Your voice: Dec. 10, 2025

I think Trump bet that most Americans like masked, unidentified thugs smashing car windows, beating up people and kidnapping them without judicial warrant. That most Americans like intentional cruelty, such as separating children from their parents.

It is turning out that most Americans don’t like this sort of monstrous activity and cruel intent. So I’d say that Trump is toast.

However, there is danger here. A desperate Trump may invoke the insurrection act, and order the military to establish a military dictatorship. Frankly, though, I don’t think our military will put up with this. Most people in the military take seriously their oaths to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, not illegal commands made by a mentally declining wannabe dictator.

Jerrold Richards

Lyle

Not responsible

I believe, most everyone agrees, on the necessity for a new bridge. My question, though, is why should taxpayers in Washington and Oregon be responsible through state and federal taxes for this project? 

Hasn’t the Port of Hood River owned the bridge for nearly 100 years? Aren’t bridge tolls the biggest revenue to the port? As stewards of the bridge, why was toll revenue not set aside for an eventual replacement? Rather than decreasing and eventually being eliminated tolls have actually increased … The tolls, instead, contributed to the port acquiring more and more properties over the years: the airport, the waterfront development, the industrial park on Highway 35, the industrial park in Odell and more.

The estimated cost of the bridge replacement is $1.12 billion. This should not be out of taxpayers pockets.

Steven C. Austin

Hood River

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