Letters for Tuesday, July 21

Baumgarter’s folly

Are you kidding me? Have you seen Baumgartner’s recent political ad laced with faked sincerity that he is committed to protecting Social Security and Medicare? How can anyone in their right mind believe that after seeing the damage the bill he supported that terminated Medicaid and related insurance benefits for millions did. The impact of his votes made in the House also trickles down to our district. Apparently, he thinks voters in the 5th District are so stupid that he is free to say one thing and then do another. History proves, he’s basically a “Donny says, Mikey do” supporter of the most corrupt, out-of-control presidential administration in the history of our country. The Republicans cannot and must not be trusted.

We don’t need another party-line parrot like his predecessor. It’s time to end the madness. We can’t afford it and do not deserve it. It’s time to put a winner in Congress who is a Democrat and will treat the needs of their voters and their families as human beings and not just as a statistic. Obviously, Republicans do not. Primary election ballots for the Aug. 4 election have been delivered. If you love your family and country, please vote Democratic now and again in November. Results of the November election will impact our district many years into the future. It’s time to flush the Republican mess we have now across our country.

Randall Ulberg

Spokane

Write in Rachelle Miller for county commissioner

Voters deserve a choice for Spokane County Commissioner, District 4, and Rachelle Miller is the right person for the job. Rachelle grew up in Spokane, completed her master’s degree at EWU and is raising her family in Liberty Lake.

When Avista announced the data center project in June, the timeline for making the primary ballot was passed, but that did not stop Rachelle. With the city of Spokane putting a one-year pause on AI data centers, Rachelle strongly believes Spokane County will be the next target. Data centers negatively impact those who live nearby. Our community needs a commissioner who is willing to push back. Rachelle has the skills to navigate the complexity of institutional accountability. Her priority is the citizens of our community, not large corporations. This is exactly the skill set needed for our next county commissioner.

Let’s choose the right person for this job. If she can achieve 1% of the vote, she will be on the ballot in November, giving citizens a choice.

Write in Rachelle Miller on your ballot for Spokane County Commission District 4!

Katie Ferris

Liberty Lake

Vote yes on Spokane County libraries

Happy 250 years, America! As a proud American, I am celebrating my right to vote by saying yes to Spokane County Libraries Levy Proposition 1 on Aug. 4.

If approved the library would continue to provide the excellent services we currently enjoy as well as increase the digital collection, update safety and security systems, and repair or replace outdated building systems and interiors. If rejected, the library would reduce literacy programs, digital resources, materials, staffing, library hours, and closure of one or more libraries. This levy restoration comes not because of a misuse of dollars the library gets, but because just like the fire districts, the library budget can only increase by 1% a year even when inflation goes up so much more.

Community supported, public libraries are an American invention as old as our country and what better way can you think of to celebrate civic pride and patriotism than by supporting this essential community resource? Please vote yes and happy birthday America.

Kris Barnes

Colbert

Speak up for our neighbors

Immigrants and refugees are a valuable asset to Eastern Washington. Americans who welcome and interact with immigrants and refugees gain so much in broadening their world views, by learning about their cultures, experiences, and history. Immigrants and refugees also benefit so much from being in the United States.

Feast World Kitchen, Global Neighborhood Thrift Store, World Relief, Barton English Language School as well as newer organizations such as Manzanita House and Thrive International engage countless people in friendly, positive interactions.

Recently the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Trump administration could end temporary protected status for Haitians and Syrians.

Many of these people have settled in Spokane and are actively participating in our community. For example, Gonzaga sports teams have many great athletes from various countries.

The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court leaves those with TPS status with life-changing uncertainty and stress, and they may face dangerous situations in their home countries. In fact, the State Department advised travel to Haiti be highly restricted due to significant risks of crime, terrorism and civil unrest.

Our voice in the House of Representatives, Michael Baumgartner, should work harder to support refugees and immigrants..

We need a representative who will speak up for our neighbors living in our communities.

Nancy Street

Cheney

Climate claims are ridiculous

“Yet, the impacts of climate change – arguably the largest threat our species faces…” is an absolute joke. In both of July 12’s articles about climate change and heat, no evidence supports the claims. Throughout history, people have survived “our weeklong 2021, 109 degrees heat” daily for years with no serious repercussions. Where did it mention whether those “victims” had other health issues which may have hastened their deaths, not caused their deaths?

Our “extreme” heat wave, “called the deadliest weather-related disaster in Washington state history” by the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, does not lead me or other thinking people to believe that by midcentury “… (we are) to expect 20-30 days a year of extreme heat in Spokane.”

The city’s proposed right to cooling law will only increase the cost of housing and make it even more challenging for those living in lower income housing areas to keep cool.

Fortunately, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel rescinded “the federal government funding the $19.9 grant originally awarded to Gonzaga University and city of Spokane for “staffing, masks, bottled water, etc.” The city, county and state already have sufficient offices and staffing to fulfill these community needs without additional layers of needless bureaucracy.

Lastly, hats-off to Jared Webley, Avista, Todd Myers (WPC), and others who already have been addressing these issues. Gonzaga’s Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment can continue to share their ideological studies with the city of Spokane, but at their expense, not at the taxpayers of Spokane.

Fortunately, Al Gore and Greta have proved themselves wrong.

Roger Long

Spokane

Transgender athlete debate missing key issue

With the Mead School Board being outspoken in its opposition to transgender athletes in women’s sports and a local transgender athlete winning two state championships, the issue of transgender participation in women’s sports is very local. Locally, or nationally, however, what seems shockingly absent from the debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports is the lack of basic analysis.

The essence of athletic competition is individuals, singly or in groups, honing their minds and bodies to maximum potential and competing with others for the satisfaction of winning. Elaborate rules are in place about what is allowed to enhance this basic athletic performance. Certain drugs are not allowed because they do not allow for a level playing field. An athlete can only maximize what his own natural body is capable of.

Athletic benefits such as acceptance in a group, developing friendships, etc. are completely secondary and are unrelated to the previously stated essence of sport. This is the fundamental sticking point of transgender athletes in women’s sports. It is simply a biological reality that the reason we have men’s and women’s sports separately is that men have more natural physical strength than women.

The appeal used in almost every argument for transgender participation is that denying this participation damages the transgender person’s mental health and could lead to suicide. This is certainly tragic, But is irrelevant to the basic purpose of athletic performance. The only issue here is fairness in competition. There is really nothing else to debate about.

Jim Becker

Spokane

North Spokane Corridor design issues

As a lifelong Spokane native, I’ve been hearing about the north-south freeway since the 1950s! Finally, they are getting there. So far there are two major design issues. Southbound at Wellesley the off-ramp has a built-in bottle neck. Heading east there is a large open area and a sidewalk that protrudes out to make the road one lane; it only lasts the width of an overpass. On both sides is two lanes. I have been backed up onto the highway waiting here, and the highway isn’t even open.

Secondarily, most north side residents wouldn’t use the freeway. Why? No off-ramp! There is an off-ramp at Wellesley, the next off ramp all the way to Trent! The better part for miles! Live in between them. Tough!

Either get off at Trent to go to say Indiana Avenue or go all the way to Francis and backtrack. Poof design and when I brought it up to the designers they indicated there are no straight-line roads. That is nonsense! They already have torn down houses at Grace and Greene. There’s empty space there, access to Greene, Market, Illinois and three blocks to Euclid.

Jeffery Lynn Bass

Spokane