Letter: We can do better than Haler or Klippert

Letters have been written to support Larry Haler and Brad Klippert for re-election to the state Legislature. I say we can do much better. Here are three reasons to vote for neither.

One is their lack of support for education. We will never see smaller class sizes or adequate school funding with Haler and Klippert in office. During their tenure, Washington has declined to 29th in the nation in education rankings. We used to be ranked higher, and the Legislature is under a court order to fund education. Klippert may speak at new school dedications, but he is no friend to educators.

Second is Haler’s desire to separate Eastern Washington from Washington. Really, Larry? Washaho? Idaknow? Really? As a Washington native, I find this akin to treason.

Third, both are stuck in their right-wing conservative ideology, a failed ideology, but their intransigence means that reform and compromise will not occur and we won’t see meaningful legislation as long as they are in office. Ask Haler about school funding and he looks up his answer in the conservative handbook— “local control.”

Neither of them think or adapt anymore, they just mouth platitudes. We can do much better.

This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 4:37 AM with the headline "Letter: We can do better than Haler or Klippert."