Your voice: May 29, 2024

However, there are very compelling reasons why this may be the most important vote of your life. The battle is not just for the presidency — control of Congress and state governments is at stake, and that is ultimately where the battle over checks and balances, and defending justice and free speech will happen.

The conservative Heritage Foundation has outlined a radical plan to overhaul the federal government to root out “the Deep State,” no matter who wins the White House. If you have not heard of “Project 2025,” search it up. AP News, Aug 29: "Conservative groups draw up plan to dismantle the U.S. government and replace it with Trump’s vision," is just one example. A video on Trump's social media account referenced a “Unified Reich.” A "mistake,” they claimed before taking it down. Well, if you can’t keep the Nazi stuff off your own social media account, how will you keep it out of our government? A few radical Republicans held up military aid to Ukraine and wasted precious time on baseless impeachments. Roe v. Wade was overturned because of a few Supreme Court appointments approved by the Republican controlled Senate.

But there is hope. Sensible Republicans have actually worked with the Democrats recently to compromise and move the nation’s agenda forward. A piece by David Leonhardt in the New York Times (May 19, 2024 ), “A New Centrism Is Rising in Washington,” describes surprising bi-partisanship in Congress that we don’t often hear about. Let’s elect people who accept the rule of law and majority rule. Oregonians should send people to Salem who will do their jobs, not run and hide when it isn't going their way. In Washington we should re-elect Maria Cantwell, Send Marla Keethler to the State Senate and replace Dan Newhouse with someone who will support a woman's right to choose.

Howard Bulick

Bingen

Giant weeds

It’s that time of year when the weeds are reminding you that it’s easier to pull them now before they go to seed than to deal with far more weeds later. You’ve learned this over the years. As you weed, you might congratulate yourself for avoiding worse consequences later. Or it’s easy too ignore them now and just kick the can down the road. You have other urgent tasks.

Weeding sounds a lot like our bigger societal problems. Let’s ignore mental illness or defund it. Let’s ignore poverty and homelessness. Let’s let big companies become monopolies. Let’s let our healthcare system become a sick-care system. Just let the ultra-rich get grotesquely rich. Let’s ignore the political corruption from money in politics. Let’s ignore the greenhouse gas garbage we’re dumping into the atmosphere.

There must be a Universal Law of Messes — the earlier a mess can be cleaned up or avoided, the less time and money it requires.

The long-term impacts of these societal weeds are often difficult to quantify or track. How much does it cost the U.S. to deal with the consequences of decades of the least affordable healthcare of any developed country? How much unnecessary anguish do we cause by allowing our capitalist regulations that maximize profits over people? How much chaos and inefficiency is created by the disinformation spread by special interests?

But there are some impacts that economists have triangulated. For example, about half of the increased inflation since 2020 is due to companies using their monopoly power to simply increase prices. If you’re a policy wonk, you heard that recent estimates of the social cost of carbon — the future global impacts of climate pollution, discounted to today — have grown to $1,000 per ton of garbage (MTCO2e), not the $190 per ton used by the Biden administration, or the $5 per ton that the Trump administration used. The new study finds that our current trajectory would drop economic outputs and consumption by half in 2100. Wow, we have plenty of weeding to do!

Eric Strid

White Salmon

Letter to local GOP

Dear members of the Hood River GOP: It is time to dump the current GOP. For me it has been a long time in coming. As a lifelong Republican, I have finally reached my limit. This election cycle primary was my last vote as a declared Republican.

This is now a party dominated by rhetoric that is small, bitter, and oddly angry. It takes pride in supporting elected officials who are no longer interested in governing. From border security to legislative leadership to federal budgeting, we have lurched from dumpster fire to idiocy. I have chosen to sever my membership with the GOP and join the Democratic Party. It is not enough to declare myself an Independent. By maintaining membership, the GOP is using my voice to claim they represent America. I am not telling you to vote for a specific candidate, but to think critically and stop the GOP from using your voice to accomplish nothing.

If you make the shift, you no longer have to make excuses for rhetoric that encourages political violence, panders to wacko conspiracies and denigrates women.

But here is the reality — you are going to do what you would have done anyway: Make up your own mind. The difference now is you no longer have to make excuses for being an American patriot.

Just a small bit happier,

Brian Hackett

Hood River

Short sighted

The Hood River Republican Party and the Parks and Rec No-No Bond/Levy voters have really hurt the efforts of the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation to provide quality community recreation, an improved pool, maintenance of parks, and more fields for sports for children and youth. I understand that the bond was too high for many homeowners, but the levy was reasonable and would have helped the Parks and Rec board have more funds to operate their large number of parks and recreation services.

Parks and Rec currently gets a rate of $.34 per $1,000 on assessed property value. That rate was set in 1997! In comparison to other similar parks and rec district operations, we have one of the lowest rates. If the $0.43 levy had passed, we would have been in the middle range. As of September 2024, the school district will no longer be giving funds to Parks and Rec for community recreation as they have for several years. Community sports will be cut! This vote was not about “keeping housing affordable for everyone,” as the No-No campaign would have you think. I have lived in here for 40 years and I know the house and rental prices have gone up a lot because more people want to live here and they are willing to pay the prices. It also is because sellers and landlords can get a higher price for their homes. These higher prices are not because of our local property taxes! Our property tax rate is one of the lowest in the state.

The NO-NO campaign was totally misleading on what is best for our community. Now with the defeat of the Parks and Rec bond and levy, our local sports, trails, parks and pool will decline. If I hadn’t voted Yes-Yes, I would have voted No-Yes so the levy would help maintain Parks and Rec services until we can decide on a more acceptable bond measure about the community center/pool. No-No voters were shortsighted and I don't think they understood the consequences of their vote.

Nancy Johanson Paul

Hood River

Bury the hatchet

My wife and I moved to Hood River in 2016 after 30 years living in the state of Delaware. As another national election approaches, we’re recalling a Delaware tradition that seems, sadly, so distant in the year 2024. That tradition is a political one. Two days after election day every Federal election year (i.e., every two years), all political candidates and party members gather in Georgetown, Del., to celebrate “Return Day.” This is the day when the election results are publicly announced as part of a festive celebration including a free ox roast, a musical concert, and a parade of the winning and losing candidates. Yes, all winners and losers participate in the same parade!

The celebration culminates with the ceremonial burying of the hatchet. The chairs of the county Republican and Democratic parties meet on stage, jointly clutch a hatchet, and together plunge it into a box of sand, signifying the end of this cycle’s competition.

Research indicates this is the only event of its kind in the nation.

Am I the only one who thinks it would be a great idea to begin similar traditions in the Gorge — in Hood River and Wasco counties, and Skamania and Klickitat counties? Isn’t it time for a simple and fun gesture that works to tone down the political rancor just a bit?

Doug Roof

Hood River

Not enemies

I received a letter from Trump Inc. asking for money. This desperate letter was full of concern for how terrible things are. Radical extremists, socialists, globalists, deep state, Marxists, far left fringe (and more) are supporting “lunatic liberal causes” and will destroy our country.

WHAT?! It would have been laughable were it not for the statement that there are “enemies” out there who don’t agree with the Trump line. Enemies is a strong word. I don’t believe my neighbors and friends with different political beliefs are my enemies. The tropes used are tiresome but labeling others as “enemies” for their beliefs should strike concern in all of us. Dictators have used this tactic because it works to help them gain power. Read some history — it is not uncommon practice and should be a concern for all.

This letter demonstrates how his campaign is based on creating fear, then controlling and uniting other fearful people against anyone who has different beliefs, the “enemies.” Name calling and labeling are typically used by early elementary school kids, not someone trying to be the leader of our country.

Barbara Beattie

White Salmon

Appreciation

I want to thank the folks who work in our local timber industry. Each time I see a log truck pass on the highway I’m reminded of the chain of events that it takes to get milled lumber. I appreciate the sacrifices your families make and the hazards you’re around to keep our society moving forward.

As trail builders and metal works for the past 46 years, a lot of our materials, especially for our bridge projects, have come from your efforts working in the forests and getting lumber to mills. I really appreciate it and hope you have a productive season outside this year.

Avery Hoyt

White Salmon

West Side thanks

On behalf of the West Side Fire District board of directors, chiefs, staff, and all the volunteers we would like to extend our sincerest “Thank You” and gratitude for your overwhelming support passing the five year replacement local option levy. Your support for this replacement levy will allow the Fire District to enhance our current level of staffing to provide 24/7 emergency response for fires and emergency medical responses, faster response times, and improve cardiac arrest survival rates. Your support for the fire district has been overwhelming, which shows through a strong 62% passage. By passing this levy, you are providing the funding necessary for us to operate and provide these critical  services to the citizens of our community now and for years to come.

Thank you to the many volunteers who helped lead the advocacy campaign. Thank you, also, to the numerous civic leaders, businesses, and community members who endorsed the levy and helped support its passage.

To us, this vote of support for our funding reflects your appreciation of our fire district and the services we provide. We shall continue to be good stewards with both your funds and your trust. On behalf of everyone at the West Side Fire District, thank you. With sincere gratitude,

Doug Kelly

Chief administrative officer

Smarter than a 5th grader?

School’s almost out, but adults need to pass math education. Remember Trump’s Republican tax cuts that benefited the wealthy and by the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) estimate cost the government $1.9 trillion before it expires in 2025? That’s a big deficit Republicans don’t want to talk about, but do say they want to cut Social Security, healthcare, food assistance programs and more that your taxes make possible.

Now the CBO's new estimate of the cost to keep Trump’s tax cut in place over the next decade: $4.6 trillion. Do the math — it’s more than double the original cost and for the benefit of few. In April, Trump told donors he plans to extend the tax cuts and Republican legislators in Congress are agreeing to that extension. That means working and middle class families carry the tax burden when the wealthy do not pay their fair share.

It shows Republicans have little regard for the actual deficit and working people. Instead, consider this equation from Biden and Democrats’ plans: No extension of tax cuts, but implementing tax rates that would increase for those making more than $400,000 and a corporate minimum tax of 21% that would end big corporations paying little or nothing. Other provisions would make the tax system more fair — benefiting everyday workers and families. American Enterprise Institute found that Biden’s changes would result in $3.8 trillion in revenue increases, not $4.6 trillion deficit with Trump’s extension.

Also, under Biden and Democrat’s enacted policies (ex. American Rescue Plan, CHIPS & Science Act) there is substantial increase in new entrepreneurship, start-up businesses and establishments — creating jobs and financial growth in eight of 10 counties nationwide between 2019-2023, according to Center for American Progress.

Quiz time. Republican wealthy tax cuts: $4.6 trillion deficit and program cuts; or Democrat fair tax plan: $3.8 trillion for important programs for all people, reduce deficit.

Your answer: VOTE for numbers that benefit you. The math is clear.

Steven Woolpert

White Salmon