Thanks, Sen. Murray
Dear Editor:
To Sen. Patty Murray, thanks for the help! After seven months of waiting for a large, perfectly simple refund from the incompetent IRS, after endless emails, phone calls and letters, I wrote Sen. Murray. Two weeks later I had my check. When another old lady friend was short-changed, then dropped by Social Security, with no reason, I suggested Sen. Murray. Within a week her office responded.
Twice is not an accident! The bureaucracy is broken, but it’s nice to know someone is still in your corner.
Joan Winsor
Winthrop
A Christian Caliphate?
Dear Editor:
Solveig Torvik’s recent article on “one religion under god” described the actions of Michael Flynn with his ongoing Christian crusade, the ReAwaken America tour.
I am reminded of the terror of ISIS, which sought to install a Muslim caliphate in the middle east. ISIS was scary. Flynn is pushing for a Christian Caliphate. I find Flynn’s pursuit to be equally scary.
Lincoln Loehr
Winthrop
Homesharing explained
Dear Editor:
Do you need a place to live? Do you have a room in your home you might be willing to rent in exchange for assistance in chores?
Methow At Home is excited to announce we have partnered with Silvernest, a homesharing platform. With the generous support from the Game Changer Grant by the Community Foundation of North Central and Jamie’s Place, we are pleased to offer this opportunity through Methow At Home. If just a few people benefit from homesharing it will be successful in helping with affordable housing, social isolation, and assisting community elders to remain in their home.
Methow At Home now has a landing page. People can go there whether they are seeking a home to live in or if they have a home to share. It is similar to an on-line dating service. Silvernest does all the screening, etc. (Look for the fliers around town to get the QR code.)
Join us for an informational event to learn more at the Winthrop library on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 4:30 p.m. for free pizza and a raffle with great prizes. Register for the event at http://methowathome.org.
Deirdre Cassidy
Program Manager, Methow At Home
Unrequited love
Dear Editor:
Many of my neighbors have been and continue to be staunch Dan Newhouse supporters. I wonder why? What has he done to improve the livelihoods and quality of life of those of us in his district and in the country? He voted against:
• The Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower drug prices for senior citizens on Medicare, strengthen the IRS to assure that corporations and those at the top of the money heap are paying their fair share of taxes, impose an additional tax on those making over $400,000 a year, and make investments in sources of cleaner energy, among other things.
• The CHIPS Act, which has already resulted in billions of dollars of commitments by global computer chip manufacturers to bring their production facilities and their R&D to the U.S. (both Micron and IBM have already made such commitments).
He failed to condemn the previous administration’s program of separating immigrant children from their families, which, in my opinion, is morally indefensible (even Cathy McMorris Rogers came out against it!).
He has consistently opposed the Affordable Care Act, legislation which, while far from perfect, has made health care affordable and available to millions who have previously been without coverage for health care (35 million people as of April 2022. In some Washington counties — Yakima, Adams, Okanogan — more than 43% of individuals under 65 rely on ACA programs for health care).
I fail to see how most of his policy choices are in any way useful to us. It’s time to turn the page on eastern Washington’s love affair with the GOP, especially with Dan Newhouse. We deserve a better return on our affection!
David Asia
Twisp
