Your voice: Letters to the editor

I am angry with our Oregon legislators who think walking out on their job, wasting taxpayer money and neglecting the many issues of importance to Oregonians is somehow Okay. It is not Okay. Last week all but one House Republican walked out, and there is talk about another walkout starting on Monday.

We Oregonians elected these people to do their jobs—to be in Salem every day during session, bringing their constituents’ thoughts to the table, voting on bills, showing up and working every day.

Last year when Senate Republicans walked out to deny quorum on the Clean Energy Jobs bill, each one of them continued to collect his/her salary even though they didn’t come to work for weeks, and in the process wasted tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars.

This has not been a single-issue approach. This week the walkers refused to vote on a bill relating to child welfare standards. Last year it was refusing to vote on the Student Success Act and climate action. Using this tactic once, let alone repeatedly, is a dereliction of duty and an insult and injury to Oregonians.

Civics 101: The legislature is supposed to work like this—if lawmakers don’t like legislation, they’re supposed to show up and try to make it better for their constituents. If they lose the vote, they can show up and try again next session.

Oregon senators and representatives, Republicans and Democrts, stay put and do your jobs. Walking out is wrong and costly and not what you are elected for. You are only aggravating the growing polarization of public opinion.

We elected you to solve problems, not make them worse!

Debby Chenoweth

Hood River

Problems with Cap and Trade

To the editor,

Rep. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) released the following list of “problems” with the Cap and Trade bill:

1. This plan allows unelected bureaucrats to raise taxes and costs on consumers and businesses without a vote of the legislature.

2. The cost of this legislation lands on Oregonians to the tune of $600-$1000 per year per household.

3. The current proposed legislation creates an unfair advantage for politically-connected corporations to avoid the tax.

4. Cap & Trade will raise hundreds of millions in new revenue for the state without accountability or full disclosure—sections 4 through 31 of the bill are exempt from public records disclosure.

5. This program will allow massive outside influence from California speculators and corporations to come in and drive up costs.

Rep. Daniel Bonham

The Dalles

Filling the swamp

To the editor,

The sewage from Trump and the Republican party continues to raise the swamp. New and greater revelations eclipse a letter before the Chronicle can even print it.

In 1994 the Washington Post revealed 19 women accused then-Sen. Bob Packwood (R-Oregon) of sexual assault and harassment. Packwood denied it. However, then-Sen.  Barbara Boxer (D-California) demanded ethics hearings on Packwood’s boorish behavior. Packwood’s voluminous diary provided abundant evidence of his escapades as well as vigorous actions to obstruct justice.

As ethics chairman at the time, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) described the evidence as “…habitual pattern of aggressive, blatantly sexual advances … connected in some way to his power and authority as a Senator.”

Like Packwood, Trump’s own confessions, plus victim testimony, show crimes greater than Packwood’s.

General Soleimani is a war criminal (Iranian military leader killed by the U.S. in Iraq.) We could have eliminated him at any time; however, Trump chose to (distract from) the impeachment trial. If two drunks are having a knife fight in a bar, and an innocent bystander dies attempting to escape the melee, are not both drunks guilty of murder? Is Trump not partially responsible for the Ukrainian and Canadians in the doomed commercial flight escaping Iran? More than 100 U. S. Soldiers have Traumatic Brain Injury resulting from Trump’s manipulation of the news cycle.

The evidence is overwhelming and complete of Trump’s impeachment articles are far greater than Packwood’s transgressions. Trump’s betrayal exceeds that of Benedict Arnold, who tried to subvert the defense at West Point. The betrayal exceeds that of Aron Burr, who tried to sell out to Spain. Trump has accelerated his criminal behavior, adding witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, and vendettas against witnesses.

Russia has clearly begun disrupting the 2020 election by favoring Trump and his weak competitor. Trump fired Depertment of National Inteligence chief Admiral Joseph McGuire, just as Arnold tried to subvert the West Point defenses.

The recent flurry of pardons shows clear and continued betrayal. For those with the delusion Trump is good for their 401K, remember Michael Milken (who was pardoned) swindled more than a $1 billion from investors.

Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) has learned no lesson. Moscow Mitch—the grim reaper—leads the majority of Senate cowards.

We need the courage the embattled farmers showed on Concord Bridge in April 1775. Replace Trump, Jordan, Nunes, McConnell, Collins, Graham, and the Republican remainder with people of integrity and courage.

Terry Armentrout

The Dalles