Letters for March 8

Represent us or resign

Remember those many billboards asking us to vote for Michael Baumgartner as our representative in the House of Representatives? He was going to stand up for us, he said.

Well, now that he’s there, the joke’s on us. He just voted to rip off the middle class in the 5th Congressional District. The latest statistics show our average household income is $68,164.

Knowing that, Baumgartner voted for the Republican budget which will give $4.5 trillion in tax breaks to the rich, zero tax cuts to American middle-class families, and he voted to increase our national debt by $4 trillion dollars.

Betrayal doesn’t begin to express what he is doing to us. Polls show over 80% of Americans are against Russia and the dictatorship of Putin. On Feb. 20, Rep. Baumgartner stated, “It is very clear that Russia and Vladimir were the aggressors and initiated the war.”

However, after the obvious yelling at Zelenskyy on live TV, Baumgartner said that Zelenskyy should resign because of “his resistance to sign the mineral rights agreement.” Baumgartner has bowed to the rage and destruction agenda of Donald Trump.

It didn’t take long for Baumgartner to decide not to represent us. It is time he resigned, as he is not doing his job.

Patricia J. Bates

Spokane

Seeking wrong resignation

Rep. Baumgartner is asking the wrong person to resign after he stated that Zelenskyy was ungrateful to our president. Trump, Vance and any Republican should be the ones resigning for not supporting a country that is fighting for its freedom from Putin and his thugs. Apparently, these individuals have forgotten about all of our fellow Americans who died to protect our freedom and democracy. They need to be reminded of what we Americans stand for before it is too late for Ukraine, and our country as well.

James Bockemuehl

Spokane

Time to speak truth

How quickly it took the congressman to kiss the ring. Not only does he not respond to his constituents, he has forsaken his morality by bending the knee to a bully and to Elon Musk.

Suggesting President Zelenskyy immediately resign indicates Rep. Baumgartner didn’t hear or see the ambush in the White House. He did not have the opportunity to sign anything before he was dismissed from the Oval Office.

His words of truth about Putin’s not honoring ceasefire in Ukraine were met with vitriolic responses from both the president and vice president.

The congressman is cheering the administration while this democracy is at huge peril. He is silent as organizations such as World Relief are shuttered due to chainsaw cuts. He is complicit by passing a budget proposal that will most probably impact the 54% of children in this district for whom Medicaid is a lifeline.

How about speaking up about the rising costs of groceries for us locally? How about being honest about accountability for the president’s words? How about speaking truth about the fact these DOGE cuts and tariffs are and will directly negatively impact those of us in your district? How about responding to our emails and phone calls?

It is time to stand up and be bold. It is time to speak out and speak up for those whose voices are quickly being silenced.

Eleanor Lathem

Spokane

Keep priorities straight

I see Rep. Baumgartner is towing the party line and bending the knee to kiss the ring of President Trump after all. After initially showing the smallest signs of independence and a hint of backbone, he reversed his stance and calls for President Zelenskyy to step down, just like all the other republicans in Congress.

I shouldn’t be surprised, though. I met Baumgartner years ago at a Building Owners and Managers Association lunch. He stated, more than once, that “he’ll always be running for some kind of office or another.” I sensed a pliable sense of his priorities then, as he has demonstrated once again.

Bill Bancroft

Liberty Lake