Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

This past year has been a reminder to me of Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The Four Agreements” which are based in Toltec wisdom, which is very similar to local Sinaikst wisdom. I used this wisdom when I worked as a drug and alcohol counselor, for over 20 years.

1. Be impeccable with your word. Always tell the truth.

2. Do not expect things to happen your way…go with the flow.

3. Do your best always.

4. Do not take anything personally – that is their reality – not yours.

Representative Michael Baumgartner issued a press release promoting a new federal school tax credit voucher, part of H.R.1. This was supposed to be good news for WA5 school districts and families. It is not.

Baumgartner calls the program “a direct investment in students and local schools.” In reality, it is a donation that one’s child may never benefit from. Under the law, individuals may claim a federal tax credit for money donated to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGO’s). The SGO then may award scholarships to eligible students. The kicker is that donating money doesn’t entitle anything.

The law requires the SGO to follow a priority system when awarding scholarships. Priority goes to students who have received scholarships the previous year, followed by siblings of returning recipients. Only then, after these claims are satisfied, will the remaining funds be awarded to new scholarship applicants. Voucher programs like this depend on the availability of private schools. In WA5, this condition does not exist.

There are many financial hurdles to use this system. A family may recover a small amount of the credit, if anything. For rural families this voucher doesn’t expand choice; it offers something that can’t be used. This is policy without regard for local geography, school availability, or family income.

Baumgartner’s press release doesn’t reflect an analysis of educational conditions in WA5, but he promoted it anyway. Either Baumgartner misunderstands the policy he is promoting, or the people he is representing.

To the Editor:

Everyone wants America to be great. Do these examples of the Trump administration’s actions enhance our nation’s well-being?

• Pardons for those convicted of the 01/06/2021 assault upon the Capitol, its police, and Congress as it was performing a Constitutional duty;

• using Dept. of Justice and other agencies to prosecute personal vendettas against dissidents and perceived political opponents;

• arbitrary reduction of Congress-authorized programs and agencies; freezing, seizure, or reallocating of their lawful funding;

• willful interference with functions Constitutionally reserved to the states;

• withholding or vetoing lawful Federal services to states and eligible organizations, for Trump’s personal grudge against them;

• introducing widespread fear, social/economic disruption, and actual death to America’s streets with the chaotic expansion of ICE operations, contrary to Trump’s promise to focus immigration operations upon “the worst, the vicious criminals,” and disregarding moral and legal concerns (Google the term “Nacht und Nebel”);

• legislation which reduced Federal effectiveness and services to people in need, but increased the Federal deficit to the benefit of already wealthy interests;

• betraying our allies, and abandoning U.S. and international law with a deliberate return to aggressive 19th century “might makes right” policies.

Did our parents fight WWII for this America? Is it the nation you want?

Some citizens feel that Mr. Trump is making America great again, others believe that he is tearing America apart on all fronts and stripping it of our moral, economic, and geo-political power.

One day after Renee Good was shot in the face by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Michael Baumgartner sent a letter to Health & Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. requesting a “program-integrity review” of federally funded Washington state programs. Not because he alleges misconduct, but because he has jumped on the Minnesota fraud investigation bandwagon. That mess was initially discovered in 2013, and Minnesota then began investigations/prosecutions. The reason it’s in the news now is due to a debunked, dare I say FRAUDULANT, video posted by a MAGA influencer.

Baumgartner noted that “recent developments in Minnesota highlight a recurring risk profile that is not unique to one state or program.” So true, Mike! I know you were probably working on that letter for a few weeks but, in light of the shooting of Ms. Good, maybe you could have anticipated the tone-deafness of your timing and redirected your concern to an agency (or administration) that is facing allegations of abuse of power, financial indiscretions, murders, and jack-booted thuggery. The truly appalling “recent developments” in Minnesota are related to the Department of Homeland Security, not Somali-run daycares.

It’s hard to find evidence of “integrity” when one’s concern about the possibility of fraud takes precedence over the egregious gaslighting of the U.S. citizenry, and the protection of a murderer. No one is safe in this country when a white, suburban, home-schooling mother of three can be shot in broad daylight with impunity.

On Dec. 21, the Spokesman-Review ran two pieces that spurred me to ask questions. First, a story on Rep. Michael Baumgartner visiting Nigeria to investigate religious persecution of Christians there. Article author Orion Donovan Smith, using publicly available data, pointed out that religious persecution in Nigeria is distributed across both Christians and Muslims. There is no mention as to whether Baumgartner was invited or whether this was a taxpayer funded excursion. One might ask, if he is so intent on highlighting Christian persecution, why didn’t he also visit Gaza, Lebanon, China or perhaps, preemptively, Venezuela? Does he view the U.S. as the global protector of Christians? Apparently so, for in his Dec. 26 newsletter, he pledges “our commitment to protect the dignity of every person to live and worship freely.”

The second article was a letter to the editor by a Christian pastor calling for support from all people for the rights and safety of the Jewish community, which is under assault by rhetoric and violence from the far right in this country. Couldn’t Baumgartner be advocating against religious persecution right here at home?

My conclusion is that Baumgartner is searching for any excuse to avoid being seen among the people he represents here in eastern Washington. By physically removing himself from his hometown he also avoids viewing the numerous billboards around Spokane asking him to do his job. His actions suggest he sees his job a little differently than his voters do. He needs to retire.

As an observer and former resident of Stevens County, whose family has been here since the early 1950s, I am alarmed by a pattern that can no longer be dismissed as bad timing or misunderstanding. What we are seeing is the predictable result of poor choices and weak accountability under bad governance.

For nearly eight years, the county auditor has held office without professional training or experience in accounting or auditing. Now we are told that serious problems with the Veterans Relief Fund were suddenly discovered. That is not vigilance; it is an admission of years of failed oversight. If these issues were real, they should have been identified and corrected long ago.

The public record makes this worse. Statements attributed to the county prosecutor were later corrected and shown to be the auditor’s personal opinions. Budget figures presented to the public minimized the true balance of the Veterans Relief Fund, even though adopted budgets showed substantially higher amounts. These were not harmless mistakes. They distorted reality and shaped a misleading narrative.

There is also a broader governance failure at work. A small circle of politically connected citizens has repeatedly promoted and protected hand-selected officials, first the auditor in 2019 and now Commissioner Monty Stobart in 2025. The results speak for themselves: chronic financial dysfunction on one side, and now documented reports to law enforcement involving an alleged assault on a county employee on the other. That is not stable leadership. It is reckless governance. What we are seeing now is reaction, not reform.

I write and act in support of wildlife, all wildlife including the apex animals – cougars, wolves, and bears. Over time, my focus and efforts have shifted from fight to collaboration. We have seen local groups and individuals push for confrontation with federal and state agencies such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Often their aim is to garner support for their particular interests. The tools of confrontation such as lawsuits or injunctions often attract dollars and angry people. What we do not readily see are those groups and individuals who work to form collaborative relationships with the government in an effort to improve policy and rules to better align with the majority. This, I believe, is the most effective path to improving management laws and practices in support of wildlife. Not everyone will be happy with the results.

At some point we might ask, “What is government?” My response is different from the popular notion that government supports “a bunch of civil service bureaucrats…accepting wages and benefits without merit.” I see a workforce making a sincere effort to follow their agency’s mission, in this case, support policies to create healthy habitat and regulations for all wild animals in our forests. Often these policies will conflict with special interests. Further, government workers – county, state and federal – are members of our community with families who support the same goals and rural lifestyle we pursue. They are our neighbors.

It is always easier to tear down than build.

One year into Trump 2.0, I thought I would ask his voters if they voted for:

• Paying more for groceries, utilities, housing and other necessities due to tariffs rather than lowering inflation

• Making healthcare more expensive or even unaffordable

• Unidentified masked jack-booted thugs patrolling American streets kidnapping legally residing immigrants and American citizens based on skin color rather than criminal background

• Using taxpayer money to bail out a foreign country

• Crafting government policies to enrich east coast and Silicon Valley elites

• Protecting pedophiles and sexual predators from prosecution

• Undercutting American ranchers by importing foreign beef, then proposing welfare payments to farmers and ranchers hurt by tariff policies

• Eliminating cancer research

• Allowing private developers to plunder National Parks and public lands for profit

• Pardoning and then releasing hundreds of convicted criminals back into society

• Abandoning democracies such as Ukraine and NATO

• Perverting the teachings of Jesus while bombing other religions.

• Pardoning convicted drug dealers while at the same time threatening to take the country to war in order to stop “narcoterrorism”

• Threatening a foreign war to benefit big oil companies

• Tearing down historical buildings in order to build monuments to himself

• Spending taxpayer money to slap gold do-dads all over the White House

• Demanding media, universities, and private companies pay him bribes

• Purchasing ownership of private companies, basically the definition of socialism

I’ll wait. Or, if you’d rather, why don’t you tell us what you voted for that was promised and then delivered.

How can anybody take Auditor Larson's comments seriously in the 12/17 article “Auditor Addresses Updated Veterans Relief Policy?”

“Appliances with warranties,” aren’t considered an emergency – how urgent is it if your major appliances break? Why should the replacement not have a warranty? Veterans shouldn't be able to store and cook food?

A failed well doesn't inherently equal indigent – but it doesn't exclude it, and is something someone living in poverty couldn't afford. Lack of clean water is a serious (even emergent) problem! She is upset about this high request, which was denied by the commissioners, while bemoaning their acceptance of too many petitions? Just appalled someone had the audacity to ask for help?

“I am the safeguard against a conflict of interest (COI),” re: an alternative decider for certain cases – nonsense! Implying the only way a COI can occur is if she personally receives cash; it's a COI if an applicant is someone she has a relationship with. Applications from friends and relatives may advance with less scrutiny than from someone with a contentious relationship – common relationships in this small area.`

It's fantastic that many requests are resolved quickly, but that doesn't excuse dismissing concerns about access to medical information. Payment stubs include line items indicating medical benefits, from which conditions are easily extrapolated. These documents are problematic for some veterans; alternatives must be allowed. Instead, Larson disregards VSO concerns, implying a made-up problem.

It's quite a statement of how this change will impact veterans that the VSO, VAB, VFW, and Legion oppose it.

To the editor:

I am writing to thank you for your most recent report on the Veterans Relief Fund and the fiasco that surrounded it. Your interview with Auditor Lori Larsen was very informative and helped people understand what has been happening.

Apparently, there have been some veterans who are not indigent who have benefited from the fund. I am wondering who the veterans are who received free tires and whether they were truly indigent. Certainly, a person who owns land and receives more than $11,000 and thinks he can apply for another $24,000 to drill a well, is under some severe misapprehension as to the purpose of the fund and who can and should be helped.

Thanks to our careful and sensible auditor, Lori Larsen, with the advice of Prosecutor Erika George and at least two thinking commissioners out of the three, the Veterans Relief Fund is now on a much stronger financial footing and can help more people who really need it. There are people who really need help from all of us. I say help them.

Ranchers and farmers form the basis of land stewardship, resource conservation, and protection efforts. In concert with federal and state regulations and regulators, they make up a system to protect the resources of our communities for future generations. That’s why I’m dismayed, misguided by the USDA, to see Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association urging these entities to follow an aggressive path forward to “snitch” on our state agencies. This is a destructive strategy that could very well ruin long standing relationships and communities, and most likely not have a positive outcome.

Regulations exist for the protection of all; states have the right to create them to protect their resources. We all want clean, safe water. We should not turn to escalation of issues but rather, work together towards resolution in good faith.

I am hoping our agricultural community will approach this with cool heads and constructive actions.

Our Constitution Is Not Optional

As an American, I am deeply concerned by the growing disregard for our Constitution under President Trump’s leadership. Our First Amendment rights – the freedoms of speech, press, and peaceful assembly – are under threat like never before. Instead of upholding these fundamental liberties, we are witnessing attempts to silence dissent and those who speak out are being punished. We’ve watched individuals being brutally beaten, by ICE, as they were peacefully protesting.

The actions of agencies like ICE have further eroded our constitutional protections. Illegal searches and seizures have become all too common, violating the Fourth Amendment. Even more troubling is the deportation of individuals without due process, a direct affront to the legal principles that define our nation. These practices undermine the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent for what is acceptable in our democracy.

No leader is above the Constitution. Lawlessness in the highest offices cannot be ignored or excused by we the people. We must demand accountability from those who hold power. Our democracy depends on it.

I've been reflecting on the importance of balance as we live in these challenging times. Balance asks us to hold two truths at once: it is just as important to envision the world we want to live in, and to act in ways to make that happen....as it is to act upon our responsibility to push back on injustice and the stripping away of our democracy.

During this current Trump administration, we have been bombarded by many issues that have left our heads spinning before the next appalling act or policy comes around. When I am not outraged by Trump and his administration’s actions, I feel sorry for the president who holds grudges, puts his energy into vengeance, and promotes hate and division. I don't feel sorry for the Republican Congress who silently allow all of these policies and actions to continue without standing up for their constituents.

I also focus on the world I want to live in, which is grounded in inclusion, diversity, compassion, policies that care for the vulnerable and our precious, damaged Earth, resolving conflict through dialogue not domination, and where "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" applies to everyone, not only to the billionaire class. I commit to holding this vision and acting upon it through kindness, love, and engaging in my community while pushing back on those representatives and policies that aim to destroy this vision of a better world.

The SCCA is encouraging everyone to report "aggressive, political, or hostile lawfare" by Washington state agencies using the new USDA portal. Sounds like the USDA is the one that is aggressive, political, and hostile. According to the USDA direction, if the Washington state agencies don't change the rules, regulations, or management, the USDA will deny federal funds (which is illegal, as Congress appropriates and rescinds funds, not the USDA secretary). It's like the schoolyard bully making you do their homework or they will steal your lunch money, and do it anyway. What is the end game? Change rules and regulations that are there to manage the natural resources for all of us in order to do what? Denying funds will not accomplish anything, only hurt projects, grants, etc. that benefit people and ecosystems in Washington state. And, I am pretty sure the state agencies are not aggressive or hostile. Enforcing the rules and regulations always tweak those that would prefer a carte blanche free for all with no accountability or responsibility. Solutions take hard work and dialogue, not bullying. To paraphrase the old adage: if you don't want to help come up with real solutions, you are part of the problem.

A recent letter drew a parallel between Nazi actions and Trump’s enlisted people. In their haste to meet government deportation goals, U.S. service people have engaged in thug tactics that have apprehended people who are here legally, even U.S. citizens. Rather than look at detainees’ papers, it’s been “haul ‘em off, ask questions later.” Had documents offered been examined, they could have saved taxpayer dollars. (Taxpayers will also pay for defense of lawsuits against unlawful deportation actions.)

What is different when comparing our thug tactics to that of the Nazis is that U.S. service people are not being forced to detain or abuse others due to threat of death.

So, what inspires people to fall in line with authoritarian types? The classic parenting book “Raised to Rage” traces authoritarian support to unreasonably strict authoritarian parents, who typically can’t tolerate having their authority questioned – which results in offspring who easily support authoritarian leaders (males more so than females). German parenting styles used to be pretty heavy-handed, so many Germans gravitated to Hitler’s cruelty. (Germans were also demoralized from losing WWI and the punitive, crippling economic actions against them for their role in that war.)

To dodge authoritarianism from demolishing our Constitution, we can look to the parenting classic “Children the Challenge,” which offers logical guidance for avoiding the emotional damages of authoritarian parenting. The advantages: a more peaceful family life and the foundation for generations of people inclined to play fair and keep our Constitution secure.

Palestinian Statehood Is

Sometimes, a person can end up realizing there’s another way. These realizations can be about our personal intimate relationships as well as our social and world views. In late 2023, Palestinians concluded their survival required a serious self-defense from Nazi Zionist Israel’s (NZI) nearly 80 years of settler-colonization occupation and apartheid. Hamas, a military arm of Palestinians, resisted. NZI operating as a Zionist State, not a Jewish State: it was on Oct. 8, 2023, the beginning of NZI’s genocide in Gaza, soon apparent before the end of October 2023.

The only thing Jewish about the NZI is that Zionism is using Jews and Judaism as a shield for Nazi-like conduct. Jeremy Scahill, interviewed by Middle East Eye, said, “Israel bombs its neighbours while expecting them to demilitarize.” Dr. Ghada Karmi has set out to explain why the world must reject Zionism. Dr. Karmi is a brilliant matriarch. Karmi presented in the "One State Solution" (of Palestine), “A prerequisite feature for me would be the disarmament of Nazi Zionist Israel and their end of settler-colonial occupation, apartheid.   NZI will never ceasefire. One Palestinian elder once said, ‘We cease, Israel fires.’” – The One State Solution Is Not About Israel with Ghada Karmi on YouTube.

Muslims colonized Palestine millennia before NZI went begging in 1948. Similarly, Indigenous ancestors colonized “the Americas,” awaiting European “discoverers” – see what I did there? NZI’s stolen land is not a state but an international crime scene.

Don't Fall for Rage Bait

“Rage bait” is Oxford’s 2025 word of the year and it’s easy to understand why. Daily, there are things in the news that can trigger our anger. The lack of civility and the dangerous rhetoric from the White House is disheartening. The president telling a female reporter, “Quiet, piggy;” calling another “stupid” and labeling all Somali immigrants as “garbage,” for example. Calling the Minnesota governor the “r-word.” How insensitive! Worst yet was when he called for the execution of six Democratic Congress members who, in response to the unlawful destruction of Venezuelan boats and all occupants, had put out a press release reminding military members to ignore any illegal orders. On Dec. 1, in response to Trump’s threat of arrest and execution, Senator Mark Kelly (whose wife, U.S. Congress member Gabby Giffords, was shot in the head) gave a powerful response. His comparisons between himself and Trump are dramatic. I encourage anyone interested to search it online and listen. Although there’s much these days to be outraged about, there is hope for our future. Polls show that Trump’s popularity has dropped to record lows. Recent special elections reflect that decent Americans reject the

extremism coming from the White House. The blatant disregard for the Rule of Law and the Constitution has gotten their attention. Good people reject the effort to give the president all the power he desires. We recognize a recipe for disaster.

Don’t take the bait. Turn your rage into hope. Help save democracy. Vote.

Dear Editor:

I was reading in the Spokane paper recently about two deaths that coincidentally occurred just three weeks apart.  Jim Camden described these deaths as coming so close together as fate, kismet, or the universe balancing its books; we will never know. My dad, from Kelly Hill, who lived to be 96 years and 10 months old, told me, “Live each day as though it was your last, and someday, you will be right.”

Trying to make a list of New Year’s resolutions, all I know for sure is that, “No husband was ever shot while doing the dishes.”

Pretty sure I am not alone in wondering why our country is so divided. Strip away the ideologies and I believe we all want the same things; the big issues don’t change based on your politics or spirituality. We all want peace, security, and liberty; health, happiness, and a hopeful future.

So why are we divided if we all want the same things? Can we find a way to respect others?

One idea is to stop treating conversations like competitions. My opinion is no more valid nor valuable than yours. Remember – we all want the same things, we may just have different ways of describing them.

We cannot thrive as a society until we put in the work to understand different viewpoints, different perspectives. That’s what education does for us. That’s what we all should have learned in Kindergarten. We don’t have to agree with everyone about everything. If we can put ourselves in one another’s shoes, we will have a better chance of finding cures for society’s ills that benefit everyone.

I have seen a billboard in Arden that is sponsored by the FindingCommonGroundInitiative.com. That sounds like a pretty good place to start.

On the front page of the Dec. 5 edition of the Spokesman-Review, Congressman Michael Baumgartner offers his thoughts on the bombing of boats in the waters around Venezuela.  While his interview suggests he is largely supportive, he does seem to have some hesitation.

New this week is the revelation that a war crime was likely committed when survivors of the initial strike were summarily executed. Now we are witnessing the Administration underbussing the Admiral in charge of the strike. How could this Administration, staffed by “the best people”, manage to so utterly mess up the situation?

They claim the boats were carrying drugs but offer no proof. Is the Navy suddenly unable to board and search a speedboat? They claim that destroying this boat saved 25,000 American lives, but a Google search reveals that “only” around 80,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year. By that logic, sinking three boats would largely solve the drug problem. They’ve sunk 11 so far. Besides, Venezuelan drug cartels traffic in cocaine, a drug not commonly associated with overdose deaths when used alone, and is, in fact, the drug of choice among the elites. I mean, cocaine is apparently so benign that Trump just pardoned a politician convicted of facilitating the smuggling of 400 tons of the stuff into the U.S., a move Baumgartner describes as “confusing and counterproductive”.

Baumgartner comes dangerously close to asking some tough questions, but as usual, in the end he kneels down and provides his rubber stamp.

I was reading a historic novel (1940), discussing how it was in Paris right after the German Nazis occupied it. How regular German boys were conscripted into the Nazi army and forced to perform odious tasks they hated. They did not believe in the Gestapo, Hitler, or Hitler’s administration’s orders, and yet the young soldiers were forced to do things (or be shot as traitors to Nazism). In Trump's America, we have the same problem. Our military, Border Patrol, and citizen police are being ordered to pull people out of their homes (even in their pajamas) and bundle them away to “concentration camps and deport them”.  Our military is being ordered to shoot and bomb Venezuelan boats (illegally as there is no war here). In major cities, our National Guard is being ordered and forced to combat American citizens who “dare to protest” that illegal mandate. Regular soldiers turned into storm-troopers. Today, USA feels exactly like Paris in 1940 – or Germany in 1938.

The entire world is looking at America and saying, “What is wrong with Americans – why aren’t they telling Trump “no?” Up until 2025 I never understood the common Germans for their behavior (ignoring Nazi horrors) but now I do: we are afraid of our own (Trump) government. We hide in houses with our shutters locked and pretend that our country is not committing atrocities hourly – me too. I’m afraid.

And embarrassed to be an American for the first time in my life.

The North Central Quilts of Valor (QOV) group, based out of Tonasket, Wash., partnered with the Kettle Falls Legion Post 146 to award quilts to three Veterans on Nov. 8, at the Veterans Day dinner at the Ag Trade Center in Colville. It was an honor to wrap two WWII veterans, Tom Dodson and Marvin Rose, as well as Representative Hunter Abell, with quilts made by the group. Group members present were Marcie Haase and Patti Hill, who are also American Legion Auxiliary members of Tonasket Post 82, to assist in wrapping each veteran, along with Marcie’s husband, Ric. The QOV group also provided a “welcome home” Vietnam pin to 16 veterans present who served during 1955-1975, whether in country or elsewhere. Thank you Commander Marvin O’Hearn and the Kettle Falls Legion for the opportunity to honor our veterans.

In his weekly email of Nov. 7, Congressman Michael Baumgartner complained about constituents contacting his office with questions he considers irrelevant. Earlier I had reached out via the email system at his website, with the following basic questions:

1. When can I expect you to request from the administration, and then share with me, an accounting of expenditures by ICE and National Guard deployments as of Nov. 1?

2. Number of individuals detained by government agencies.

3. Of that number, how many are:

   1. undocumented

   2. legally documented

   3. American citizens

   4. alleged criminals

4. Number of individuals removed from this country and:

   1. deported to home country

   2. deported to third country

   3. rendition to prison in a foreign country

As of Nov. 25, I have not received an answer, not even one of his dismissive form letters.  I guess he considers these questions irrelevant. He says he cares about spending. My contention is he is unwilling to ask these tough questions because he is afraid of what he might find out. Unlimited money for ICE, money for the wealthy in the form of tax breaks, but money to extend insurance subsidies to his voters: out of the question.

No Kings, again? I am amazed by the intelligence of some people, or lack of, because you have a president who can walk, chew gum, and complete a whole sentence! Yet you would prefer the last guy or his VP, who neither one could complete a sentence! But I guess if you want to be burdened by what has been, go right ahead! I’ll take the guy who can add, read, makes all of our 401ks go up, and tries to make gas prices go down unlike here in Washington!

Recent actions taken by Donald Trump have generated significant concern regarding the standards expected from the office of the president. His suggestion of charging veteran members of Congress with sedition and advocating for their execution is deeply troubling. Posting videos that depict him dropping piles of excrement on U.S. citizens is irresponsible and disrespectful.

Such behavior does not reflect the principles of responsible leadership. The United States faces criticism from the international community, further exacerbating our own division. The ability to maintain perspective and respect for differing viewpoints has become increasingly difficult in such a polarized climate.

Representatives Engell, Short, Abell, and Baumgartner have contributed to this culture of division through their public communications. Their words and blame encourage further animosity within our communities. The contradiction is evident when some claim to uphold Christian values while simultaneously promoting discord.

These leaders should consider all perspectives and ask critical questions such as, “Who benefits?”, “Who is harmed?”, and “Who profits?” when making decisions on behalf of those they represent. Assigning blame solely to one party or ideology for our nation’s challenges is both unjust and immature.

If we, as a nation and as individuals, do not move beyond this divisiveness, we risk jeopardizing the future of our children and our country. Now is the time to end political bullying and to honor the common humanity that binds us together. Each day presents opportunities to find common ground and to build upon these shared values for the greater good of all.

In Cami Krema’s Nov. 19, article on the meeting between Governor Bob Ferguson and Rep. Andrew Engell, the question is raised between the two politicians about whether NEW Family Life Services is spreading false information about Ferguson’s plan to target pregnancy resource centers.

Ferguson’s agenda, however, is easy to verify. None of the following are baseless rumors:

1. He targeted the Obria crisis pregnancy center with an illegal investigation into its finances in 2023. (See Obria Group vs. Ferguson)

2. His Department of Health website states that crisis pregnancy centers are “fake,” misleading, and dangerous to public health and warns all Washingtonians to “avoid” them. (see doh.wa.gov)

3. As governor, he has ultimate responsibility for a state-sponsored targeting system that helps citizens locate resource centers and report them to the state for investigation via state-provided complaint forms.

4. He admitted to Engell in the interview that he is “looking into all the pregnancy centers in the state.”

If this isn’t targeting, nothing is.

Ferguson’s opposition to the pro-life cause is consistent and unwavering. He supported Washington's 2023 shield law, which helps people flee to Washington for abortions from states where it is illegal; he committed $11 million of state money to fund Planned Parenthood in 2025; he sued the FDA in 2023 to make the abortion drug mifepristone easier to obtain; and he campaigned for governor in 2024 on a pro-abortion platform.

NEW Family Life Services isn’t spreading false information; it is calling attention to a campaign of state-sponsored opposition to Christian charity.

Some Trump supporters dismiss “No Kings” demonstrations as foolish crowds performing a communist, America-hating political theater. Nothing could be further from the truth; we gather to defend the values and established governance of our republic from the excesses of a man whose actions belie his assertions that he does not behave like a king.

Trump’s conflation of his personal identity with the office of the presidency threatens the legal and moral nature of the position and is a foul insult to the Founders, who deliberately designed our government to not be a monarchy.

Reliable media has reported on Trump’s many arbitrary decisions based upon unfounded beliefs, a grudging sense of personal offense, and a wish for omnipotence. He has encroached upon expenditures and Federal programs/agencies legally authorized by Congress, he has directed judicial prosecutions against his perceived political and cultural opponents, and he has interfered with states’ oversight of election processes in attempts to ensure his partisan majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Numerous domestic and international decisions have been made with no regard for the expertise of experienced civil servants, professionals, and academics.

All of these examples are the actions of a king. We’re honoring the 250th anniversary of our revolution against a king. How can we, in good conscience, allow a king to rise within our government?

Remember the old saying: “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.”

A recent letter to the editor claimed 15% of county voters did not vote for Trump, implying 85% did. Those figures are false: out of 28,563 ballots returned, 19,895 voted for Trump, 7,492 voted for Kamala Harris, and 859 voted for someone else: 8,351 did not vote for Trump. That’s 29.26%, not 15%.

Another viewpoint: there were 6,984 non-voters who were registered, but appeared to not favor either candidate and did not vote. So, 6,984 plus 8,351 equals 15,335 who did not demonstrate approval for Trump: 43%. Now that Trump has shown his true authoritarian colors, and based on his cratering approval levels nationwide, it’s likely there are more here who disapprove of Trump.

The 15%-writer advised people who don’t care for Trump to “toughen up.” But that’s like asking people to get used to cruel and unconstitutional tactics trending toward dictatorship, and telling those people to shut up and let our nation spiral down the drain. That’s blind logic.

That would be like telling Germans to fully embrace Hitler. Thank God there were Germans and so many others with a conscience who worked at extreme risk to help Hitler’s victims and to head off Hitler’s worst inclinations. For any of them, getting caught could, and way too often did, have fatal consequences. But they did it selflessly, for the good of humanity.

We can hope our nation will have the required wisdom and bravery to reject Trump’s worst aspirations…for the good of humanity.

Last Friday in his weekly email, Congressman Michael Baumgartner complained, in bold typeface, that having to answer constituent questions was not something he needed to do. It was distracting him from the serious work of voting for bills that raise the cost of health insurance, erect obstacles for veterans seeking their well deserved healthcare, and reduce services from our local hospitals. All while standing idly by, watching tariffs hurt small businesses and increase the cost of imported goods. Nonprofits have their funding cut even though he claims to advocate for them. He does nothing but hurt them.

Now with the shutdown coming to an end, he has cast yet another vote that will hurt people throughout his district (budget vote, Nov. 12). Remember this when the cost of your healthcare becomes unaffordable: Baumgartner voted for it. He also voted for the bill (OBBB) that has predictably led to layoffs and potential closure of the Ritzville hospital. (Spokesman-Review, Nov. 12)

One question remains for Baumgartner: how will he vote on releasing the Epstein files now that that vote is pending? He is on record as favoring the release. We’ll see what his word is worth.

Rep. Baumgartner just emailed 5th Congressional District constituents bragging how he rushed back to Washington D.C. to vote to reopen the government and save our nation. What took him so long? Sure had time for unending, non-stop, fun, social photo-ops all over the 5th Congressional District during the six-week long shutdown. It’s about time he got back to work. He should have been back in D.C. weeks ago, doing what we taxpayers pay him for what his job description says he is supposed to do – representing us in the halls and floor of the House of Representatives in Congress. In this case, working to negotiate with both Republicans and Democrats to end the shutdown, something he egregiously failed to do. Photo-ops don’t cut it. Shame on him!

This is in response to the letter in the Nov. 5, edition from David Timberlake concerning no information submitted in the voters pamphlet.

David, you are absolutely correct about this. I completely agree with you, and in fact, I recently emailed all of the candidates who submitted their information where the other candidate did not

or there were no opposing candidates. I applauded and praised each of them for submitting.  Unfortunately I messed up and did not include a subject line in the email. If I had received an email from an unknown sender with no subject line, I would have deleted it too, without reading it. However, I did get one reply from a "brave" soul who also agreed with me. I think submitting says a lot about a candidate's character and resolve. It shows they care about their commitment to run for office.

In a recent email to constituents, Representative Michael Baumgartner highlighted that his offices have received 11,519 phone calls, 72,780 emails, and 1,181 letters since he assumed office. Spread over roughly 220 business days, that averages out to 50 calls, five letters, and 330 emails per day.

It sounds like heavy engagement – until you consider that most of those calls and emails receive automated responses. Form letters are not meaningful communication; they’re a mailing list pretending to be constituent service.

Constituents who reach out about pressing issues – from DOGE to Medicaid cuts or the national SNAP crisis – are typically told the staffer hasn’t discussed the matter with the Representative. Eventually, people get one of those standard emails, offering no real answers and often placing blame on Democrats. That isn’t true representation.

Baumgartner also wrote that, while constituent engagement is important, “We have to limit how much time we spend on individuals who repeat many of the same talking points.” That remark is revealing. Repeated concerns are usually a sign that issues remain unresolved. Ignoring them is not “efficient;” it’s neglect. Listening to the people you represent is central to the role – it isn’t optional.

If Representative Baumgartner cannot or will not provide genuine engagement and responsiveness, he should reconsider whether he is prepared to run for re-election next year.

Now is the time to help out our friends, family and neighbors with SNAP funding not being available or delayed. Stevens County has 10,633 people (22.5% of the county population) that receive SNAP benefits. Eighteen percent (18%) of our county has income below the poverty level. Subsidies for heat are also not available with the government shut down. Add all of this to increased prices for goods, services, and health care – across the board people are hurting. Are we better off today or were we better off in 2024?

If you have extra money to give to the food bank, now’s the time. If you know someone who needs help with heating for their home, now’s the time. Either contact The Food Bank 509-684-2971, 210 S. Wynne Colville or donate online through their website, or contact Avisa 1-800-227-9187. (Statistics: 2023 WADoH).

Dear Editor:

I wanted to say a thing or two about my friend Tom McKern,  a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, who did much for combat veterans in our area, myself, and many people in our area, as a Stevens County Commissioner. Tom was very approachable, personable, and truly cared about those who lived here and did his best, to get their needs met.

I am proud to have known him and wish his wife and family all the very best.

I read your Letter to the Editor and am wondering that perhaps you are missing the news because, as of today, the U.S. Senate House voted 13 times to restart the funding of the government and all the Republicans have voted for it each time.

This was after Baumgartner and his fellow Republicans in the House passed and sent the confirmation to the Senate awhile back. So he did his part!

Baumgartner is doing a great job following Cathy McMorris Rogers and all the years in Washington D.C.

Maybe you are one of the 15% who did not vote for Donald Trump here in Stevens County in the last election. Sorry, he still has over three years to go and so you will have to toughen up!

Over the past 10 months, I have called and messaged the office of our Representative, Michael Baumgartner, on a variety of topics. I have been profoundly disappointed by the responses.

I have received no reply to most messages; other replies months after the original message. I have repeatedly received identical messages in which the topic is impossible to discern, but implying he disagrees with me. I have received replies with multiple typos; and spoken to office workers who state he has not communicated a stance on the issues I called about, so they cannot answer my question. I have received multiple messages replying to the opposite of what I sent.

This ongoing refusal to respond in a meaningful manner gives his entire office an air of incompetence, mismanagement, and apathy toward constituent communication which is unacceptable and unbecoming of a representative.

We deserve better than this.

The current 30-day government shutdown is a shameful display of failed leadership and political irresponsibility under the Trump Administration. Donald Trump and his allies have urged the Republicans in Congress to not compromise with Democrats, deepening the gridlock and punishing millions of Americans in the process. To support the funding bill, Democrats are calling for, but not receiving, bipartisan negotiations to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, which is vital to keeping healthcare affordable for millions.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to send the GOP-controlled House home, refusing to reconvene until Democrats agree to their demands, shows a stunning disregard for governance and the people they serve. While these representatives continue to collect their paychecks, thousands of federal workers are either furloughed or forced to work without pay – including air traffic controllers, border patrol agents, and medical staff in federal facilities, who keep the country safe and functioning. After a huge outcry from Americans, active duty military “may” get paid this month from a different funding source.

Meanwhile, Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” signed on July 4, is a cruelly inaccurate title. It overwhelmingly benefits billionaires and corporations, redistributing wealth upward while slashing essential social programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare. This legislation deeply hurts individuals and families.

This is not governing – it’s hostage-taking. Congress is meant to be an independent branch, not a rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s will. I don’t feel represented or protected by this government. Instead, I feel victimized. Do you?

“9/11,” Veterans Day, Fourth of July; setting aside “The United States of Amnesia,” could each be days of remorse and asks for forgiveness, instead of jingoistic rejoice in Amerikkka’s beginnings with White Supremacy, “Amerikkka’s Original Sin” – the intention to exterminate Indians to achieve piracy badges?

Last week, it was reported 70 school shootings have occurred already in Amerikkka. President T-Wrecks blames public education for everything bad, he was boarded at military schools which asks more questions than provides answers. T-Wrecks ordered fishing boats in the Caribbean blown up, murdering but a couple witnesses. Murder on the high seas in violation of International Laws. For what? The piracy in more blood and loot belonging to Venezuela, claiming he’s trying to stop drugs coming to Amerikkka. In order to install his sycophant in place of President Muduro, who himself has imperfections but none of T-Wrecks’ quality. The last thing T-Wrecks wants is for Amerikkkans to read “The Fort Bragg Cartel” by Seth Hart.

Amerikkkans celebrate, remembrances of the metaphor, “chickens coming home to roost.” In T-Wrecks’ infinite envy, he makes the Biden-Harris collaboration with Nazi Zionist Israel of desired and prosecuted extermination of Palestinians a game like a cat with a mouse, burning children alive. Same thing happened in Vietnam, burning huts, Afghanistan, Iraq, as “our heros” spent their time kicking down doors terrorizing the people while toxifying the air, water, and soil.

No, the chickens never left from terrorizing Indian Peoples wherever the butcher pirates White Supremacists found them.

Reviewing my voters' pamphlet, I came across "no information submitted" on many pages. I'm discouraged that there are candidates seeking my vote who can't take the time or effort to provide basic information to the public as to why they should receive my vote. If it is too much trouble to submit this information, will it be too much trouble to attend to the duties of the office?

We are entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts. Because of strong opinions and fear tactics, the critical apex mammals that we depend on for balance are paying a steep price: with their lives. High praise to the Washington Department of Fish and Game and their trained biologists for promoting education over killing.

It's time we partner with the wolves, coyotes, cougars, and bears to allow them to continue to do what they do best: keeping balance on our public lands for us all. With only 5% of our nation's wilderness left, we need to be leaders in protecting what we have.

A simple fact check showed me that cattlemen pay $1.35 per month for a cow and her calf. This outdated system leads to multiple car "accidents" with cows, fouling our drinking water, destroying our trails, and taking advantage of tax payer public lands. Apparently, drivers can be held liable for damages to vehicles or injuries when hitting a cow on open range roads. Studies show that wolves prey on diseased animals, keeping the numbers at a healthy level, which in turn reduces the number of vehicle collisions by a whopping 24%!

My grandfather told stories about driving cattle to Spokane to be put on the railcars. At night they took turns riding around the herd to protect them. Tried and true solution!

We can and must change our ways to heal what has been done before. Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Nothing that I can see.

He's parroting Republican talking points blaming Democrats for the shutdown while ignoring constituents who are begging him to do something about exploding healthcare costs. He's taking photo ops while his constituents try to figure how they're going to afford food and rent, or mortgage payments. He peddles insults while our farmers very possibly lose their lands.

He's laughing it up with donors while our public monuments are demolished in violation of the law and decency. He says nothing about the president's extrajudicial murders, increasing lawlessness, and disgraceful pardoning of criminals.

Even when in D.C., Baumgartner doesn't bother to provide congressional oversight. He stands by and is complicit with executive overreach. And, he protects pedophiles by voting against release of the Epstein files.

Then he attempts to tell voters he’s bipartisan. But every vote, every talking point, and every media hit puts him squarely in MAGA’s corner. He’s not “reaching across the aisle” – he’s reading from a script.

When he talks about “protecting families,” remember this: the only thing Baumgartner is protecting is his political narrative.

Tell me again: What is the use in him being our representative? Vote him out.

I am beyond outraged as I watch the destruction of the historic and beloved East Wing of the White House. It’s a symbol of all that is good about America and an icon of democracy. Who among us, whether Democrat, Republican, or Independent, hasn’t felt their heart swell with pride at everything the White House symbolizes? It’s unbelievable that this destruction could happen without any discussion or oversight by Congress.

Demolition began two days after the largest protest in our history, with seven million people rejecting the notion that our president is a king who can do whatever he pleases. It’s been 250 years since we declared our independence from a mad, tyrannical king who ruled the colonies with an iron fist. Is Trump going to stop at the East Wing demolition? Does he plan to destroy more of the White House? And who believes we really need a ballroom that is larger than the White House complex?

America is our country, built on the blood, sweat, and tears of our forefathers. They sacrificed that we might come together to form a country where each one of us has a voice in our democracy, not to merely submit to the whims and grievances of an authoritarian felon.

It’s time that our representatives and the courts step up and defend our constitution. Michael Baumgartner claims to represent all the citizens in our district. Does he approve of this travesty? Let him know your feelings.

After seeing the recent murders in the Caribbean, and the ongoing unauthorized destruction of the White House East Wing, we’re celebrating whatever good political news is apparent anymore.

We attended No Kings rallies Oct.18, and were delighted to witness the solidarity and earnest commitment of citizens in Chewelah and Spokane. The official purpose of these rallies was to peacefully oppose this regime’s authoritarian agenda and to counter the many lies enabling it, such as the statement that the No Kings events are “Hate America Rallies” led by “terrorists” and “paid radical leftists.”

We had no idea there were over seven million Americans who showed up. Independent media, such as MeidasTouch Network and organizations like Indivisible should be commended for organizing and making it all possible and peaceful.

Amid the costumes, music, chanting, and carnival atmosphere, we saw original messaging displayed everywhere. One sign read, “At this point, they’d have to pay me NOT to protest!” Another, “Immigrants Made America Great.” Now, the Epstein shutdown lingers on with no resolution in sight. These No Kings events give us renewed hope in our beloved constitutional republic to which we pledge our allegiance.

Perhaps momentum has now begun to shift such that more people, including those voters who declined to participate in the last election, will see through the endless distractions and lies putting us all in pain and jeopardy. Perhaps democratic principles can prevail. You know, liberty and justice for all!

I remember rocking out to a song on Sunday mornings that went something like this, “Red and Yellow...Black and White... they are all precious in his sight. Jesus loves all the children of the world.” Mr. Trump, we are all children of the world. Quit demonizing people because of their tan, accent, or religious beliefs. By the way, I talked to an old student of mine the other day. Portland, Oregon is not on fire. Another student who lives in L.A. said there is no burning or rioting going on. Mr. Trump, in July of this year, you said you would never touch the White House to build a ballroom because it's a historical building. Now you are bulldozing the East Wing. You said you respect law and order, yet you keep letting criminals out of jail. Lie, much?

You are destroying the farmers that now can't afford the fertilizer they used to get from Canada. Now you are giving Argentina $10 billion to import "their" beef. You don't care about our farmers or ranchers. Once again you proved that.

Are you confused by the word “antifa?” It simply means antifascism.

My Webster dictionary defines fascism as “a system of government characterized by rigid one-party dictatorship, forcible suppression of opposition, private economic enterprise under centralized government control, belligerent nationalism, racism, and militarism, etc.” In other words, fascism is pretty much the opposite of democracy.

So the seven million or so “No Kings” protestors – all pro-democracy – are also antifa. None of them however are members of “Antifa,” because there is no such organization, let alone a “terrorist organization.”

All of us who love America owe the “No Kings” protestors enormous thanks for their efforts to preserve our precious though imperfect democracy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Please vote for Thad Stenlund to be a director on the Mary Walker School Board. Please vote early, by Oct. 27, so your vote is likely to be counted.

Board members – not educators – determine the cost and quality of the education offered to our youth.

Thad’s opponent, a dedicated board member, voted for the Board’s levy resolution to double the tax and cast the deciding vote that prohibited me from having an against statement in the last levy’s voter’s pamphlet.

Thad was instrumental in exposing the district’s actions concerning the levy.

Thad will support parent’s rights, use resources responsibly, vote against the 2026 levy, not deceive stakeholders and work to improve student opportunities and staff.

Many voters do not vote to select board members that spend 49% of our property tax on, and ineffectively manage, our schools. 70% of our third-eighth grade students do not meet basic Math, Language Arts or Science standards.

You have the opportunity to support improving student’s opportunities, transparency and financial prudence by voting for Thad or accept the current district leadership and results, which, in my opinion, are respectively dysfunctional and unacceptable.

Decide on the kind of leadership you want for our district, the opportunities offered students and if you want your Levy money to focus on supporting students or teachers and vote early.

It is your money, your community, your students, your board and your choice.

Please vote for Thad Stenlund.

For more information about Thad and the district, visit 4freedomwa.com.

Representative Michael Baumgartner was quoted on the front page of Monday’s

Spokesman-Review singing the party line that reopening of the government is totally up

to Democrats, and there is no value in negotiations. He calls the shutdown “silliness.”

Laid off government employees, military members missing paychecks, and everyday

citizens missing out on government services probably think otherwise.

But the most astonishing of his quotes is, “we will spend something roughly on the order

of $7 trillion this year from the federal government, while bringing in $5 trillion in

revenue.” In early September however, Trump said tariffs have already brought in $8

trillion in new revenue, a number that logically will continue to grow. So who is being

truthful here, Trump or Baumgartner?

As a member of Congress, Baumgartner is responsible for government spending, but

he clearly has no clue of what’s happening, or maybe he has just given up on his

constitutional duty. By threatening healthcare for millions of Americans, he is squarely

on the side of Republican death panels. No money for healthcare, unlimited money for

masked federal police and troops in the streets.

In the end, according to Trump, we should be awash in money. There are hundreds of

thousands fewer federal employees. Tariff dollars are rolling in. If Baumgartner was

doing his job he would know where the money is going but he does not. The fact that

he thinks it is “silliness” that Americans have access to affordable healthcare is

disqualifying. He needs to resign.

In the 10/8 edition of the Statesman-Examiner, we read that State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) was considering killing the Sherman wolf pack in response to ongoing predations of cows on a particular grazing allotment in the Kettle Range. The 10/15 edition

reported the agency has now authorized the killing of one wolf from the Sherman pack. We can expect this pattern to continue by looking at past decisions by the WDFW.

We need to identify better solutions than these killings at public expense. I know there are ranchers out there who have developed successful methods to lower these attacks on cattle. It is my understanding that a majority of these cow predations have occurred on one grazing

allotment in north Stevens County. Something is not right here.

I encourage other concerned citizens to step up and give voice to their opinion on wildlife management, especially about how wolves, cougars, and bears are managed. You

could contact WDFW Director, Kelly Susewind at kelly.susewind@dfw.wa.gov.

It is amazing what a brain worm can do.

In July of 1995, I attended a national conference on autism in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was a DSHS employee at the time and Stevens County paid for my airfare, lodging, and meals. There was no mention of aspirin or acetaminophen causing autism.

The director of the National Institute of Health did say that “refrigerator moms” did not cause it; however there was clear evidence of a genetic component on the father’s side, of a child with autism. I was sitting in the back and watched as all of the women stood up and applauded, most crying.

Michael Baumgartner took time off from his busy vacation away from D.C. to cut a commercial which aired on Colville’s KCRK during last week’s Mariners games. He suggested Democrats, especially in the Senate, were to blame for the government shutdown and that his votes to make healthcare more expensive were honorable, even princely. He doesn’t need any stinking negotiation. Democrats should just accept the extortion and vote for the budget.

But that’s not the way this works. No Democrat is going to sign onto this healthcare sabotage and then have Republicans claim the budget is bipartisan. Nope, you voted to break healthcare, and now, Mike, you own it. Of course, you could negotiate but that would require returning to D.C. and going into session, triggering a vote to release the Epstein files. You once were on record favoring that, but apparently now you aren’t, which illustrates for all of us how trustworthy your word is.

Interestingly, Baumgartner did not run his ad in the Spokane radio market, perhaps acknowledging his tenuous support in the more urban areas of the district. Whether urban or rural, more expensive or even unaffordable healthcare hurts everyone, and he knows it.