Letter: Republican Party weakness
The Republican Party reveals its weakness in several ways.
First, they are acting to incarcerate more citizens. Second, they are increasing military spending, despite it already being 10 times as large as any other rival nation.
Why? More will die losing the ACA than have from terrorism.
Many things make Republicans weak.
They are unpopular with most Americans for dismantling the social safety net that allowed businesses to prosper, at the expense of excusing the rich from fair taxation.
They are unpopular because they cannot be trusted.
They abrogate treaties that took years to negotiate, getting nothing in return. Now, Putin owns the Republican Party.
Virtually every step the new administration took strengthened Putin’s kleptocracy, as it builds its own.
By gutting the State Department, we are harming international business and increasing the likelihood of war.
By removing the guidance that allowed cannabis, they exacerbate the opioid crisis, as states with medical cannabis have 25 percent lower opioid mortality.
Republicans have embarrassed us on the world stage and hurt our veterans who use cannabis (and the rest of us, of course).
Republicans run on fear, and that fear gives terrorism its effectiveness.
Reject it, or lose America’s promise.
Ivar Husa, Richland
This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Letter: Republican Party weakness."