Letters for Wednesday, March 11

They won’t stop with the rich

After reading “Democrats change stance on income tax” (March 8), I now have a new understanding about how delusional Democratic leaders truly are.

If they do pass (I mean when) this bill, it will only hurt the middle-income families. The people they are pretending to tax will just leave the state. With them businesses and manufacturing jobs.

After that the Democrats will come after those making lower to moderate incomes to fill the void left by the “millionaires.”

If only good ole Bob and the rest could learn how to live within our means, they will never stop at just an income tax on the rich. They will be digging into every one of our pockets. How else will they be able to waste money faster than … I can’t think of any group of people that can waste money faster than a Washington Democratic leader?

We constituents have to live within our means. Why don’t they?

Please stop voting these people into office before they destroy what the average citizens have worked so hard to make for ourselves.

Mark my words: They are not going to stop at the income tax on the rich.

Bones Ballard

Spokane

DOJ seeks to usurp state bar

As a retired attorney who spent 18 years in public service in our judicial branch of government, I am appalled by a new rule suggested by the Department of Justice. It seeks to take away from the Washington State Bar Association, and other state bars, the long-standing authority to review ethical complaints against past and present DOJ attorneys.

Our state bar has the authority to admit, suspend or disbar attorneys for misconduct. The bar has Rules of Professional Conduct, adopted by the Washington Supreme Court. When a complaint is made against an attorney the bar determines if the attorney has violated those rules.

One cannot help but ask why DOJ finds it necessary to usurp state bar authority now? Why carve out an exception to accountability for past and present DOJ attorneys practicing in Spokane or elsewhere in our country? There is no evidence that the current system isn’t working. So perhaps it is working too well for those, including DOJ, who think ethical duties of lawyers are situational or optional. They are not. Ethical duties of attorneys are the backbone of the rule of law. Without DOJ lawyers being held accountable to ethical practice, the judiciary will be handicapped in fulfilling its Article 3 duties.

Citizens, as well as Congressman Michael Baumgartner, please speak out against this proposed rule. Go to the Federal Register and search for “Review of State Bar Complaints and Allegations Against Department of Justice Attorneys” to make a comment before April 6.

Mary Lou Johnson

Spokane

Baumgartner’s support for agriculture

Recently a letter writer from Sprague commended Rep. Baumgartner for his “very admirable job” of bringing agriculture to the forefront in Washington, D.C.

Baumgartner admitted tariffs hurt farmers. Then he voted to uphold Trump’s tariffs. He agreed with the shutting of USAID, whose food programs bought excess agricultural crops from U.S. farmers to donate to countries in need. These purchases also helped stabilize crop prices, but not anymore. Our representative has supported the administration’s cuts to climate research and battling climate change. Agriculture is one of the most climate-affected industries.

So how to help farmers weather these setbacks? In December, the Trump administration announced $12 billion to aid farmers hurt by market disruption with a possibility for $9 billion more. Add that to the national deficit Baumgartner said he cares about.

Chris Bieker

Spokane