Herald letters on Richland School Board recall, Social Security, GOP’s national platform
Let’s take a vote on the RSD 3
Oh. My. Goodness. I am stunned at the arrogance of the “Notorious 3” Richland School Board members. The Tri-City Herald article dated Feb. 23 illustrates just how self-serving these three are. They don’t care about the school district, the schools or the students. They care about forcing their beliefs onto every other human in the Richland School District.
They have flushed the district’s reputation and integrity and are now (considering) going after its finances. In a false show of righteousness last April, they voted to have the school district pay their legal fees only if the courts did not find the recall effort held merit; otherwise, they would pay the legal fees themselves.
Well, 10 judges (one local and nine on the state Supreme Court) found the allegations hold merit and the recall action can proceed. Now, Byrd, Bird and Williams are going to discuss having the school district pay all of their fees and hold a vote in the next few weeks. That is like having the fox watch the hen house! It is time for us to take back the Richland School District from the “Notorious 3.” Sign the recall petitions and let’s take a vote!
Pamela Hall, West Richland
Social Security: Who’s lying?
In 2009, U.S. Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted, “You lie!” at President Obama during his address to a joint session of Congress. This boorish accusation established a new low in unmannerly conduct.
When President Biden asserted during his current state of the union speech that the GOP has been planning to cut Social Security and Medicare, imitating Joe Wilson’s lead, several Republicans brayed out that he was lying.
The Republicans call these programs “entitlements,” which they have tried to convince voters are some kind of give-away. When in fact, most Americans have been paying into these programs for all their working lives, mostly through the payroll tax, which entitles them to receive benefits in return. Republicans consistently blame the federal debt on “entitlements,” ignoring the fact that their 2017 tax cut for the wealthy has blown a multi-trillion-dollar hole in the budget.
Cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits has been part of the Republican platform for decades. A key policy body of the Republican party issued a 2023 budget proposal last June under the title “Blueprint to Save America.” This document proposes several cuts to both Social Security and Medicare.
So who is lying, the president, or the Republican deniers?
Bill Petrie, Richland
GOP: Try to be better, not ruder
Overall, I was impressed with President Biden’s State of the Union address. There were a few times where he stumbled/mumbled over sentence endings. But his message that America enjoys the lowest unemployment in 50 years, and that more jobs were created in the first two years of his administration than any other president in four years was positive and powerful. I could go on.
Some nihilist Republicans behaved deplorably. After Rep. (Joe) Wilson yelled out “You Lie!” during Obama’s (2009) address, it seems to be a downhill race to see who can be the loudest and rudest. No respect shown for the president, the solemn congressional gathering or themselves. When Biden decried addiction and Fentanyl deaths, one clown yelled out, “You caused it!” Really?
I was most disappointed in the Republican 20-minute response. We learned that Sarah Huckabee Sanders:
▪ Is the youngest governor;
▪ (Her) Father was governor;
▪ Is in remission from cancer;
▪ Her mother had cancer;
▪ She sacrificed Christmas with her family to travel to Iraq (the “almost 12 hours” was the only number in her speech); and
▪ Doesn’t like Biden or Democrats.
She spoke only about her polarizing opinions, never specifics, facts or current issues.
Republicans can and should have done better.
Michael Harrington, Pasco
A great place for Italian cuisine
I am writing this letter to compliment Italianos for a great restaurant and for the great food that they provide in the city of West Richland.
Levi Garcia, West Richland
