Letters: Newhouse vote courageous, commissioners misguided, vaccine thoughts and more | Jan. 31

Community Health did a “great job!”

This letter is to the Tri-City Community Health Clinic in Pasco. My wife and I just went to get our COVID-19 shots on Jan. 25 and were both very impressed with all the staff who were helping us. Everyone was very courteous, professional and made us feel safe. Great job!

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Prosser vaccine to fairgrounds?

I received my COVID-19 vaccination Jan. 22 by Prosser Memorial Health. A big shout-out to all the medical staff, front-line responders and volunteers for a job extremely well done. I don’t think I have ever witnessed a better-executed process. Lots of friendly workers got me in and out in 25 minutes. 

Wait, what? Science guy (Gov. Jay) Inslee confiscated the rest of your vaccine supply? He gave it to the Benton Franklin Fairgrounds? Brilliant!

So now residents don’t have a local, convenient access to get vaccinated. The elderly who can’t drive, are medically fragile to driving long distances will have to do without? Well I guess it does drive up science guy’s vaccination numbers, showing everyone his whack-a-mole plan is best.

Science guy has had many months to develop a plan with contingencies and this is it? While it does get a lot of arms stuck, it also creates a major headache for all of the front line, first responders and volunteers who deserve our praise.

This is not President Trump’s fault at all. This fiasco falls squarely in science guy’s wheelhouse. If it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it. 

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Courageous vote by Rep. Newhouse

When Rep. Dan Newhouse took the courageous action of voting to impeach President Trump for inciting insurrection, he did the right thing. Rep. Newhouse took the steps necessary to protect the U.S., one of the most solemn duties of our elected representatives, without regard to what was most politically expedient. We are fortunate to have Rep. Newhouse in the House of Representatives, looking out for our country and the best interests of Eastern Washington.

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Protect servers at drive-throughs

Please let us all do our part to protect the workers who are keeping us going through this pandemic. Drive-through places like Starbucks or Bruchi’s require masks and other precautions from employees when they serve us, but do not extend that policy to their customers. We need to step up and wear a mask when we are at the drive-through so we are not potentially spreading the virus to our servers. Remember their masks protect us not them. The least we can do is cover up when we are three feet from them. Sink or swim, we are all in this together.

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Commissioners’ actions misguided

Thank you for your editorial on Jan. 14 regarding the county commissioners’ misguided attempts to subvert the actions taken at the state level to protect all Washington citizens. 

To our elected representatives, shame on you! You’ve been repeatedly advised by career staff and legal authorities that the state actions are legal and cannot be “overridden” at the local level and these actions have been repeatedly upheld by the courts. Your resolutions only serve to increase dissent and encourage radicalization. The governor and his staff are not perfect, but by continuing to lie to your constituents and give false hope, you are contributing to the problem, not the solution. I fully support your right to ask the state to modify regulations, or to thoughtfully delegate some authority to lower levels of government; or to file lawsuits challenging the regulations; but passing resolutions that conflict with those legally mandated regulations and are doomed to failure is simply a waste of your time and ours.

Please, rise above your partisan political agendas and work on constructive measures that can make a difference, like encouraging mask wearing and limiting interaction; or funding programs to help those in need.

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Which country do they want back?

Insurrectionists in D.C. are decrying that they “want our country back!” I would like to know which country they are talking about.

The one where you can go bankrupt if you get cancer? The one where public lands are sold off to the highest bidder for dirty mining operations which permanently foul the only Earth we have? The one where taking out a loan for college requires you to forgo enjoying movies, dinners out, and vacations while it takes 40 years to pay back the loan? The one where the ethnically “correct” are the ones who get the good jobs? The one where women have no role in society beyond cooking and bearing children? The one where it’s okay to ransack and pillage the Capitol Building and terrify the occupants because you believed the Big Lie that the fascist leader won the election?

Is it the country where the minority is allowed to terrorize the majority with bear spray, sticks, clubs and guns rather than accept the truth that they are the minority? Is it the country that holds elections and then ignores the results if it doesn’t go your way?

Russia might be looking for a few good insurrectionists.

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We need to fix cause of unrest

As an engineer, for me nothing is really fixed until root causes are addressed. It is appropriate and good that violence at the Capitol is condemned, but it is not sufficient. We need to consider the root causes. The proximate cause was the falsehood that this election was illegitimate. The truth is that Joe Biden won a fair election, and it wasn’t really close.

However, there is a darker root cause. And it is the idea that some votes (and voters) are more “legitimate” than others. This is both un-American, and, shamefully, American at the same time. Unless there is leadership and repudiation from the party that has benefited from this cancer, it will simply metastasize into a different form, as is already being seen. Good people of conscience must reject the false claims, “what-a-bout-isms,” and excuses. There is no excuse. Period.

Violence is always inappropriate, and must be condemned, but the attempted overthrow of an election in our democracy, by the supposed leaders of our democracy, is an affront to our Nation as a whole.

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Newhouse change was risky action

Rep. Dan Newhouse signed the Republican amicus curiae Dec. 10 supporting Texas’s lawsuit to overturn the election in several states. He accepted the wrong Republican position that our Constitution requires each state Legislature to select the state’s electors to report who should receive its electoral votes. Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution reads: “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors …”. That says the state appoints the electors. It says the Legislature may (or may not) direct how they are selected and appointed. The Constitution does not say the Legislature must select the electors.

I objected to Rep. Newhouse Dec. 11; he immediately replied why he accepted the party’s position. Then, 50 or so lawsuits based on hearsay allegations produced zero evidence whatsoever of fraud or tally error. All failed to present reason to change any results. Rep. Newhouse announced Jan. 4 that he changed his mind, and would vote Jan. 6 to accept results from all states. That occurred during the violent assault on Congress by protesters stimulated strongly that afternoon by the president to “fight to recapture their country.” Rep. Newhouse is one of only 10 Republicans voting for a second Impeachment of the president. It’s risky for Newhouse. This may prevent Trump from running again in 2024 if 17 Republican senators support the Impeachment. Though doubtful, that might give Republicans better position to reduce dangerous division of our country. 

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Kadlec staff shows grace, empathy

Today my husband and I transported two elderly friends to Kadlec Medical Center for their COVID-19 vaccination appointments. They were a bit anxious and reluctant as both struggle with some of the physical limitations of old age and he recently took a bad fall, which has left him quite frail.

When we assisted them into the vestibule of the hospital, Kadlec staff immediately asked if they would like a wheelchair. Safely seating him in the wheelchair, staff assured us they would see the couple to the vaccination area and return them to the lobby. She had forgotten her glasses, but staff filled out the required paperwork.

When we pulled up to collect them after their vaccinations, staff were by their side to see they were attended to. Both were so very appreciative of the above and beyond courtesies extended to them. It’s been a difficult year for everyone. But how lovely to see grace, kindness and empathy prevail.

Thank you, Kadlec staff.

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National Guard trustworthy

The FBI vetting of the ... (National) Guard is wrong. There is no reason to suspect the loyalty and dedication of the Guard. One might argue that the FBI should be vetted because of the way it used its power to place a spy in the Trump campaign before Trump was elected. It was FBI officials who used their positions to continue to attack Trump using the false FISA court warrants. My opinion is the Guard is more trustworthy and loyal than the FBI.

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We need to speed vaccine delivery

It is certainly nice to see the Coronavirus vaccine becoming available at long last. However, at the rate of speed being used to distribute it, we could all be sick and/or dying by the time it gets to be our turn to receive it.

I understand the healthcare workers and nursing home residents being first in line because they are particularly vulnerable, but at the rate we are going now, it could be the end of this year or maybe even next year before very many of us will be eligible.

This is not an acceptable arrangement at all. Something needs to be done soon to remedy this situation or the consequences could prove to be quite tragic indeed. Life should not have to be sacrificed because of government bureaucracy.

This story was originally published January 31, 2021 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Newhouse vote courageous, commissioners misguided, vaccine thoughts and more | Jan. 31."