Letters: Acts of kindness, health care, COVID-19 and more | May 17

Good folks make shopping brighter

My 92-year-old Dad went to Costco this week, and seeing the line to enter the store was quite long, asked the Costco employee at the door if there was another entrance. He said no, and Dad would have to go to the back of the line (which had wrapped around to the tire department). Dad began to walk in that direction and a man who had overheard the conversation told Dad he could have his place in line (he was next to go in). So that wonderful man gave my Dad his place, and he went to the back of the line!

There’s more .... Once in the store, Dad had bought everything he needed except Clorox wipes, which he couldn’t find. A shopper next to him had two Clorox wipes in her shopping cart, so he asked her where she found them. She said, “Oh, way back in the back of the store.” He stated it was too far for him and he could do without. She gave him hers. I just teared up hearing Dad tell of these two selfless acts of kindness. I know God put those two people in my Dad’s path that day. I wish I could thank them personally, but God will bless them in some special way in His perfect timing. This made my day. I hope it helped to brighten yours.

Our health care system is flawed

Thirty million Americans have lost their jobs. Along with losing their income, many have also lost their health insurance. The pandemic has highlighted a major structural problem in our health care system – the linkage between employment and health care insurance. Yes, in some instances, the laid-off employee can use COBRA for that same insurance for up to 18 months. BUT to use COBRA, the individual must pay the entire premium. On average, employers pay 70% of the health insurance premium while the employee pays 30%. When workers loses their jobs, to keep their insurance, they face a 70% increase in their monthly premium.

They lose their income but could afford to pay a 70% increase in health insurance premiums? Very unlikely.

We are learning from the pandemic an important and painful lesson — our system of providing private medical coverage for millions through linkage to employment simply does not work when we need it most.

I do not know the solution — a public fix, a private fix, some combination of the two? Linking health insurance for millions of families to their employers is a recipe for disaster at a time of greatest need.

Why so much paperwork?

I wish someone could explain to me why all politicians are still receiving there paychecks when local business owners have to go through tons of paperwork to get help. The only politician I know who doesn’t take a salary for his job is the president. So how about the governor give up his salary to someone who has lost their small business?

Let nature have its way with COVID

We can’t obey a government that is careless. The media amplifies extremes, the “fight against Covid is worse than the disease.”

The death toll is less than a half percent, similar to many risks we take every day, like driving a car.

Now that our most vulnerable are secluded, the rest of us need immunity, which is nature’s way of ending the spread of disease.

YouTube has Dr. Katz on Bill Maher “Real Time.” It’s the whole story if you want to what deserves your obedience.

Livelihoods and friendships are at risk. Politics is having a party telling real people what they can’t do. The president of Hillsboro College mentions, “the eagerness of some governors to outdo one another by announcing shutdowns that extend beyond where anyone claims they are necessary,” and that the CDC has “failed to replenish ventilators and mask shortages caused by Swine Flu in 2009, but have spent millions of tax dollars on international junkets and lavish facilities.“

Good letter, Vicki Locati. We knew (Gov. Jay) Inslee would have trimmed hair and all pleasures he’s used to. But he is carelessly sacrificing the working class’s livelihoods.

So lucky that people are protesting and acting with courage and integrity.

November election can’t be too soon

In May 2018, (President) Trump dismissed the top “global health security” specialist on the National Security Council and disbanded the Pandemic Preparedness Team. His administration badly bungled the development of test kits. Trump partially limited travel from China, and he never imposed any travel restrictions on Italy or Europe until too late. Once here, Trump then downplayed the severity of the virus, calling it a “Democrat hoax” and claiming it would go away “like a miracle.” He called Gov. Jay Inslee “a snake” because he took the virus seriously. Yet Trump refuses to accept any responsibility and, after weeks of denials and inaction, when the virus had thoroughly spread throughout the country, he rated his performance in responding to the crisis a “10 out of 10!”

In case there was any doubt, the coronavirus crisis has exposed the total incompetence of Donald Trump and his administration. Three and a half years of lies, rejection of science-based decisions, claims of “fake news,” and the appointment of unqualified political hacks have come home to roost.

It’s clear Trump always puts his own political and financial self-interests first, ahead of the country’s. For Eastern Washington voters, the 2020 presidential election cannot come soon enough; unfortunately, for America, it will come much too late.

Let Benton be 'sanctuary county'

In line with Gov. Jay Inslee's proclamation that Washington is a sanctuary state several years ago, he proclaimed that federal law would be ignored. In his statement, he said, “That is not who we are in Washington state.”

So, perhaps we should become a sanctuary county with his declaration of stay at home, stay out of restaurants, hair salons, gyms, etc.

That is not who we are in Benton County! Check out the restrictions and self-policing required for businesses to reopen!

Perhaps our county commissioners might share with the voters where they stand on this lockdown and violation of our civil rights? They have been clearly silent on expressing their views.

Gov. Inslee's message seems clear: Violation of the rule of law is good for thee; not for me!

League sponsors essay on voting

In the mid-1800’s, frontier women of Washington pushed for a state constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote. A new generation of Washington women were successful in 1910. Without the passion of these women and their frontier grandmothers, who knows how long it would have taken to pass the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920?

The League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties has organized an essay contest to celebrate these Washington women and so many others who joined the women’s suffrage movement. We hope students attending the district high schools in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland will join the Centennial Celebration by writing an essay, “Your Vote is Our Future.” As the frontier women of Washington were some of the leaders in expanding the voter base to include women, we know our local students will lead the way for young people to become active, informed voters of the future. Guidelines and awards for the essay contest are available at https://my.lwv.org/washington/benton.franklin.counties/essay-contest.

Help in a Jiffy when he fell down

Due to age and attitude, I took a tumble while at Jiffy Car Wash. I now have a sore back and head. Also a skinned-up elbow.

I want to thank all the good folks who held me up. Most left before I could thank them. Also, I want to thank the owner’s daughter for being so kind to me, making sure I was fine. I also want to say I apologize for the damage I did when I fell.

State law protects First Amendment

The governor must follow the law in order to extend his order. However in (the RCW 43.06.220) section (2 G), it explicitly states that he cannot violate the First Amendment right to free speech and the right for the people to peacefully assemble!

Here is the law so you can look it up actually do a article which holds the governor to the law of the state of Washington.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.06.220

Crisis shows our societal failings

The Tri-City Herald reported long lines of cars for boxes of food stunned 2nd Harvest volunteers. Government policies that favor the least vulnerable and a threadbare safety net have made this crisis much worse. The GDP has risen 79 percent since 1980, but the wealth created largely benefited the very wealthy. The top 1 percent of households surpassed the combined wealth of the bottom 80 percent.

The illusion of a shared prosperity cratered with the stock market, down 33.9 percent in less than 5 weeks. The crisis shows our dependence on the cheap labor of women and racial minorities; and our insufficient systems of healthcare, welfare and a basic universal income to take care of the neediest among us. Many designated essential services have inadequate supplies of protective equipment and unenforceable safe practices put many at risk of contracting the virus. With 22 percent of low-income workers without insurance, it should be no surprise that the U.S. is alone among Western nations with a falling life expectancy.

A glimpse of dystopia is a chance to reimagine a society with a strong safety net and access to education leading to a shared prosperity that can withstand the next crisis.

Need new leader in White House

We need a new leader in the White House who can make America greater again.

Come on, Joe Biden, we need you.

This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Acts of kindness, health care, COVID-19 and more | May 17."