Embarrassed by hospital leaders. ‘You will never forget how they made you feel.’ | Opinion
Kadlec humiliated longtime worker
My name is Leslie Jackson and I have been employed at Kadlec Regional Medical Center for 44 years, and this past Monday night I was absolutely embarrassed by the management team of this facility. SEIU (Service Employees International Union) had given Kadlec a 10-day strike notice to begin at 6 a.m. Aug. 20.
Knowing this, every manager employed by Kadlec marched into the facility and began to systematically escorting every member of our union out the door, with minutes to gather our belongings.
We were hustled into elevators, and on the ground floor other managers were blocking every corridor so everyone was funneled out the main entrance. It was mortifying to be treated like a criminal by a facility I have been employed by for two-thirds of my life.
Kadlec has promised the community that patient care and services would not be impacted by this strike; however when I and my fellow respiratory therapists were escorted out, we left three therapists covering 10 floors, including two intensive care units and an overflowing ER for the 90 minutes that management insisted they needed for a smooth transition.
Maya Angelou said you will never forget how they made you feel.
Leslie Jackson, Kennewick
Democrat will do right for district
An open Letter to Dan Newhouse:
I am a Democrat, and I am going to vote for you as my congressman. I have never voted for you before, but I have met with you and your staff to advocate for your support for various policies. You have always been gracious and respectful and true to your conservative positions. I particularly appreciate your courage and integrity when you voted for the impeachment of Donald Trump.
As the primary has demonstrated, this cost you votes from your Republican party against your MAGA opponent. I want you to know that I appreciate your long service to Benton County and I am going to vote for you in November. I respect the conservative party and their commitment to family values, a strong military, economic strength and patriotism, but strongly object to Donald Trump and MAGA.
Donald Trump is a felon, an insurrectionist, and sexual predator and MAGA has taken over the Republican Party. I am asking all my fellow Democrats and all patriotic Republicans to vote for Dan Newhouse this November. I am also asking all patriots to vote against Donald Trump and MAGA. It is the right thing to do.
Stan Moon, Richland
Vote values, not Newhouse again
Once again, Washington’s Fourth District will have two Republicans on the general election ballot. Historically, when this happens, the Democrats in the District have to choose between two candidates who do not share our values. Which one is the most benign?
In this situation, the Democrats are in the same position as a minor party in a Parliamentary system. In order to have any power, you align with a larger party after receiving certain concessions in return for your support. Except that doesn’t happen in the Fourth. Nothing is offered for our support in return for our vote.
We have saved Newhouse on at least two occasions. The 2024 primary ended with (Jerrod) Sessler ahead of Dan Newhouse and the unwritten rule tells us to save Newhouse again.
Where are Democratic values? Dan voted 60 times to kill Obamacare. He voted against Biden’s infrastructure bill, lowering drug costs and “junk fees,” and the entire attempt to save the economy.
Democrats are encouraged to “Vote Blue” all the way down the ballot. We can still do that by writing-in “Cherissa Boyd” for Fourth District representative. You might sleep better knowing that you voted your values rather than a political game of chicken.
Richard Reuther, Kennewick
Watergate values are lacking today
Fifty years ago, a capable and able but corrupt and lawless U.S. president was forced to resign his position. President Nixon’s crime was his order to perform the massive cover-up of an illegal break-in of his rival party’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The system worked in 1974 because powerful Republicans and Nixon’s judicial appointees put the country before politics. Eight GOP members of the House Judiciary Committee voted for impeachment and eight Supreme Court Justices, including four Nixon appointees, demanded the White house turn over the tapes of Nixon’s efforts to block an FBI investigation of this break-in.
Back then, officials of both parties were determined to uphold a standard of conduct that their president had violated.
Today, many GOP legislators, aided by Trump judicial appointees, have put their politics before country. They continue to defend and kow-tow to ex-president Trump, who has proven to be an incompetent, unqualified, corrupt, and lawless leader.
A convicted felon, he is accused of many more crimes, including violation of our security laws, violation of election laws, collusion with foreign governments as a private citizen and insurrection. Citizens are urged to put country before politics and vote against a second Trump presidential term.
Bill Petrie, Richland