Letters for Wednesday, Aug. 12

Fires don’t justify vote-by-mail

Jim Camden’s commentary (Aug. 9) arguing that the Spokane Complex fires prove exclusive mail-in voting is superior to in-person voting is an unpersuasive argument that also risks trivializing a tragedy that severely impacted our community.

The devastating Spokane fires were an extraordinary event – not a sound basis for permanently redesigning our election system. Rare emergencies can be addressed through emergency measures, including expanded polling hours or alternative voting locations.

A better long-term approach is in-person voting with photo ID while preserving absentee ballots for those who genuinely cannot vote in person. This balances accessibility with stronger voter verification, helps restore public confidence in our elections, encourages community participation and preserves election integrity. Convenience matters, but so does trust in the electoral process.

Joel Sears

Spokane

Some joke

I am currently sitting with an AQI of 250 (nearly hazardous) and am miles from the fires. Spokane’s really suffering. Much is due to drought. No snow, more fire danger.

Acreage burns around our state send smoke our way for weeks. The Southwest withers in triple digits for weeks. The Southeast and East Coast are flooding in inches of rain per hour at times. Don’t miss the devastating tornadoes. Canada, France and Spain are burning up , causing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. The Corada River is nearly empty.

Last winter, it snowed three times of mainly 2-plus inches. I shoveled once. The other two melted by afternoon. For two Novembers and Decembers in a row, it rained. Currently, we are over 3 inches short of normal precipitation.

I chuckle, then cringe, that some people think climate change is a joke or a hoax. Look out your window and then watch a national weather forecast. Or better yet, get a clue.

This is one hell of a joke.

Beverly Gibbs

Spokane

Dark money in our elections

I want to give a shout out to The Spokesman-Review and Emry Dinman for the excellent, in-depth reporting on the dark money flooding into the 5th Congressional District primary. I trust this investigative work will continue as the finalists vie for election in November.

However, what if we could head off such spending through a simple act of the Washington state Legislature? There is a sound legal path to do so based on more than 200 years of Supreme Court precedent. The court has repeatedly ruled that the states are the bodies who charter corporations (and other artificial legal entities); that the states have the full authority to determine the powers of those entities and to revise or revoke those powers at any time, for any reason, or no reason at all.

A simple bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor could disempower those entities from spending money in our local, state and federal elections. It would apply to all entities doing business in Washington, regardless of where they are chartered.

The key to passage of such an act is building strong public support. Ask your legislative candidates this question, “Would you support an act that disempowers artificial entities from spending money to influence our elections in WA?” And strongly consider how you vote based on their answers.

Jim Lee

Spokane

Cost of petroleum profits

Breathing the smoke while Washington elected officials fail in the simple first act to protect the environment by changing building codes to protect the health of those in enclosed spaces that results in asthma in children and harms vulnerable elders in enclosed spaces. The lack of awareness and courage of our representatives is staggering. Note, it’s not banning methane; it’s simply requiring prudent action to protect health illustrating the necessary cost drivers including their health when people choose between gas and electricity.

“When you find yourself caught in a hole, stop digging it deeper?”

John Emery

Spokane