Letters for Oct. 7, 2023

CMR’s border lies

Cathy McMorris Rodgers keeps problems in her pocket, convenient in case of an election. Somehow, she convinces voters that she will fix the problem. One favorite problem in her pocket is the southern U.S. border, a problem both created and maintained by her party.

Reagan’s 1986 Immigration Reform Act made it harder to prosecute employers who hire undocumented workers. America doesn’t have an “illegal immigrant” problem; we have an “illegal employer” problem.

The truth is that the border is a militarized zone. There are drones, high-tech sensors, canines, intel monitoring and trained, professional officers. But Republicans keep repeating the words “open borders” and desperate central Americans hear it and believe it.

Cartel-driven fentanyl is another pocket topic Cathy McMorris Rodgers will use to stoke fear-votes, and isn’t fear a powerful drug? Drug addiction is a stand-alone issue, worthy of a separate letter, except this: we are not serious about drug abuse unless we are willing to make treatment as easy to obtain as the drug.

Biden’s border policy is available on the White House website. Looks to me that the correct agencies are supported with appropriate diplomatic soundness afforded our place in the world as people who value human rights. This website also exposes the Biden administration work on the fentanyl problem, including eliminating Chinese sources of chemicals to make it. It’s like the more you know, the less Cathy McMorris Rodgers knows about her pet project, her “open borders.”

Janet Marugg

Clarkston

Government spending out of control

Sept. 29 devoted a half page to the harm and uncertainties to various groups from a possible government shutdown. Most seem plausible. Where is the information about the pending financial suicide of the U.S.?

The projected federal debt is $33.432 trillion by the end of 2023 (from CNN, but debt varies with information source). Bidenomics will add about $1.9 trillion this year. So an individual’s portion of national debt is $101,200 and 2023’s increase is $5,750 using 330 million citizens. So a family of four is responsible for $404,800 and $23,000 respectively. Did you add $23,000 to your credit card this year? Federal spending must be cut drastically.

Homework: Google the rise and fall of Argentina and financial death spiral. Allowing continued federal deficit spending by Congress is like giving a crack junkie a large baggie of crack while telling them this is to remove your crack addiction.

Steven Sontag

Spokane

Agreeing with a new draft

Amen to Jim Wavada for the Oct. 1 letter, “Time for a new draft.” I agree with all the points made in Mr. Wavada’s very well-written letter to editor.

So many of our young men and women have very little direction upon graduating high school. Our military services are having trouble keeping up with their recruitment needs. A draft would solve both problems. I was not drafted in the ’60s (but would have been) but joined the Air Force. I could not have made a better choice. I was taught skills that serve me to this very day as were so many of my vintage.

Bravo, Mr. Wavada, and until we get the draft back (very unlikely) young men and women please give a thought to joining any of the five services; you will do a favor for yourself and your country.

John Miller

Spokane Valley

Trump’s legal woes

Folks that follow the game of politics have become concerned about the disturbing number of Trump’s legal actions. After all, in the three decades before he became president, he and his companies accumulated over 4,000 lawsuits for an average of over 130 per year. Naturally, he experienced a lull during his years of service but he is swinging way below his historical average. Perhaps his advanced age is finally catching up?

Jim Baumker

Liberty Lake

Fastest object in sports history

I appreciated Judy Rogers’ letter (“Bird’s the word!,” Oct. 4) in support of the World Junior Badminton Tournament being held in Spokane through Sunday. I’ve been a fan of the sport since my high school years spent in Malaysia. An interesting bit of trivia is that the fastest object in sports is indeed badminton’s shuttlecock, with the world record at 306 miles per hour delivered by Tan Boon Heong (of Malaysia, naturally).

Dan Canada

Cheney