Why are we delaying cleanup at Hanford? You can thank MAGA’s blundering policies | Opinion

Why delay work for MAGA audit?

Dear Hanford:

The people of Eastern Washington gave their health and safety to win World War II by building nuclear weapons. But now cleaning up Hanford is going to be delayed — again — by Trump’s freezes.

Does anyone really need to stop work to do an audit? Is this what people voted for?

Does this “Make America Great Again?”

Randall Winn, Seattle

Put mental health ahead of flag plan

We have a financial crisis in this state, and the legislators who want to waste money on frivolity deserve public reprimand and censure. A flag redesign commission and then a referendum equal more wasted taxpayer money.

Hire more mental health professionals. Even one more is worth more than the immaturity of the legislators.

Robert Margulies, Richland

No staff shows up for Newhouse

I attended the Tri-City Development Council annual meeting recently to hear the latest work our local economic development organization is conducting to recruit cutting-edge businesses and jobs. Their achievements are numerable. As usual with the many community events in the area, a multitude of elected officials were in attendance.

What has been a trend with so many of these events, though, is that while Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are represented, our own local Congressman Dan Newhouse doesn’t have staff who have the basic courtesy to show up for such important community conversations.

Sen. Murray’s representative, Shawn Bills, made the trek from the west side; Rick Evans from Sen. Cantwell’s office, a stalwart participant at community functions, attended; and then when Congressman Newhouse’s Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director Ashley Stubbs was announced, the audience was left with crickets, finding Ms. Stubbs skipped out on the event.

In my and my friends’ and colleagues’ experience, it’s typical for Ms. Stubbs to be a no-show at community functions. Her name tag is often left unclaimed on many a registration desk.

So the question: Is it too much to ask our congressman to be competent enough to hire competent staff?

Joelle Bishop, Kennewick

Peace at what cost?

In recent unilateral peace talks between U.S. and Russian leaders over the Ukraine-Russia conflict, it is alleged that Trump’s team dismissed the possibility of Ukraine reclaiming its Russian occupied territories

Analysts have speculated that Trump’s return to the White House might lead to a decrease in U.S. support for Ukraine. However, the speed at which Trump appears to be strengthening relations with Russia has left Ukrainians and their allies in shock, while the Russian media has widely celebrated the news.

A source with close ties to the Kremlin has claimed that President Donald Trump’s “unprecedented” concessions to Russia could pave the way for aggressive actions against key European cities.

Ukrainian President Zelensky and European leaders are worried that our president could cut a hasty deal with Moscow that ignores their security interests, rewards Russia for its invasion and leaves Mr. Putin free to threaten Ukraine or other countries in the future.

Does this have a familiar ring? It is mindful of the time when through a unilateral agreement between Great Britain and Nazi Germany, a part of Czechoslovakia was given to Germany to appease it as a guarantee of peace.

The exception being that a conflict is already in progress.

William Petrie, Richland

Reconsider costs of arts auditorium

Supporters of the proposed Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center were reportedly “stunned” and “startled” by its defeat in Richland’s special election.

Certainly the proposed sales tax increase for the next 30 years was a factor. Perhaps the $81 million price tag for an 800-seat facility (which comes out to slightly more than one hundred thousand dollars per seat) was also a factor.

IMHO, a future vote for a more reasonably priced facility might pass.

Steven Kincaid, Richland

Free lunch helps students succeed

Dear Reps. April Conners, Stephanie Barnard and Sen. Matt Boehnke: I urge you to support House Bill 1404 and Senate Bill 5352, which provide free lunch for all public school students. These bills represent a crucial opportunity to ensure every child, regardless of a family’s income, receives a nutritious meal each school day.

In our state, where food insecurity remains a real challenge for many families, the benefits of free school lunches cannot be overstated. Students who are well-fed are better equipped to learn, succeed academically and grow into healthy, productive adults.

These bills also remove the stigma associated with free or reduced-price lunches, ensuring that no child feels singled out for their socioeconomic status. I and many others have concerns about government spending, but investing in our children’s health and education is one of the most effective ways to secure the future of our state.

In fact, your Republican colleague, Rep. Skyler Rude, supports these bills, showing that this is an issue that transcends party lines.

Please consider the positive impact these bills would have on our students and families, and lend your support to HB1404 and SB5352.

Cory Miller, Kennewick

Congress making cuts won’t happen

I have to comment on what must be an attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor by the Tri-City Herald editorial board. Their Feb. 16 piece was encouraging Rep. Newhouse to help focus President Trump’s federal spending cuts — which is a good idea.

The obvious attempt at humor comes when they say that the Government Accountability Office has been saying for years that the government rate of spending is unsustainable. Here is the punchline — they suggest that when the areas of waste are identified, Congress should be asked to change the budget.

That is the joke. If Congress were inclined to do anything about it, they would have done it a long time ago! Ask Congress to stop wasteful spending. Ahh, not gonna happen!

Bob Cummings, West Richland

Take steps to help recognize ability

As a disabled American with a master’s degree who finds every door closed due to lack of experience, (how am I going to get experience if no one hires me?) I say the current definition of DEI misses the mark because it is not based on merit. I graduated from high school in 2002, and I thought that a master’s degree was meritorious enough to get a job, but now experience is the main thing.

Now, I and many others are stuck and can’t get experience because degrees alone no longer carry weight. Every job I‘ve looked at on LinkedIn or indeed has so many onerous job requirements and skills that I know I don’t possess and it’s frustrating!

I call upon the Trump Administration to take steps to further incentivize companies to hire qualified disabled people or make sure they get the training necessary to become qualified to work.

Taking these steps would ensure the president keeps his promise that “the forgotten men and women will be forgotten no more!”

Let us work together so that everyone who wants a job can get one that is commensurate with their abilities, no matter what those abilities are!

Robert Garrison, Kennewick