Letters for Thursday, Feb. 12

Baumgartner doing well for constituents

Congressman Michael Baumgartner is doing an excellent job keeping constituents informed through his weekly newsletter. I have enjoyed its content weekly and appreciate the summaries on key legislation and specific bills that impact Eastern Washington.

It is a big job to cover all this territory, but Congressman Baumgartner is getting to all points in the district regularly. With extensive miles from the Canadian border to Walla Walla and having to be in Washington, D.C., three weeks of every month for votes, he is still managing to meet with people in all areas of the district. Recently he was in Stevens County, Lincoln County and Walla Walla, over just a few days.

He is constantly meeting with business owners, farmers, veterans and others. He takes time to recognize members of our communities and does so with a positive tone. He has invited students to nominate a teacher to attend the President’s State of the Union as an opportunity for real civic engagement, regardless of political persuasions.

I read his year-end summary that his team has responded to more than 170,000 emails, calls and letters, and solved 650 constituent cases working with federal agencies. That is a huge accomplishment on behalf of Eastern Washington. I have seen people who are critical of Baumgartner’s newsletter but to me our congressman and his team are doing great work for our district with dignity and good spirit.

Robin Ball

Spokane

Silence – again

I may have missed Rep. Michael Baumgartner’s condemnation of Donald Trump’s vile social media post depicting President Obama and Mrs. Obama as apes.

Or perhaps, Mr. Baumgartner lacks the moral fortitude to issue such a statement. I looked for a response from our representative but found nothing.

It seems a parent, who according to his website is involved in Scouts and Sunday School, would immediately condemn an intentionally racist and dehumanizing post published by the White House.

Mr. Baumgartner’s silence is an option; it is the convenient, cowardly, and complicit choice.

“First they came for … I did not speak out, because I was not a … Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.” – Martin Niemöller, 1946.

Melissa Schreiber

Spokane