Letters to the Editor for Aug. 23, 2018

Time to 'restock' Congress, vote for Long in 3rd District Carolyn Long is a clear voice and a clear choice for Washington's 3rd Congressional District. Trump has truly drained the swamp and, instead, turned it into a fetid cesspool of self-serving corruption with a deaf ear to the needs of the people. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler has supported Trump at every step and on every vote. When I sent her a concerned email about the direction of Washington, she answered with a tired litany of Trump Administration talking points. She didn't hear what I was saying. She was deaf to my concerns. She just served up a blind-eye, kneejerk response. Washington needs to be changed, so our democracy can breathe fresh air and thrive. The time is coming for the first major step of that change. We get to elect new voices that can speak truth to power and revive a strong, bipartisan debate to serve the common weal. We need to restock Congress with fresh ideas and people who believe in government for the people. Carolyn Long is such a voice. Her agenda is us, the people she will represent. Listen to her speak, go to her website, become familiar with her and it will be clear that she will be a positive force in Washington and a strong advocate for the needs of her constituency. The rubber stamps need to be voted out. They are afraid of the party; the party of Trump. We are fortunate to have an excellent alternative to our current rubber stamp representation. Again, Carolyn Long is a clear voice, and a clear choice. Daniel Blore, Camas Former Herrera Beutler voter says 'flip the House,' support Long I find President Trump to be completely out of control. The voters need to send a message. Voting for Democrats this November is our best way. I'm supporting Carolyn Long over Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler in our 3rd Congressional District race. Carolyn has thoughtful, well-reasoned responses to the issues. Jaime Herrera Beutler has been in office since 2010, yet she has little in the way of accomplishments. Trump recently called a woman "a dog." He defended a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. On tape, he bragged about sexually assaulting women. He mocked handicapped people and urged violence against protesters at his rallies. He has referred to prominent blacks as having low IQs and being dumb. This disgusting person needs to be sent a message. Republicans support this man; Herrera Beutler supports Trump! It's reprehensible. I urge you to get out and meet Carolyn Long. Listen to her speak. In the past, I voted for Jaime Herrera Beutler. Herrera Beutler seems nice, but for a representative in the majority party, with a medium amount of seniority who is on the appropriations committee, she has accomplished little for our district. Carolyn Long is a great alternative. I'm voting for Long this time. Let's send Trump a message -- flip the House this November. Eugene "Bud" Harris, Washougal Initiative 1631 is carbon tax, not 'fee' In response to a Letter to the Editor advocating for carbon fees on "large scale industry" ("Carbon fee would help environment without hurting workers, consumers" Aug. 9 Camas-Washougal Post-Record), please speak the truth and fully disclose what this "fee" really is. If taxes are not paid, there usually are penalties, correct? If "large scale industry" does not pay these "fees" are there penalties? If penalties are indeed levied, to this writer, this fee is a tax. Solution: If carbon emissions are such a problem, the coalition of "policy writers" could have better used their time to first investigate all the technology that is available to address CO2 emissions like direct-air capture. Direct-air capture, it is said, works like a tree on steroids. Once technology is investigated, a campaign to promote and persuade end users to utilize this technology. A little exercise in persuasion, as opposed to a forced tax/fee, is the most civil course one can take to accomplish things, otherwise what have here with I-1631 is extortion. Don't vote for it. Freedom Frank, Camas Herrera Beutler better choice for tax relief The idea of letting folks keep more of the money they earned should not be such a controversial idea. And yet, Jaime Herrera Beutler is criticized for returning an average of $2,300 to each family in Camas and Washougal by voting to give them tax relief. Why is it popular to think the government is more responsible our hard-earned dollars than we are? I've heard people say that Jaime took away the "government's revenue." I certainly don't want anyone representing me in Congress who sees the money on my hard-earned paycheck this way, yet the candidate running to replace Herrera Beutler would overturn these tax cuts and take this money back. That means Carolyn Long would cut the standard deduction and the child tax credit in half -- both extremely popular tax deductions used by regular folks (not the evil "millionaires" that Democrats like to demonize). That would be a disaster up and down the line, stalling our growing economy and hurting families just crawling out of a decade of recession. Kathleen Hartson, Vancouver Look past party label and make a change in 3rd District I am a retired educator and serviceman. For almost 40 years, I worked with young people from Oregon and Washington. For the last 27 years of my career, I was a school administrator in the Evergreen School District in Vancouver. My wife is a registered Republican. I believe it is time to choose Carolyn Long as a replacement for Jamie Herrera Beutler. I am asking that you look past the party label that may have directed your vote in the past to delve into how our candidates stand on the issues. If you do, you will find that Jamie votes the Trump agenda 90 percent of the time. You have to ask yourself how she can vote against healthcare for all when she used the Congressional private plan to pay for expensive care for her children (I am most certainly not against her children receiving the care they needed). She touts a tax plan that clearly gave much more to the upper 10 percent than it gave to you. The plan for the sea lions, although valuable, is not even hers; it was initiated by an Oregon congressman. I am not going to change your mind if you are a Trump supporter. For some reason, that seems impossible. However, I am asking you to dig into the issues and seek more than an "R" or a "D" as your reason for voting. Carolyn Long's website will help you get the information you need about her. Carolyn also holds public meetings, which allow for dialogue and are open to all. It is time for change. Carolyn is our way. Cast a vote to make it happen. Gary E. Tichenor, Ridgefield Thanks for editorial about Trump's attacks on free press I'm a longtime Camas resident, and I want to thank you for your thoughtful editorial ("Will you believe the propaganda or fight 'fake news' attacks?") in the Aug. 16 Camas-Washougal Post-Record. I plan on showing this to my friends who don't live in Camas, and encouraging them to act as you suggested. I am so dismayed by these constant attacks on the press and I hope the general public wakes up to the threat that these attacks pose to our democracy. Keep up the good work. P.S. I'm willing to bet you get a lot of flack from our president's "base," so hang in there. Mary Hogan, Camas

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