Trump is hurting the economy, veterans and covering for Epstein | Letters
Fired for telling Trump the truth
Donald Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics because he didn’t like what they reported!
That is what dictators do! Republicans are in control of everything so they should do something. Trump has dementia. He didn’t remember he nominated Jerome Powell for the head of the Federal Reserve.
Trump is doing things that hurt our country such as tariffs, gutting the Veterans Administration , gutting the Department of Education, not to mention Jeffrey Epstein.
Plus he lies every time he opens his mouth! Republicans need to use Amendment 25 to remove and replace Donald Trump.
Deanna Whiteside, Kennewick
Red flags show up in RSD’s budget
A cursory look at the Richland School District’s proposed 2025-26 budget, showed some glaring red flags. I will just address 3 here.
The district is in a financial crisis and has put in place layoffs, hiring freezes, spending freezes and similar measures.
1. In 2024, (Supertntendent) Dr. (Shirley) Redinger said her “plan” would bring the ending fund balance in 2026-2027 to 5% to meet the requirement of the board’s policy. The proposed ending fund balance for the 2025-26 year is estimated at .45%. How does this move the district toward financial solvency?
2. In 2024-25, the superintendent’s budget was .31% of the total budget. The proposed superintendent’s budget for 2025-26 .48% of the total budget. An increase of 61.3%!
3. In 2024-25, the Board of Directors’ budget was .09% of the total budget. The proposed Board of Directors’ budget for 2025-26 is .26% of the total budget. An increase of 204%!
Yes, these dollar amounts are a “drop in the bucket” to the overall budget. However, it is insulting to the paraeducators, librarians, and nurses who have been removed from their positions because the district is in a financial CRISIS! Not great optics for the upcoming levy in 2026!
Pamela Hall, West Richland
Editor’s note: Percentages tell only a part of the story. Changes in dollar amounts often tell more.
Help me out here, Rep. Newhouse
I would like for the Tri-City Herald to ask Rep. Dan Newhouse for his view of HR1319 “Modern Worker Empowerment Act.”
As I understand the bill, it empowers employers to reclassify their workers as “private contractors.” In doing so, they would be stripped of several important rights. They would lose eligibility for unemployment, the right to organize, participation in pension plans and other rights.
I have written the congressman twice about this bill and received no response.
James D. Ternes, Pasco
PNNL actions cut retiree benefits
PNNL’s “Changes to Retiree Benefits” is a dismaying betrayal. Benefits earned by retired scientists, engineers, and support staff, PNNL’s necessary “engine”, evaporated. But betrayal extends beyond retirees and spouses.
Staff worked 40+ hours weekly to ensure quality and earn clients’ trust, under the PNNL “brand,” garnering future work and exemplifying values in PNNL’s published “culture” statement: “Every day we live our values of integrity, creativity, collaboration, impact, and courage” Hard-earned trust and Lab success disappear by abandoning courage and integrity. PNNL’s “Lab Leadership Team” (LLT) did just that by allowing demise of a “dedicated trust account” and failing to fund retirees’ HRA.
Per the FAQ, “the Lab Leadership Team has made the difficult decision to discontinue some of our retiree benefits.” The decision must have been difficult as the LLT had to ignore their consciences and betray the retired staff’s trust. The LLT also betrayed PNNL’s culture (integrity, courage) and the trust earned over decades by devoted retired staff to deliver Battelle’s founding purpose — “science in service to humanity.”
The Lab chose to short its retirees to save a buck. And in doing so, squander the trust so integral to the Lab’s success.
Cal Delegard, Richand
Gaza killings must end, reader says
I write this letter to add my name with those who oppose the “genocide” in Gaza and the man-made famine in Sudan. As a descendant of slaves and beneficiary of slave revolts, efforts of White abolitionists, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and other advocates, not to do so would be “betrayal.”
The atrocities of two-plus centuries of chattel slavery, and genocide of indigenous peoples in the Americas are well documented. Current political efforts are underway to remove this history from libraries, schools and universities. This assures that “those who don’t learn from history are bound to repeat it.” This history is being repeated in Gaza, Sudan and other less-publicized places.
Is it not hypocrisy for Americans to espouse freedom and justice for all and yet be complicit with the dehumanization and starvation of all Palestinian people in Gaza and the innocent civilians in the Sudan? Is it not contempt for the international laws that govern the behaviors of nations for world peace, when the U.S. is deliberately complicit with other nations’ violations? This contempt also includes violations of laws of our own U.S. Constitution.
Thus, silence is complicity; dissenting protests must continue.
Dallas Barnes, Pasco
Hamas succeeds, so it will not stop
Hamas has won.
It has accomplished the mission: To make Israel look bad.
These extremist politicians could have ended the bombing at any time, by simply releasing all the hostages. Hamas has not ended the suffering because its goal, all along, is turning world opinion against its oppressor.
Netanyahu dances to the Hamas tune with zeal and vigor. His actions have drawn worldwide attention; a steady news source of shock and horror. Coverage of increasing starvation may be sickening and abhorrent, but it furthers Hamas’s objective.
Our collective humanity suffers as we grow numb.
America is indirectly being tarred by the same brush. These are formative years for our next generation’s extremists.
As I wrote, over a year ago now, “Hamas is succeeding, and has no reason to stop.”
Michael Harrington, Pasco
Trump shows off autocracy at work
Bill Petrie’s Letter to the Editor of Aug. 3 caused me to think he’s a carpenter; every letter he writes hits the nail on the head. His list of why Trump is a loser, although far from complete, is very accurate. But Trump isn’t the only loser in our autocratic government.
All three branches of government are in lockstep toward enriching the rich, making life more miserable for the poor and shrinking the middle class through indiscriminate removal of productive contributors to the gross domestic product. Equally abusive is his application of tariffs; a form of taxation because it provides income to the government while increasing the cost of consumer products.
In addition to being dishonest in ways that profit him, Trump is obviously in significant cognitive decline. But Congress will not exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment – Section 4 to remove our incompetent president from office, or apply the provisions of the Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution to stop his unlawful acts against our population. The majority members of Congress, including (Rep.) Dan Newhouse, continue to maintain their ill-gotten gains in absolute power over our entire population while using lies and smoke and mirror language to justify this situation
.Jim Tow, Richland