Letters for March 9

Proud to be an American

As I read the newspaper each morning, I am saddened to see the letters bashing Rep. Michael Baumgartner. Michael was voted into office by a majority of voters, not by the complaining minority which seems to dominate the paper.

I am proud of him. Michael is working with President Trump to repair the damage from the past four years. President Trump won the popular vote, the electoral college, all seven battleground states, and according to the New York Times, 90% of the nations’ counties shifted toward Trump in the 2024 election.

When I walk my neighborhood streets, I’ve noticed more people are proudly flying their American flags. If you love your country, please fly your flag. God bless America!

Therese Gomez

Spokane Valley

Protect our valuable investment

Rep. Baumgartner claimed “… the reality is that America is broke,” yet he supported increasing our national deficit by $2.8-$4 trillion, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The massive cuts in this budget resolution make it incredibly difficult for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to avoid reducing Medicaid funding, and the cuts to SNAP could be the largest in U.S. history.

Medicaid has saved the lives of my family, just like many others in our community. Contrary to Baumgartner’s statement that Medicaid discourages work, a KFF issue brief showed that 92% of recipients under 65 are either employed, exempt as caregivers, attending school or job training, or living with disabilities.

Nothing is more vital than a child’s access to a meal or a loved one’s access to medical care, and when we support each other, we all reap the benefits. Food assistance improves health outcomes, helps children with school, and reduces medical costs. The Economic Research Service once estimated an additional $1 billion in SNAP benefits would boost GDP by $1.54 billion. About 40% of SNAP recipients are children, who are always worth our resources for the future. All this funding flows into local grocery stores, farms, nursing homes and hospitals.

I feel saddened having to explain that children and adults using federal programs in Spokane are not, as Elon Musk recently suggested, part of the “parasite class.” I ask my representatives to remember that they are our most valuable investment.

Ellie Johnson

Spokane

Vote for your health

Baumgartner voted for the Medicaid reduction bill. The bill passed the House with a narrow margin of 217 to 215. With the close margin, he could have made a difference. The proposed cuts to Medicaid are part of a broader Republican budget framework aimed at enacting $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. The resolution includes deep cuts to Medicaid, which could affect nearly 80 million Americans in need to make room for billionaire tax cuts. Time to find an independent replacement and begin the 2026 campaign now.

John Emery

Spokane

Thanks for journalistic integrity

I hope Michael Baumgartner reads The Spokesman-Review, especially the front page of the Feb. 27 edition. It gives a sobering look at how many, many children of the 5th Congressional District rely on Medicaid for their health insurance (54%). When he votes for a budget bill that guts Medicaid, he is potentially harming more than half of the children in his district. A lot of the folks in Eastern Washington who voted for him may realize they made a bad choice. Have some courage, Mike, do the right thing, and don’t go along with everything Trump and Musk tell you to do.

This article also shows that The Spokesman-Review is not afraid to show a graph, on the front page no less, that may be construed as sympathetic to a liberal idea - that there are too many Washington children eligible to Medicaid and living in poverty. This despite the conservative ownership of The Spokesman. And the opinion page reflects all political views, unlike the Washington Post, which now will only publish opinions with a conservative viewpoint. Thanks, Spokesman-Review, for publishing with journalistic integrity.

Linda Greene

Spokane

Call for Zelenskyy’s resignation wrong

Congressman Baumgartner’s response to Trump and Vance’s disgraceful treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28 was shameful. Baumgartner didn’t condemn Trump and Vance for acting like schoolyard bullies toward Zelenskyy. Instead, he had the gall to say that President Zelenskyy should resign because he wouldn’t sign away his country’s mineral rights without a guarantee of security from the United States.

Congressman Baumgartner should know the problem with saying President Zelenskyy should resign is that he was the only leader that showed up at the Oval Office meeting and he has been showing up for the last three years to defend his country and democracy from Putin’s unprovoked invasion. Trump and Vance’s treatment of President Zelenskyy was wrong, and it needs to be called out as such. In the name of democracy and decency, perhaps the only two who should be asked to resign are the two wannabe leaders who seem so willing to sell out the United States to Putin.

Tricia Leahy-Charles

Spokane

Remember who you represent

Not far into his first term, our elected representative, Michael Baumgartner, has made a major mistake. Yes, I am disappointed that I voted for a guy who recently called for the resignation of Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine. This is a matter for the people of Ukraine to decide, and not constructive to the current situation at hand. It is misguided and miscalculated to call for a leadership change at this pivotal time.

Perhaps the only resignation we should be calling for is of those lacking the courage to stand up for Ukraine in an indefensible Russian invasion of their sovereign country.

I am willing to bet that succumbing and supporting the current Trump administration’s handling of the matter by acquiescing to nearly all of Russia’s demands does not represent your constituent’s interest Congressman. Get a backbone and recalculate whom you represent.

Jeff Greene

Spokane

Raise flag against taxes

I salute Paul Zambon’s letter (“Just say ‘no,’ ” Feb. 23). The Legislature wants $2.3 million to redesign the state flag? To House Bill 1939, a resounding no! It’s hardly an emergency. What is an emergency? Our ever-rising property taxes. Remember, vote no on any new levies or bonds that will raise them. End of story.

Judy Mahoney

Spokane