Letters to the Editor for Friday, Aug. 15

Gerrymandering 101

Like most people, I took a civics class in high school. That was 55 years ago, but my recollection is that this country is described as a representative democracy where voters choose their representatives in government. Even my current representative, Michael Baumgartner, says he is “my voice in Congress.” Why then does it seem like democracy, as I thought I understood it, seems to be flirting with failure?

Republicans have seemingly given up trying to craft policy that appeals to the majority. Instead of attempting to attract votes they instead make it harder to vote or they redraw voting districts to favor themselves. Known as gerrymandering, this process carves out voting districts based on historical voting patterns to favor one party and is decidedly undemocratic. Take Wis. for example. While statewide elections are basically a 50-50 split, gerrymandering yields a 6-2 Republican edge in the House of Representatives.

Well, how about this bizarrely shaped district, stretching from Spokane through Pullman, Walla Walla and then to the Tri-Cities, Yakima, Ellensburg and Wenatchee. This crescent-shaped district favoring Democrats would leave a single Republican district East of the Cascades. I’m imagining a pistol duel at dawn between Baumgartner and Newhouse to see who gets to be the “voice in Congress!” I know this sounds nonsensical, but it is precisely what Republicans are trying to do in Texas. In other words, the Republicans choosing their voters instead of the voters choosing them.

This is how democracy dies. Oh, yes, Epstein.

Deidre McAuliffe

Loon Lake

If you got the money, I got the time

Remember when Mike Baumgartner was first elected, promising to work for everyone in the 5th District?

That’s hard to do when he continues to severely limit face to face contact with his constituents.

Example: For the past five months, Baumgarter has refused to hold town hall meetings in Spokane that would be free and open to all of his constituents.

The last one was on March 17!

Other Republication representatives are holding public town halls meetings across the U.S., but not our own “Money Talks” Mike.

But if you have the cash, Rep. Baumgartner is more than willing to spend time with you.

Example: In a recent mailing to his supporters, Baumgartner announced on Aug. 17 at a private, invitation only fundraiser (at an undisclosed downtown location) that charges $3,500 per person for a half hour “roundtable” with him.

Don’t have $3,500?

For $1,000, you can buy your way into the “photo line” and $250 gets you into a “VIP reception.”

The cost of everything is going up, but these prices are steep just to be able to talk face to face with our local Congressmen.

The message is clear from Baumgartner: “If you got the money, I got the time.”

Richard Sola

Spokane

Focus on Russia

I am hoping Congressman Baumgartner will take a few moments from his laps cheering for the “big beautiful bill” to focus on the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin.

It is my hope he is certain that Trump’s talk about giving up land doesn’t mean he is giving Alaska back to Russia. After all, if Trump is willing to consider giving Ukrainian land to Russia, without the president of that country included in discussions, he may well accidentally return Alaska back!

The art of the deal indeed. Congressman, support the sovereignty of Ukraine and ask that Trump not negotiate giving away land of another country to Russia.

Eleanor Lathem

Spokane

Let’s find solutions to the wolf conflict

Ronald Reed’s letter (Aug. 3) was critical of Washington’s approach to wolf recovery despite our state leading in developing efforts to live with wolves. There are more range riders in Washington than anywhere else in the world, and fewer wolves are lethally removed than in any other state that legally can. That is largely due to the effort of ranchers, conservation groups on the ground, legislators, and government agencies who have rolled up their sleeves and worked together. Washington is listening to the voices of the people affected by wolves as well as those cheering their recovery.

There are many tools that Washington is using and testing. There are riders out on large grazing pastures every year. There has recently been an audit of these riding efforts by an outside source. There has been a tracking school for range riders. There have been low stress cattle handling and general range rider trainings. We are learning from experience.

We have to come to understand that it is important to listen to each other. We have learned from leaders from the Tom Miner Basin in Montana, the Wood River Wolf Project in Idaho, and Cameron Krebs in Oregon. We also avoid wolf dens and work to understand carnivore behavior, but we leave calf training to their mothers.

Despite some bumps in the road, Washington is finding good, steady solutions. Our successes living with wolves are recognized throughout the West. The real problem isn’t the wolves, but neither are the people working on solutions.

Jay Shepherd

Conservation Northwest