Dear Group,
The Spokesman graciously deigned to publish three letters to the editor last Saturday that were gently critical of McMorris Rodgers representation of eastern Washington. Since they were numbers thirteen and fifteen of fifteen letters that day, many of which were of far less local interest than these, I thought I would bring them to your attention.
Brown and public access
Having recently attended forums for both Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and candidate Lisa Brown, I am struck by the marked contrast between how each approaches their constituents.
Brown arrived early, mingled, chatted and laughed with attendees before the forum began. McMorris Rodgers arrived to her town hall (March 30 in the Valley) after the audience was seated, through a locked side door, under the heavy armed guard of six Valley police officers.
I think this says a lot about the accessibility, ease and transparency of these two candidates with the public. I, for one, prefer my representative not be afraid of me!
Susan Hammond
Spokane
The new McMorris Rodgers
I have to commend congresswoman McMorris Rodgers for meeting with students, news reporters and other groups who are not safely Republican in the last few weeks. I guess a leopard can change her spots.
For 14 years I’ve watched as Mrs. Rodgers has hidden from the Spokane public behind her phalanx of Republican male congressional leaders and safe meetings back home with fundraisers. She showed little interest in communicating with the rabble and those who didn’t agree with her constant votes against our health care and consistent support of an amazingly unstable president.
Is this a new and improved congressional product … or just a cynical attempt to stave off a loss in November?
Bruce Embrey
Spokane
Several have remarked to me they long for the days of Tom Foley, the venerable Democratic Rep serving Eastern WA for the thirty years. He was frequently seen in the gym or in coffee shops in the District. He lost to George Nethercutt in 1994 in an election that is beginning to look a lot like this November. Ironically, a pivotal issue was Tom’s opposition to term limits, the same opposition McMorris Rodgers recently declared. I will never forget the short personal response he sent me once. In answer to a suggestion I made, he calmly wrote, “I agree with you, but such a measure just isn’t feasible in Congress at this time.” Gingrich succeeded Tom Foley as Speaker of the House…and things have gotten more and more infeasible from then on.
It is time to vote in a Representative for the 5th District who spends more time here, who listens, and isn’t afraid of her own constituents. Lisa Brown is that Representative.
Keep to the high ground,
Jerry
P.S. The Spokesman has settled into a routine for letters to the editor: Weekdays, two to four. Saturday and Sunday, fourteen or fifteen on most of a dedicated page. The placement of letters reasonably and gently critical of McMorris Rodgers performance last Saturday makes me wonder if they’re confident that many of their reader’s don’t have the persistence to make it reading that far…