Compassion for others
A historical perspective is needed in light of the Feb. 28 meeting at the White House between the presidents of the U.S. and Ukraine.
Nazi Germany and communist USSR (Russia) carved up Poland in 1939. The U.S. entered World War II on Dec. 7, 1941. Nazi Germany declared war on the U.S. soon after (Dec. 11). By that point, France had fallen, and Russia and Britain were engaged in fighting off the Germans. The U.S. and Britain approached Russia to form an alliance, which Russia readily accepted. The U.S. was the major supplier of war material to both countries. Billions of dollars of aid was shipped to Russia at the expense of Britain’s effort in the war. Reparations for material from the U.S. to Britain was paid back, but Russia’s support was not paid back.
Our president insists Ukraine is obligated to pay back our contributions to their war effort by turning over mineral rights valued at $500 billion. Consideration of the cost to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure, cities and power after the fighting stops has not been taken into consideration.
The president is remaking our image in the world from “The Shining City upon a Hill” to the bully of democracy. A government run on a mafia model where those who are weaker and in need are subjected to a shake down by intimidation. We as a country were better served by our government when compassion for those in need was met with a lending hand and not ultimatums.
Buck Wright
Genesee
What about secrecy?
I had another letter nearly completed, but Richard Eggleston blew that to hell ... (Tribune, Feb. 23).
At first, Eggleston feebly stabbed at discrediting Democrats, liberals and the Biden administration, calling us part of a “New World Order” in a “deep state” coverup. Except you forgot to mention the secrecy surrounding Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency experiment, unconstitutionally firing career federal employees without cause, gutting valued agencies and leaving everyone wondering ... .
Eggleston cherry-picked “data” from the House weaponization ... subcommittee. In May 2024, they wrote “ ... Biden White House Officials Coerced Big Tech to Censor Americans ...” The doctor said, this proves Biden was “threatening social media entities.” Many sources say the Supreme Court — the one with bribed Trump acolytes — threw out this ignorant Republican claim.
The doc swooned for a story that the U.S. Agency for International Development “funds” Politico. According to Yahoo News, France 24 and others, ... “Politico did not receive ‘substantial funds’ from USAID.”
Doctors ... Without Borders issued a statement saying, “Countless refugees and other displaced persons, children threatened by malaria and people who need HIV and tuberculosis treatment, whose care risks being stopped” and a “sudden pause in humanitarian and health assistance and the rapid dismantling of critical components of the U.S. government will cause an unmitigated humanitarian disaster affecting millions.”
This is what USAID does, Richard. They help poor, disadvantaged and ill people, something your “hypocritic oath” absolutely rejects and something the Trump/Musk kingship rejects absolutely.
Jim Roach
Moscow
Apologies to Zelenskyy
I want to publicly apologize to President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy for the abysmal way he was treated by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in their meeting Feb. 28.
I am appalled that a leader supposedly representing democracy would treat a democratic ally, who is actively at war defending his country, with such disregard and disrespect. Zelenskyy was bullied, talked over and ridiculed by both Trump and Vance. Prior to this meeting, Trump met with Vladimir Putin, the aggressor who has invaded Ukraine not once, but twice. He then publicly and falsely called Zelenskyy a dictator and said he started the war.
Next, he extracted a deal with Zelenskyy to sign over mineral rights to half of the rare minerals in Ukraine. Trump has not consulted with any of our democratic allies, nor has he even said if Zelenskyy is going to be allowed in the negotiations to end the war. I guess this is what Vance was calling diplomacy?
The meeting included a Trump tirade about how innocent poor Putin is of any attempt to spread false information in America. In addition, a staffer from Tass, the government-controlled Russian news outlet, was present, in spite of the White House not allowing experienced Associated Press reporters.
Please watch the full meeting on YouTube. My thought is maybe if Zelenskyy would offer to let Trump build a Trump Tower in Kyiv, he would get further.
Sharon Curtis
Moscow
How to save the elk
If the Washington wildlife managers can’t get a clear view of elk cow and calf survival after years of research, may I make a suggestion? Stop protecting the known predators, the known predators being lions, bears and wolves.
Open the hunting seasons and methods of take for these predators instead of coddling the hands of the problem, bunny lovers, tree huggers and rock lickers. If elk survival is what you’re really after, get with the program. Take care of elk only.
Wolf introduction, no baiting bears, no hunting with dogs — these programs all contribute to the problem of low elk survival in Washington state.
Wildlife managers in Washington saw what happened in Idaho with wolves and still brought in the additional predator. What could have gone wrong? The millions spent on the wolf- recovery program is insane.
Send the managers home and open predator hunting for a few years. Maybe we’ll have a real chance of saving money and, most importantly, our elk population.
Richard Mitchell
Lewiston
Little doesn’t care
The Idaho Legislature passed on to Gov. Brad Little tax cuts amounting to about $253,000,000. He has already signed legislation to fund private and home schools. Public schools alone are not currently funded adequately. Mike “Tax Cut” Moyle must be in seventh heaven.
Now that the line has been crossed to help fund private and home schools, that effort will undoubtedly increase in the future. The cost will be enormous. There are many members of the Idaho Legislature who would not mind seeing public education go away completely.
Little received 37,437 messages concerning the legislation to fund private and home schools; 32,366 were opposed. (There may be some yet to be counted.)
Please notify Gov. Little of your opinion on these tax cuts. Just be aware that he has clearly signaled that he doesn’t care a whit what we think.
Shirley Ringo
Moscow
Little signed House Bill 40 into law on March 6.
Note to Baumgartner
My message to our U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, based on my email to him:
Have you no nationwide condemnation and world apology for how Donald Trump and JD Vance humiliated Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Feb. 28? And your subsequent call for Zelenskyy’s resignation makes no sense given your statement that Russia clearly started the war and has been the aggressor. On second thought, it makes great sense considering your already evident cowardice in standing up to Trump, Vance and Elon Musk. You certainly lack the spine of President Zelenskyy.
What should you say about the U.S. voting with Russia, and Russian allies North Korea, Hungary and Belarus against the United Nations resolution that demands Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine, and calls Russian aggression a violation of the UN charter? The U.S. joined only 18 such countries against the resolution that passed 93-18 with 65 abstentions. You claim expertise in foreign policy but your silence on that resolution is deafening.
How can you justify voting for the House budget resolution, significantly cutting Medicaid, to finance the continuation of tax cuts overwhelmingly benefitting the rich? Be honest and let people know exactly the amounts of the cuts — an average of $51,140 per year for the top 1% of earners and $930 for the middle class, as reported during Trump’s first term.
Finally, honestly inform your constituents that Trump’s first term added twice that of Joe Biden’s term to the national debt, much because of those tax cuts for the rich.
Norm Luther
Spokane
