Mail-in ballots: Revisit Washington grace interval
Re: “Supreme Court affirms vote by mail. WA should prepare for the next obstacle” (July 2, Opinion):
It’s fantastic that the latest U.S. Supreme Court docket ruling permits states to rely ballots which are forged and postmarked by Election Day even when they’re acquired later by election authorities.
Nevertheless, it’s not clear to me why Washington legislation permits as much as 20 days after the election for these ballots to be acquired. That appears unnecessarily lengthy. Do we now have knowledge on the most recent {that a} correctly postmarked poll has been acquired in Washington over the past 10 years? I feel we may and may shrink that window.
Ken Jones, Newcastle
Political events: ‘The way to win the White Home again’
Re: “Deep-blue Dems are sending a message: We’re angry” (July 5, Northwest):
I discovered Danny Westneat’s column miserable as a result of it has a loud progressive group sounding similar to how Westneat has described the Washington state GOP — “We preserve shedding, so let’s double down on our message.”
The Washington GOP retains placing out election deniers in a really blue state and wonders why they don’t win. These progressives sound similar to that. MAGA goes to win the following presidential election if the individuals who voted for President Donald Trump don’t have a alternative higher than the equal of an “election denier.”
U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, could be the instance of the way to win the White Home again.
Daniel Bridenbecker, Bothell
U.S. historical past: Teddy Roosevelt vs. Donald Trump
Re: “Trump visits new Roosevelt library in N.D. Badlands” (July 2, Nation & World):
This president’s lack of understanding about U.S. historical past was once more revealed by his superficial admiration for President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was a conservationist establishing nationwide forests and nationwide parks. His home coverage, the Sq. Deal, managed the greed of companies whereas defending the on a regular basis client.
Roosevelt mentioned, “Patriotism means to face by the nation. It doesn’t imply to face by the president …” That sentiment, what each president ought to exemplify, is the other of the loyalty oath this president calls for.
It’s ironic that Trump made such a present of visiting the Roosevelt library since he’s the antithesis of what Roosevelt stood for.
Peggy Thesing, Shoreline
U.S. historical past: A brand new perspective
Re: “Seattle-area civic leaders reflect on America’s 250th anniversary” (July 4, Native Information):
Thanks for publishing the reflections of civic leaders within the Fourth of July version, together with these of Seattle Indian Well being Board Govt Vice President Abigail Echo-Hawk. It stood out as a stark distinction to what I normally hear about on this date.
Her phrases despatched me to analysis the Declaration of Independence, one thing I can’t bear in mind ever doing earlier than. After I learn the phrase “cruel Indian Savages” in reference to the individuals from whom the land was taken that finally turned the USA, I acquired a lump in my throat.
My perspective for the vacation has modified. I honor and respect the knowledge and perseverance of Native peoples who’re so typically taken with no consideration.
The Rev. Dr. Ellen Acton, Seattle
World Cup: A reminder of what we now have in widespread
I see that overseas World Cup guests are stunned at how pleasant and welcoming Individuals are and astonished at this large, various nation.
I’m not stunned. I’ve all the time discovered Individuals to be open and cheerful, and by no means tire of seeing new elements of the nation.
So why the present bitter temper? It’s generated by a poisonous political industrial complicated within the nation’s capital that advantages from division and concern between Individuals.
We now have way more in widespread than that which divides us. We are able to rise above them.
Douglas Pratt, Seattle
College lunches: ‘Compassionate meals decisions’
The choice to deliver entire and a pair of% milk again to high school lunches displays the affect of the dairy business greater than the wants of immediately’s college students.
Hundreds of thousands of Individuals — significantly individuals of colour — are lactose illiberal, making cow’s milk an unsuitable alternative for a lot of kids. On the similar time, nutritious plant-based milks akin to soy, oat and pea are broadly accessible, and might meet college students’ dietary wants with out excluding those that can’t digest dairy.
Faculties ought to present meals which are wholesome, inclusive and reflective of immediately’s various pupil inhabitants. Persevering with to prioritize dairy over plant-based alternate options ignores each public well being and the rising demand for extra compassionate meals decisions.
If we really need faculty vitamin packages to serve each baby, plant-based milk must be handled as a typical choice — not an afterthought.
Sal Sucher, Seattle
E-bikes and e-scooters: ‘A public well being drawback’
As a Seattle bicycle commuter of 20 years, I’m alarmed by the rising chaos on our shared paths. Just lately on the Interstate 90 path throughout Lake Washington, six deserted Lime bikes partially blocked the trail, forcing a harmful squeeze with an oncoming downhill bicycle owner.
That is greater than an annoyance — it’s a public well being drawback. Harborview Medical Heart’s trauma registry recorded a virtually 36% leap in e-bike and e-scooter accidents from 2023 to 2024, many involving critical head accidents in unhelmeted riders.
The monetary toll is actual. A trauma heart research discovered hospital expenses for e-scooter accidents common roughly $95,000 per encounter — prices handed to insurance coverage swimming pools and public hospitals. Final yr, Lime paid $2.5 million to settle a lawsuit by a rider gravely injured on considered one of its scooters. Taxpayers and premium payers are subsidizing a non-public company’s poorly managed fleet.
The town should act: no shared bikes or scooters parked on sidewalks, bike paths or close to intersections. No motorized bikes on sidewalks. And Lime ought to fund a legal responsibility pool overlaying the town’s publicity. Riders want primary path etiquette — for his or her security and everybody else’s.
Steven S. Overman, MD, MPH, FACR, Seattle
Surroundings: ‘Congress must do extra ’
Re: “Lawmakers fight to stop the Trump administration’s dismantling of a $386M ocean observatory project” (June 15, Surroundings) and “Trump administration backs off plan to finish ocean monitoring” (June 18, Surroundings):
Thanks for the excellent news on Congress urging the federal government to not dismantle the very important Ocean Observatories Initiative and the popularity of the affect of our Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, who vocally defended this important system.
Congress must do extra to defend our nation and its residents.
As defined within the article “Trump administration to purchase again one other vitality firm’s offshore wind leases for 4 extra initiatives” (June 17, Nation), the Trump administration is utilizing taxpayer cash ($2.6 billion up to now) to cease already began wind vitality initiatives.
Whereas these initiatives to supply clear and low cost vitality are being sabotaged, vitality demand and prices for customers preserve rising due to the struggle, the voracious urge for food of knowledge facilities and excessive climate occasions.
Congress must act on this. We can’t have a president waste tax cash on private whims (his dislike of wind generators) whereas subjecting us to inflated vitality costs. Sens. Murray and Catnwell, please work together with your colleagues on either side of the aisle to cease this administration from sabotaging our nation and hurting us greater than it has already carried out.
Martine Smets, Redmond
Doctor scarcity: ‘A worsening disaster’
Re: “Providence Swedish to trim residency slots, citing looming Medicaid cuts” (July 2, Well being):
Thanks for calling out the choice by Seattle’s Windfall Swedish Medical Heart to tug again on its 50-year dedication to coach household physicians — the medical doctors we have to look after sufferers, households and communities throughout Washington state.
Evidently Windfall Swedish has loads of cash for skyscrapers and scanners, robots, billing techniques and promoting. What all of us want, nevertheless, are extra household physicians who focus on person-centered main care. They’re the one medical doctors who see all sufferers of all ages with all issues. Analysis reveals that having extra household physicians is related to extra preventive providers, higher well being, fewer most cancers deaths, and fewer want for the hospital and ER.
Our scarcity of household physicians is a worsening disaster. The Nationwide Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Drugs has decided that household physicians are a standard good, the foundational bedrock of efficient healthcare techniques and a important precedence for coaching.
We’d like extra household medical doctors, and Windfall Swedish ought to do extra, not much less, to fulfill the necessity.
William R. Phillips, MD, MPH, Edmonds
Knowledge facilities: Naiveté
Re: “Seattle’s data center moratorium: symbolic politics, real costs” (June 28, Opinion):
I used to be appalled by Victor Menaldo’s extraordinarily naive article on knowledge facilities. Listed here are just some factors:
Quincy: The lesson is that each city and county in America must line up its personal knowledge heart to make sure a strong tax base and workforce. That’s no option to run a rustic.
Jobs, jobs, jobs: OK, knowledge facilities create jobs. Perhaps a few of these jobs will stay native — actually a tough drive must be changed on web site when it dies. However I do know from private expertise that a lot of the executive work could be carried out remotely. Extra importantly, CEOs love knowledge facilities as a result of they current the chance to fireplace tens of millions of employees.
Sneaky, sneaky: This push to large knowledge facilities was carried out on the sly. Some public officers had been compelled to signal nondisclosure agreements. In a single case, water was taken from the general public water system with no discover and no overview. And now we’re listening to that some knowledge heart house owners are demanding that people preserve water and vitality in order that their valuable knowledge facilities can thrive.
This isn’t an outline of expertise in service to humanity; it’s people working in thrall to expertise.
David S. Moore, Olympia
Bioengineering: ‘Whoa!’
Re: “Scientists made a cell with most of the hallmarks of life. Here’s what to know” (July 1, Nation):
SpudCell, an artificial cell made by scientists on the College of Minnesota, “was created in a lab from lifeless chemical compounds however can carry out a lot of the similar features as residing cells. It eats, grows and reproduces, passing alongside its genetic materials to future generations.”
One of many researchers behind SpudCell is quoted within the College of Minnesota Twin Cities Information and Occasions: “In our case, we imagine these modules have to be constructed within the open: an infrastructure basis constructed privately simply offers somebody a toll sales space.”
Right here’s my private response: Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Let’s decelerate and apply some thought.
That is one more expertise. It’s a scenario that requires warning, warning, warning! We people want to make use of our “pure” large brains together with our “human” hearts and morality.
Do we want legal guidelines for this new expertise? Who has the facility over it proper now? Do we want revenue limits on it? What concerning the (10%?) of dangerous individuals in our inhabitants who will exploit it? What varieties of injury will this do within the fallacious fingers?
Now could be the time to actually depend upon how human we’re, not hand all the things over to our personal “human-created” second brains.
Cynthia Lachance, Renton
Wealth hole: ‘Promote the overall welfare’
Re: “A golden age of power and influence — for the Musks of America” (July 1, Opinion):
The Normal Welfare Clause (Article I, Part 8, Clause 1 of the U.S. Structure) authorizes Congress to tax and spend for protection and basic welfare. As The Occasions editorial board factors out, the rising wealth hole within the U.S. is forsaking “individuals on the decrease finish of the earnings ladder” whereas “the wealthy have gained” disproportionate wealth and energy. Merely put, Congress is neglecting its accountability to advertise the overall welfare.
The wealth hole has been widening since 1980, when President Ronald Reagan ushered financial neoliberalism into the mainstream. Reagan’s success pulled the Democrats into neoliberalism throughout the Clinton years. Since then, neither main social gathering has successfully represented the “decrease finish.”
Neither Republicans nor most Democrats in Congress are searching for the “basic welfare” as a result of they’re ever extra beholden to rich donors. Residents United merely turbocharged widening disparity. Given this, it’s no shock that democratic socialists are making inroads, notably so in Seattle and New York Metropolis.
Anticipate them to be unreasonably and inaccurately vilified by each events. Additionally, anticipate younger adults to listen to and heed their name. Extra energy to them!
Ed Leach, Seattle
Arctic drilling: ‘Transfer towards renewable vitality’
Re: “WA AG files brief opposing drilling in Arctic” (June 23, Local weather Lab):
Oil drilling can solely happen within the Arctic if oil and fuel corporations bid on land parcels. It’s important on this uniquely pressing local weather time to transition towards renewable vitality like photo voltaic and wind. This creates hundreds of jobs within the vitality sector, achieves vitality independence, and retains our air and water clear. I ask oil corporations to chorus from bidding on any land parcels within the Arctic.
We’d be smart to as a substitute transfer towards renewable vitality like photo voltaic, wind and geothermal, and depart the Arctic’s biodiversity alone. Hundreds of thousands of Individuals flock to the magnificent nice outdoor of Alaska and its wild Arctic zones. From caribou to Arctic terns to uncommon northern crops, there’s a lot to cherish and defend.
This generates long-term tourism income, which might be whacked by short-term oil drilling. Financial and environmental well being go hand-in-hand, and it’s time for our society to begin appearing prefer it. Defending our remaining wild locations will protect cultural pleasure and wild magnificence, no small issues in our world.
Let’s defend the magnificent Arctic and collectively say no to any extra oil drilling. I ask our native and state lawmakers and vitality corporations to assist and bolster this renewable vitality transition.
Rebecca Canright, Rockport
