Letters to the editor for April 14
Time for a divorce
Somebody wake up President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, from their recurring dream about Democrats and Republicans working together in a legislative bipartisan fashion to find common ground.
It’s not happening with the current bunch of Republicans in Washington, D.C. The nation couldn’t find common ground fighting a universal pandemic. That is both scary and telling. No one nation under anything anymore.
Democrats need to divorce D.C. Republicans and move their agenda along. The nation’s children have suffered long enough from irreconcilable differences of this unworkable marriage. Republicans just don’t want to get along anymore to make this marriage work. What ever Democrats propose, Republicans oppose.
Look how the party responded to the few Republicans who voted to impeach and convict President Donald Trump of insurrection. They were labeled RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) and pummeled politically and financially by media, colleagues and party.
Rodney King was right, “Can’t we all just get along?” The answer is maybe someday but not now. We’re way beyond marriage counseling when everything is denied and shot down before even tried.
Biden issues executive orders trying to rein in gun violence. The opposition says he’s usurping and bypassing congressional authority. The Republicans had four years to tackle this thorny issue, but nothing happened legislatively.
The only goal for Republicans is how to make both Joes look bad so they can get back into power. Then they can tell and yell, Democrats can’t get anything done. Yes, the parties are still legally married but separated and fooling no one. Time for a divorce.
David Cahill, Olympia
Loss of freedoms
I have three takeaways from the Friday, April 9 front page of The Olympian.
One: No more consequences for committing a felony, so why bother obeying any laws that the government passes?
Two: Police officers are no longer allowed to protect themselves or the public from out of control people.
Three: Loss of Second Amendment Rights. Although I understand this particular “Executive Order” does not in fact remove any Second Amendment rights, it is just one of many small steps that encroach upon the Constitution.
Jim Howe, Centralia
Why did we surrender our city to the homeless?
As I drive down Deschutes Parkway on my way to pay my $4,000 property tax bill, I can’t help but wonder, how in the h--- did we surrender our city to the homeless?
Anyone who thinks that folks should be allowed to squat on private and public property (which a portion of this $4,000 check of mine is going to pay for) is nuts. We’ve thrown so much money at this homeless problem, a home could have been built for everyone currently living under the stars.
Ask yourself this: Was it OK for we taxpayers to throw another $32,000 to clean up the garbage while the owners of that garbage sat under their tarps?
This could very well be the last tax payment the city of Olympia will get from me. Maybe the Deschutes Parkway folks can make up the difference.
Teddy Buzbee, Olympia