I have to hand it to U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, who recently scored an 88 percent on 10 key issues regarding constitutional authority and upholding the constitution in general.

The John Birch Society's annual "Freedom Index" was released recently and it rates "all members of the House and Senate based on their adherence to constitutional principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, national sovereignty and a traditional foreign policy of avoiding foreign entanglements." See for yourself at www.jbs.org. Click on "Voting Index" at the top of the page.

Hastings scored highest amongst our Washington House members. Two other Washington House members scored a good 80 percent (Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Jaime Herrera Beutler). Five Washington members of Congress earned scores of 20 percent or less and one scored zero! Our Washington senators scored 20 percent and 30 percent.

Things would be better for all freedom-loving Washingtonians if all of the House and Senate voted to uphold the Constitution 100 percent of the time, as they swore to do.

GREGORY VOGTRITTER, Prosser