Letters: Elections, electoral college and more | Oct. 9

Peterson is best pick to be judge

Vote Dave Peterson for judge. I have practiced law since 1989, as a DPA and a private attorney. I have tried cases from traffic tickets to murder, from slip and fall to child custody disputes. I like to think of myself as a trial attorney, a person who is comfortable in a court room.

I may not agree with all the judges all the time but I respect them, they have been there, in the courtroom. They earned their position through the legal experience learned in the courtroom before becoming a judge.

As a trial attorney, I have come to recognize that the judge is an extremely important position. Judge is too important of a job to let it become a political reward. Sharon Brown may have been your state senator, but that’s politics, not legal experience; she has no courtroom experience. When the Benton Franklin Counties Bar Association rated Sharon Brown, 62% found she was not qualified to be judge. In contrast, 100% found Dave Peterson was qualified. The overall poll favored Dave Peterson by 89%. The position of judge is not a reward, it is a job, and we need a judge who is qualified.

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Garbe-Reser her choice in 16th

I am voting for Danielle Garbe-Reser for the position of senator in the 16th Legislative District.

She understands the issues of the land and agriculture being a member of a fifth-generation family farm.

She knows first-hand the lay of the land and issues of our communities from her role as chief executive officer of the Sherwood Trust, which funds many worthy causes among the nonprofit organizations in our area.

She recognizes the value of reaching a hand across the aisle during this divided partisan time as she has worked in both Republican and Democratic administrations during her diplomatic career.

She is a fiscal conservative, and like Bill Grant, also a fiscally conservative Democrat who served this district well, she will advocate for our district and the interests of Eastern Washington.

I encourage you to join with me to elect Danielle Garbe-Reser to the Washington State Senate.

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Didier write-in personal vendetta

It is hard to watch Clint Didier’s orchestration of a last-minute write-in campaign for an unknown Republican as anything other than a desperate personal vendetta against Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck.

Didier’s obvious objective is to wrest away as many votes from Brad as needed to enable his opponent, Democrat Kim Lehrman, to win. It is no secret that Didier is unhappy with Peck, a retired Air Force officer unaffected by Didier’s bullying tactics, while thoroughly practical and accommodating in working across party lines to achieve solutions for the county.

Peck’s success in getting the state to open additional businesses is a stark contrast to Didier’s dismissed lawsuit against the governor. Peck’s proposal to open all businesses that can ensure public safety with masks, distancing and sanitation seeks a responsible balance between public safety and public welfare.

Brad’s logical, well-reasoned approach directly conflicts with Didier’s confrontational rejection of even the most basic state guidance on wearing masks and other measures to reopen safely. Didier is clearly threatened by Peck’s intellect and detailed understanding of county issues. No doubt he sees Ms. Lehrman as someone he can control to advance his own personal agendas; a risky assessment at best.

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Things to ponder before election

As the election approaches, I mull: 1. Why would I vote for a failed businessman? 2. Do I want four more years of ineptitude regarding COVID-19? 3. Why give 1.5 trillion to 1% who didn’t need it? 4. Did Mexico reimburse us for the wall? 5. Coal miners, “TRUMP DIGS COAL”? Really? 6. Over 20,000 lies later — why would I want 20,000 more? 7. Weren’t sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell Trump’s friends? ... noted. 8. Isn’t bailing out farmers a form of socialism? 9. Why didn’t 45 ask Russia about those bounties? 10. Why does “fact-checking” scare Republicans? 11. Did DJT send Mary Trump (5/13) a birthday card? 12. Does Melania stew over NDA recipients? 13. Have Puerto Ricans used up those paper towels the president generously tossed them? 14. If he destroys the USPS, how will Kim send him another love letter? 15. Did he ever learn how to fold an umbrella? 16. 1,800 Marines at Belleau Wood ... “suckers” and “losers?”

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Disappointed with debate results

I am disappointed at what I saw in the 15 minutes that I watched of the debate. I would be more impressed with laying out what your intentions are than arguing with Biden. He was flustered early in the first 10 minutes. I suspect he was wearing a wire of sorts to keep him calmer than he is able on his own.

I propose to write out specific points to be spoken, ignore his prospective proposals, then asking him for specific plans in his banter. So far he does not have a plan. Lip service only. He so far does not have a clue. I believe this is a Harris with a Biden assistant administration in the making.

I would rather hear specific facts about what and where we are going in the intentions next four years of the Trump administration. Ignore the press, as you already know what they are going to say about what you will say next.

We already know what has been accomplished in the last 46 months, talk about what is coming in the future for the American people.

The COVID-19 is not the fault of this administration.

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Richland mayor endorses Brown

I would like to give my full endorsement of Sharon Brown to the position of Benton Franklin Counties Superior Court (judge) Pos. 1. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sharon on many legislative priorities in my position as mayor of Richland. Not only is Sharon always thoughtful and deliberative in our discussions, she also possesses the unique ability to listen to others before making a decision.

In addition, as a legislator, Sharon has made our community safer, and our justice system more fair. She helped pass a bill that provides for stiffer penalties for vehicular homicides, as well as one that allows prosecutors to petition the court to resentence an individual if the person’s sentence no longer advances the interests of justice.

Sharon has the demeanor and experience to be a tremendous judge and an asset to our community for years to come. In my two roles as mayor and deputy prosecutor, I believe I am uniquely qualified to advise on who should be our next judge. It is without hesitation that I will cast my vote for Sharon Brown. Please join me.

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Electoral College is not the problem

Jeff Boston’s Sept. 25 letter in the Tri-City Herald urges people to push for the abolishment of the Electoral College on the grounds that only the popular vote is fair. He is sadly mistaken. If there were no Electoral College, then the votes from four states, California, Florida, New York and Texas would determine who wins a presidential election. No one living in the other 46 states need vote at all.

The intent of the electoral college is to give equal voice to population-dense and population-light states. Each state is allowed one electoral college vote per congressional district, and one for each senator.

The problem is not the electoral college; it is the winner-take-all allocation of the electoral votes. To be truly representative, the votes from each congressional district should be allocated to the candidate who wins the popular vote of that district. The two electoral college votes representing the two senators would be allocated to the candidate who wins the popular vote in the state.

If Washington did this, Seattle would not silence the voices of voters in the rest of the state! If this were done on a national level, every voice would have a chance to be heard!

This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Elections, electoral college and more | Oct. 9."