Letters to the editor for Sept. 10

Mejia for Thurston County Commissioner

This November, I urge you to vote for Carolina Mejia, who is running for Thurston County Commission District 1. A mom, longtime community volunteer, and judicial assistant with Thurston County Superior Court, she has the knowledge and experience to work on challenging issues affecting our county.

With a background in both business and law, Carolina prioritizes good livelihoods and affordability for working families, seniors, and communities. Carolina has a strong desire to serve our community and enhance its richness and diversity. She will encourage the responsible use of land and resources while simultaneously stimulating economic and structural growth. She also promotes fiscal responsibility, accountability, and transparency concerning the budget, and plans on finding more innovative ways to produce revenue in our county.

I am excited to have an opportunity to vote for such a promising candidate for Thurston County Commissioner.

Diana Moore, Olympia

Taxes on high-income earners

The federal income tax burden in the U.S. today is wildly uneven. Currently, the top 5% of earners pay almost 60% of all federal income tax. The bottom half of earners pay just over 3%.

Despite that, further increasing taxes on high-income earners is extremely popular – almost two-thirds of Americans support it. The popularity of increasing taxes on high-income earners makes rational economic sense for most. Outside of the top 5% of earners, few individuals will themselves bear the cost of the most popular tax increases and generally support only those tax increases that they themselves will not pay.

Supporters of increasing the tax burden on high-income earners cite a myriad of “good causes” to justify the increase: green infrastructure, universal basic income, the Wall, free college – you name it. Assuming micro-economists are correct that human wants and needs are unlimited, that list of “good causes” will continue to grow. So too will the attendant tax burden – at least for a numerically small subset of the population.

Lost in our conversation about that subset of taxpayers is a question we need to answer: How much of their property do they have a right to keep? If there is a right to property at all, it should be defined how other rights are defined: irrespective of the popular preferences of the day.

Mark Scoville, Olympia

Time out

Do you have kids? (grown or in the home)

Then you’ve heard it all: She/he started it! He/she hit me first! I didn’t do it! Tell her/him to leave me alone! Did you know that _____ did _____?

Finger pointing: actions or words that bring attention to a particular person or issue. (And deflect from you.)

Blame shifting: An emotionally abusive behavior; having difficulty taking responsibility. (Redirecting to another’s actions.)

When you, as the parent, hear these old familiar words, whines and whimpers over and over again, you have some options:

You can decide to disregard it all and lay the hammer down equally.

You can attempt to persuade a confession out of the rightful confessioner.

You can use your wisdom and discern (using your own intelligence, experience, evidence and common sense) what is really going on and where the responsibility rests.

May we as responsible, thinking people with brains and sense take heed of all we’re learning or learned from Parenting 101 when it comes to the tattling, name calling, finger pointing and blame shifting going on in our local, state and federal governing.

And let us remember, sometimes it is us who need the Time Out!

Kristi Koeppen, Tumwater

Two mental hospitals?

Two mental hospitals in Lacey? An unequivocal yes! While alcohol and drugs are blamed for many of our crimes, little or no attention is paid to the “victim” of a compromised mind — a mind just as broken as the visible broken arm or leg. Hence, he or she lands in jail, or in some cases, on death row.

Adequate availability of evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and, in some cases, hospitalization can help to prevent someone else the grief and heartache caused by one who is mentally ill.

Mental hospitals? Yes! Never has there been a greater need.

Karen Strand, Lacey