Letters to the editor for Feb. 14
Prepare for the UN Climate Conference
Do you remember all the energy, hope and excitement about the Paris Climate Agreement? That was back in 2015, a long time ago, politically. The agreement, a binding treaty, was forged at an annual event, the UN “COP” or Conference of Parties. Last year’s conference in Bonn, Germany was canceled due to COVID-19. The next conference is scheduled for Nov. 1-12 in Glasgow, Scotland.
This is the first UN Climate Conference since we changed presidents. The US will rejoin the Paris Agreement in 2021. What will happen this year? How can we keep abreast of critical developments?
In Olympia, a group of churches is organizing educational events in partnership with Green Faith, an international, interfaith organization. The focus will be on the environment in general and the climate in particular, with emphasis on justice. Look for opportunities to participate in events, webinars and news presented by the Green Faith Initiative over the next 10 months.
Despite the lack of interest in climate on a federal level for the past four years, much progress has been made. Here in Thurston County, the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan is being adopted. Thanks to technologic progress and a developing market, wind and solar are the cheapest forms of new energy. Large automakers have pledged to discontinue the sale of hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles and switch over to electric.
The Green Faith Initiative will develop and present demands and petitions to the UN COP. I hope you will participate.
Frank N. Turner, Olympia
Is carte blanche what the founders had in mind?
Former President Donald Trump’s impeachment legal defense is you cannot try a President once he is out of office. Really? In layman’s terms, this would mean the last few days of a presidency, the President could break every law on the books and walk away thumbing his or her nose at society.
Also, a President can exercise his First Amendment rights and say anything he wants, he says. Bottom line is, he can not only incite a riot, he can incite a war. This reeks of royal privilege.
Is this really what the founders had in mind?
Patricia Simpson, Olympia
Pawns in Don’s con
OK, I give up. If former President Trump is innocent of inciting the insurrection, then who did it? Any Republicans care to answer? It’s a whodunit mystery.
Let’s play Clue. Who scheduled a wild rally on Jan. 6? Who directed the rally attendees to the Capitol? Who sent them to stop the certification tally of the state’s electoral votes? Who said go home, hours later, after the insurrection failed to stop the certification?
Simply put, quit being a pawn in Don’s election con. Millions were duped by Trump’s stolen election voter fraud lies.
Forty-four Republican Senators must acquit Trump’s insurrection knowing he’s guilty as charged. Finding Trump guilty incriminates themselves for the role they played by repeating and spreading Trump’s stolen election lies. They drove and gassed up Trump’s stolen election getaway car for months.
Only billion-dollar lawsuits by voting machine manufacturers stopped the spread of known election lies from Trump’s enablers and media outlets.
Any House or Senate Republicans who challenged the states’ certifications, voted to acquit or deny a trial on unconstitutional grounds, should be put on the FBI’s no-fly list for aiding and abating a domestic terrorist attack against the United States.
They should also be disbarred from holding political office. They really don’t believe in protecting, preserving, or defending the oath of office or constitution.
If we can disbar lawyers and doctors for fraudulent practice, why not politicians?
David Cahill, Olympia