Happy for the facts
“Trump regales crowd with his mass firings” was the headline over an Associated Press article in the Feb. 23 Tribune. And it just told the facts. No opinion, no quotes from a random Donald Trump hater off the street, just the facts.
It’s been years since I read an AP article like that. Perhaps getting booted out of the White House news briefings had an effect? But alas, on the flip side of that article was another AP article full of random, anti-Elon Musk/Trump opinions.
I usually skip AP stuff and get my national news elsewhere. If the Tribune did that they might gain back a few readers. Go Trump.
Lucky Brandt
Kooskia
Federal cuts will hurt
We like to think we’re isolated, but about one-third of Washington state’s budget comes from federal funds. Cutting federal funds that support rural public health, infrastructure projects, commercial development, fish and wildlife, Forest Service, fire suppression, public safety support, etc., kills local jobs.
Twenty-five percent of employment in Asotin County is health care. Federal Medicaid funds jobs at long-term care centers, disability care, home health services, our hospital and pharmacies. The Republican plan to cut Medicaid is a local job killer and harmful to the quality and availability of rural health care.
Job loss hurts the economy of Asotin County. Unemployed people have little to no purchasing power, often file bankruptcy and always have a hard time paying taxes. Without the employed tax base our infrastructure suffers, especially education.
Rural schools take the brunt of cuts to federal funds. Without funds from the Department of Education, local property taxes will likely increase to meet needs of educating rural children.
The Environmental Working Group (farm.ewg.org) maintains a database of Asotin County farm subsidy recipients. From 1995 through 2023, Asotin County farmers and ranchers received over $30 million in farm subsidies. Like education, cuts to federal agriculture support programs hurt rural counties most.
Republicans are cutting jobs, killing rural economy, increasing inflation, indebting our children and giving trillions in tax breaks to billionaires. Like they did last time.
Whoever said Democrats were the bad guys lied. Stop listening to liars.
Job losers in Washington can get help here: Washington Employment Security (esd.wa.gov).
Janet Marugg
Clarkston
A cruel bill
So a proposed new law will require the poorest of the poor, those on Medicaid, to pay for part of their treatment. Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, and others apparently believe they can squeeze money out of people who are broke. Will he try for blood from a stone next?
The result of this cruel bill is that some people will delay getting treatment because they cannot afford it, until finally they wind up in the emergency room, costing the state even more money.
And the work requirement? Here’s a hint, Mr. Redman: If they had a job there’s a reasonable chance they have some sort of health insurance. If they don’t, they need Medicaid, and our support, even more.
This law is a travesty of inhumanity. It will deny medical care to our poorest citizens. I have no idea whether Mr. Redman or his co-sponsors attend church, but if they do they might want to ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?”
George Grenley
Lewiston
