Letters support ballot measure 8201 and new farm-to-school grants, and advocate for TikTok
Long-term care funds should be invested wisely
As someone who counsels families on how to navigate long-term care, I can say very few are prepared. The physical limitations and stress on family members who pitch in to help is hard enough, and then comes the realization that neither most health insurances, nor Medicare, cover most long-term care expenses.
Now, with Medicaid cuts on their way from the federal level, it’s more important than ever that we enact smart healthcare policy here in Washington state. Measure 8201 on our November ballot, a Senate Joint Resolution to amend the state constitution, gives us the chance to do that.
In short, Measure 8201 would allow our state’s long-term care funds to be invested by the independent, nonpartisan Washington State Investment Board to maximize returns in the same way the Board invests other state benefit and pension funds. It’s a smart tweak that would ensure responsible stewardship of our long-term care funds so that when Washingtonians need support, they will have it.
Measure 8201 has been endorsed by leaders in both political parties as well as organizations such as the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Washington Health Care Association. Join me and other healthcare experts in voting “Approve” on 8201!
Judith Bendersky, Tumwater
Protecting TikTok means protecting democracy
As a lifelong Washington state resident, political organizer and educator, I am deeply disappointed by Senator Maria Cantwell’s remarks calling TikTok a national security threat and urging its forced sale to a U.S. company. I urge her to reconsider the implications of such action, not just for geopolitical tensions, but for democracy, education and civic engagement at home.
TikTok is one of the most powerful tools for political education, cross-cultural dialogue and rapid-response organizing, which I’ve seen through my account, Mossy Matriarch (@mossymatriarch). As a sociologist and graduate student in organizational psychology at Harvard University, I’ve used the platform to educate millions on issues, create mutual aid networks and bring people together across ideological divides. No other platform allows for such rapid connection, especially for marginalized voices traditionally excluded from legacy media like mine.
Senator Cantwell frames TikTok as a weapon for foreign adversaries but ignores the reality: It is a lifeline for connection, education, and resistance. If TikTok is banned or handed over to U.S. interests that suppress dissent and promote state-aligned messaging, the greatest threat won’t come from abroad; it will come from within.
TikTok has shown us what’s possible when ordinary people have a voice. Silencing it in the name of national security isn’t just misguided – it’s dangerous.
Sarah Goforth, Olympia
USDA’s new Farm to School Grants are good news
The USDA’s new Farm to School grants are more than just funding — they’re a chance to transform how children eat and how they think about food. Imagine school cafeterias filled with fresh, local fruits and vegetables, offering meals that are vibrant, delicious and entirely plant based.
This is about more than nutrition. It’s about teaching kids that what’s on their lunch tray can protect their health, safeguard our planet and show compassion for animals — all at once. What better legacy could we give the next generation than the knowledge that food can be both kind and powerful?
Farm to School programs don’t just connect classrooms to local farms; they can set the standard for what compassionate, sustainable eating looks like. If schools seize this moment, students will carry forward the lesson that every meal is a chance to make the world better. That’s a change worth fighting for.
Dan Pryce, Olympia