Letters for June 19

Big Beautiful Bill sets out to weaken courts, states

Two virtually unnoticed provisions in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill will severely impact our nation’s courts in their ability to hold this lawless administration accountable as well as impacting individual state’s rights in keeping AI out of our election systems.

The first requires that anyone who attempts to sue the administration over their blatant unconstitutional actions will have to post a bond in order for the courts to hold the administration in contempt. As I understand the language of the BBB, this provision is retroactive, meaning that the 170 and counting court orders against Trump’s attempts at violating the U.S. Constitution would be wiped away. The second is that states that have already legislated bans of AI in elections would have those bans removed. So much for the Republican Party’s charade that it is for states’ rights.

I have written to Rep. Baumgartner about these specific issues a couple of weeks ago. I have yet to receive a response, other than the usual form letter and his patting himself on the back for things unrelated to these efforts to weaken our separation of powers and states’ rights. One wonders if he ever read the bill, or if he wants our democracy to fail? I continue to wait for him to address these serious concerns, but I won’t hold my breath.

Carl Greenberg

Spokane

Please douse your negativity

A person who can take loss without complaint is one who demonstrates they are a good sport. Even after elections are won or lost, the ability of treating opponents with fairness and respect shows actions of good sportsmanship.

Spokesman-Review readers have been exposed to a steady stream of negative attacks against one winning politician. Hurling stones at winners demonstrates a lack of good sportsmanship. Respect and civility are a positive example that our community of citizens should lead by. Demonstrating the importance of respect offers an environment that proves to have a special influence in lowering the temperature of anger and helps us all to get along.

Marlene Larson

Spokane

Gross injustice requires action

Legal immigrants waiting for the next step in our overly complicated process are sent to deportation camps. Years of paperwork and waiting, years of working legally in our communities as law-abiding members, they show up to required check-ins or citizenship interviews only to have their paperwork ignored and be arrested, no reason given. Even here in Spokane. Let this sink in for a moment. This may be difficult to acknowledge, because it has become common for many to choose their own reality and shut out facts they find uncomfortable. Forget the worn-out trope that the Feds are only going after criminals and illegals. In case you want to attribute this to “the liberal news media,” I personally know of several people in this situation. This is really happening. The support shown for the immigrant friends of Ben Stuckart downtown was encouraging, though I don’t condone vandalism or defiance of police orders.

If you are comfortable with this gross injustice happening here and across America, ask yourself why. Because you and your family are safe? If we don’t stand up for justice for others, we are complicit in the injustice and allow it to perpetuate. Look up the poem “First they came for …” and read the context.

Trump has said “the homegrowns are next.” Will the same “criminal” rhetoric be used when he orders political opponents to be rounded up? He campaigned on a promise of political retribution. It’s time to connect the dots.

Julie Bohman

Spokane

Housing sprawl creates problem

An article on June 16 on the alarming decline in butterfly populations stated that the cause in part was the growing lack of open spaces. Could this loss of open spaces be attributable, in a major way, to single-family housing sprawl? Certainly, denser residential areas would go a long way in preserving natural open areas. I believe Spokane city government’s emphasis on multifamily housing will, over time, be the most effective approach in solving this very difficult problem.

Denis Bassett

Spokane