mayim Bialik, who must make nearly all other Ph.D.s cringe with every viewing.

Even otherwise mentally stimulating respectable programs like “Jeopardy” shamelessly welcome sponsorship dollars from useless supplements like Prevagen.

So considerable gratification accompanied The Spokesman-Review’s March 26 Doonesbury strip skewering Prevagen as a phony money suck that manufacturers, like Neuriva’s and all other fake brainpower enhancers’ makers, decline to submit for FDA confirmation.

Even more gratifying and telling was Dr. Zorba Paster’s late February formal dismissal of Prevagen in writing and in his Public Radio broadcast. It was especially significant if overdue, because he’s based almost in Wisconsin’s backyard of 100-plus employer Quincy Bioscience, Prevagen’s manufacturer.

It would’ve been even more satisfying had Doonesbury and Paster laid blame directly where it belongs for billions of consumers’ bucks wasted on snake-oily supplements: now-deceased U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

Dietary supplements’ manufacturers in hyper-Republican Utah got massive bangs for every legalized-bribery political contribution. Hatch’s picture should be in Webster’s alongside the phrase “bought politician” for shepherding the Orwellian-titled 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.

It allows supplements’ shillers to excrete any bogus claims whatsoever about products as long as they include fine print stating the placebos haven’t been FDA verified and don’t lead on their own to ill health or death.

So, Prevagen and Neuriva suckers everywhere, enjoy warm feelings while kissing your hard-earned dollars goodbye with every pricey purchase!

Rob Ethington

Spokane

Election suspect

I’d like to address some election fraud right in our own backyard. Judging by the innumerable letters to the editor regarding Cathy McMorris Rodgers, it simply cannot be possible that she received any votes for the 5th District, let alone 60% of the total. All of these clear-thinking, honest people cannot be wrong that she is the reincarnation of Joseph McCarthy and Joseph Goebbels rolled into one. We need to get to the bottom of this.

If any votes were in fact cast for CMR, they were obviously fraudulent or people were brainwashed into believing she should be in Congress representing her district. The facts are clear cut: I do not recall a single positive letter to the editor and if there happened to be a stray one, it was obviously written by some crazy MAGA conservative who should have their privilege of voting taken away, at the very least. Come on people, be loud, be proud and keep those letters coming. Show her who’s really boss.

Kevin Healam

Spokane

We don’t need another government agency

A proposed bill to create another government oversight agency stalled, thank heavens. This one would review police use of force. Here is some perspective: Police use of force is rare in Washington, especially when compared with the increasing rate of crimes. After the George Floyd incident, there was a national cry for reducing police forces and in some cases eliminating them entirely. Seattle, with its “Summer of Love” debacle, is an example of why it was a bad idea.

There are several reasons not to create this agency. First, it is unconstitutional. Second, we have prosecutors whose job includes overseeing police misconduct. The governor even acts as a backup if there is a controversy. Third, government agencies take on a life of their own. In order to justify their existence, they search for any small possible infraction. Do we really want to even further curtail our police by forcing them to justify their actions even when a criminal tries to kill them? Last and most important, our local police are already under a microscope for their conduct thanks to the local media. While a small fraction of their past conduct was wrong, the results have been catastrophic for recruiting new officers.

Creating an agency to examine in minute detail every interaction when police must use force will backfire. More crimes will be committed, as police are fearful of acting and even fewer qualified individuals will choose police work as a vocation. Only criminals will benefit!

Hal Dixon

Spokane

Overpopulation big part of problem

Appreciating numerous S-R articles on the housing crisis, I want to thank Sue Lani Madison for her article (“Affordable housing faces mathematical obstacles,” March 30) in helping us see that living in our city and its metropolitan region have already become too expensive.

No matter how our city tries to blunt with recommendations to build more housing and provide subsidies for those who cannot afford the high rents, no matter how many zoning battles are fought or homeless camps lamented, our city regretfully continues to struggle with possible solutions. Numbers and figures compiled can be useful, but they only add or subtract.

In a popular ecology class at WSU 50 years ago, my class determined overpopulation is plainly the source of destruction of our fragile natural resources and physical surroundings. Thus, it’s desirable to approach overall with open mind to several environmental impacts, including finding housing solutions.

Larry Gorton

Spokane

Dam removal sensible

Thanks to all the great comments on the recent federal mediation listening session held, and recognition of ensuring the treaty rights of the Nez Perce people are upheld by breaching or removing the four lower Snake River dams. The methods that have been tried for the past 20 years have shown to be a waste of our taxpayer money and totally ineffective whether it’s hatcheries or spills. Why do we taxpayers continue to support these dams on the Snake River while the salmon are being driven to extinction? Also, since we (the Nez Perce) ceded 15 million acres of land to the federal government, maybe we can just get our land back if we can’t exercise our treaty right to take fish from our traditional areas, due to Snake River dams.

Julian Matthews

Lapwai, Idaho

Who do you call?

The other morning it looked like a neighbor had a break-in on their car. I was wondering if we still call 911 or Crime Check, or do we just phone Chud Wendle directly? Asking for 229,000 of my friends. Thanks!

Harry Crase

Spokane