Letters to the Editor for Nov. 23

And we can!

The Founding Fathers were not so terribly amiss as many may think. Sure, we’re a larger expanse of nation, geography-wise, and we’re more populated than the late 1800s. But the Electoral College mechanism still works. So why did one presidential candidate (Clinton) win a majority of popular votes and the other candidate (Trump) seem to steal the election?

The culprit is not the Electoral College itself. Rather, our stumbling arises out of the all-or-nothing approach we take when we tally the popular votes and convert them into Electoral Votes suitable for the Electoral College result. The Electoral College does not need to be replaced.

Equal Voice Voting offers the best of solutions without requiring a Constitutional amendment (visit www.equalvoicevoting.com and download the free book analyzing presidential elections from 1980-2012). It’s a simple formula that converts a state’s popular votes into proportional electoral votes that hew closely to the popular vote, does not disenfranchise voters, gives each state its independent voice, honors the Founding Fathers’ intent, and acknowledges this nation’s diverse cultures, peoples, values and priorities.

It’s time to initiate legislation on a state-by-state basis so our vote-capturing system elicits a confidence that translates into a continued pride of country. The exercise of our Electoral College can be a source of such confidence if we simply modify how we count everyone’s vote. Contact your legislators and ask that they give Equal Voice Voting their strong consideration.

Jerry Spriggs

West Linn

Overcome fears

I have a story to tell that would take far more words than I have to use here. I was a business owner of a small takeout shop in a pretty touristy community. Fifty-cent coffee, pour it yourself, only a few solitary seats, grab your one-handed breakfast or sack lunch and keep moving.

Well, shortly upon opening, I realized the business model also drew the homeless population. My first reaction was fear, duh! I work alone, am I safe? What will my customers think; will sales end before they even begin? Truth is, in biding time, compassion won out. I met some amazing people, heard stories of strength and courage, of fellowship and uniting. My business thrived, customers met homeless in the community, changing their perspective and outreach. And my call of feeding was expanded to areas I’d not seen. I share this because I learned yesterday that at long last having found a permanent warming shelter location for the season, the most generous North Cheatham was pressured by local businesses to pull his offer of the site in the downtown Paris Fair building. I think, right here, right now, of first, the folks that need to be sheltered this season, and second, the extra work that will fall to the volunteers having to move the locations each week, but most of all for those that in their fear, their bootstrap pulling, and in their not being truly informed, will miss out on the learning about how we are all connected.

How easily each of us might find ourselves in need, in an overpriced community. How the small things we can do for others can bring about the change we were all looking for someone else (Nov. 8, 2016) to do. Homeless folks are generally victims of our society’s brokenness, not aggressors. If each of you, whoever you might be, would take a shift or two, volunteering in the shelter, you will find your fear can be dismissed for what it is, imagined. Your belief that anyone else could be you, impossible. That a conversation or two can bring about change.

Beth Hartwell

Hood River

Thanks for Spanish

I would like to thank you for printing your recent article on our Mid Valley student, Benji Izazaga Flores, in both English and Spanish (Nov. 16, Maija Yasui column). Not only did publishing in both languages support the community of family and friends who loved Benji, but it also sets an example of inclusivity and acceptance that is desperately needed at this divisive time. While I am not exactly sure what your reasons are for not publishing bilingual articles more frequently, I would like to encourage you to reconsider this position. Hood River County is a varied community of language learners that includes both native Spanish speakers learning English, as well as many native English speakers learning Spanish. By providing more articles in both English and Spanish, you would create opportunities to foster bi-literacy as well as communication and cohesiveness within our community.

Holly Cohn

Hood River

Editor’s Note: Space is the main consideration for publishing almost solely in English. Hood River News has made exceptions in the past, and will continue to do so, though they will remain rare.

Golden door?

We’ve elected a President who didn’t win the popular vote, in fact lost the popular vote by over a million. This is at least the fifth time this has happened. What’s worse is this president gets to pick a cabinet and a Supreme Court justice which President Obama should have been allowed to do. In addition, Gen. Flynn, who has been lobbying for a Dutch firm while under consideration for the position of National Security Advisor, has close alliances to the Turkish government which has a close relationship with the Dutch firm, all while getting intel briefings from our government — isn’t that a conflict of interest? There are other things about Flynn which bear scrutiny. Then we have the apparent appointment of Steve Bannon, controversial for his heading of an alt-right news organization that has promoted hatred of Muslims, people of color, women and Jews. Is this what we are about as a nation? How many of our friends, neighbors, coworkers and fellow students will live in fear and be affected by all this? And why is Rep. Greg Walden supporting the president-elect’s choices of hatred and divisiveness? He does this through his silence.

For years, we have proudly pointed to New York harbor and the Statue of Liberty given to us by the people of France. There is a sonnet from a poem there by Emma Lazarus which speaks to the highest ideals of this country: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

What are we becoming as a nation?

Rob Brostoff

Cascade Locks

Shop local

Thank you, Shortt Supply and Made in the Gorge, with glass artist Charlene Fort, and the Frame Gallery with Bryce Jenkinson. You are part of the many reasons that I shop local.

Shortt Supply replaced a pair of goggles and shared a laugh about what had happened to them. Fort repaired my beautiful glass dispenser and delivered it to my house the next day. Jenkinson set me up with a couple of pictures. This behavior does not happen in national chain stores or big box shops when there is no individualized care.

On that particular morning, I completed my holiday shopping. The majority of the gifts were locally made. They were sold by friendly and very knowledgeable people. One of the best attributes to keeping it local is that the shop keepers are experts in their field because they actually live it.

The Hood River businesses take care of this community. They graciously give donations in a multitude of forms to local causes. Especially causes that support our youth.

Do the best that you can to support all of Hood River’s excellent businesses.

Megan LeMieux

Hood River

‘The Soot House’

In the 19th century, the wacko environmentalist Andrew Carnegie fought to keep dirty coal out of his hometown of New York City. This injustice which has for over a century had a devastating effect on Appalachian coal miners (to say nothing of the mine owners and corporate officers who themselves lived in NYC and could have made a huge profit while benefiting from coal to heat and blacken their homes and businesses) needs to finally be corrected under the Trump administration. Trump could start by immediately declaring that the Trump Tower will be converted to bituminous coal heat and that Trump will rework the deals he has made with hotels here and worldwide to convert all “Trump” branded hotels to coal. Surely clients who pay $1,000 a night in one of these swank hotels would be willing to brush a bit of coal dust from their suits and their limos

The coal miners in West Virginia voted heavily for Trump and are depending on his pledge to bring back the glory days of Appalachian mining. Trump needs to require the railroads which have long used clean electric energy to pull trains into NYC to convert over to dirty expensive coal, and all the business and government offices should be converted to coal as an aid to the miners. By turning back Carnegie’s horridly misguided early step toward clean air regulation, Trump can show that he is serious about putting the businessman and banker back in their proper place, the one that puts profit before health and reason.

Let’s not forget the White House; it should be warmed by coal as well. If the gray stain coating the walls becomes a problem, then rename the executive mansion to a more fitting Soot House. This will go a long way in making up for the 40-year-old indignity of President Carter putting solar panels on the roof. Trump can do it, he understands all that stands in the way of turning the United States into a workers’ paradise, where of course the rich get rich, and the poor? They will get Black Lung, cancer, and other occupational diseases which Trump can just repeatedly declare will only hurt losers and not hurt true brave Americans. This way the wives back in their shacks will not worry about their husbands’ health and safety in the new Trump utopia.

Jim Denton

Parkdale

Questions

In 2008, when Obama won the presidency, did the conservatives go out and cause riots and destruction in the streets?

In 2012, when Obama was reelected, did the conservatives go out and cause riots and destruction in the streets?

Bill Davis

Hood River