The Editor:
Thank you, Sharman, for opening the door to facts.
Any massive input of money from a billionaire, or a trillionaire like the U.S. government, to a stock raises questions as to who else knew in advance? Trump, his family and associates have profited in the billions of dollars from his presidency, and he never reveals his income. That should raise some interesting questions to look into.
You spoke about wasted fears. Please look at events that are actually happening: If you are a woman, you have what to fear from the authors of 2025 and Christian nationalism. You should read Project 2025, a plan that the president, the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress supports. If you’re a new U.S. citizen, if you are any shade of color besides white, especially Hispanic brown, ICE will find you an interesting person to “investigate.”
ICE “brown shirts,” masked, gun-carrying, without-identification thugs have kidnapped people off the street whether or not they are citizens. Due process and Constitution be damned. They have a quota, bonuses to earn and a Florida Gulag to hustle off the ICE captures. Armed military being transferred from red states to blue states and the U.S. capital even though their crime rates are down. (Trump enjoys getting even as part of “The Art of the Deal.”)
Rising unemployment, increasing inflation, small businesses closing, employment numbers down, threats to allies, books banned, history rewritten, massive government firings, losses to Medicaid and health insurance for the poor, food losses for the poor, emergency funds cut, vaccines and research cut, university funding cut, tax breaks for the rich and so much more because the president has no checks and balances from Congress or the Supreme Court.
This convicted felon said the military are “suckers” and “losers,” according to 2020 reporting in The Atlantic, and he could shoot someone in Times Square and get away with it.
Please read “First They Came” by pastor Martin Niemöller which starts out, “First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out …”
There is a time to be afraid. This is that time, before it’s too late.
Ron Snyder and Cathy Taggett
Blaine
The Editor:
I am thankful we have Eric Lewis on Blaine council, knowing that he will listen to the concerns of the whole community and that no idea or request or comment will be ignored. Eric will research and figure out if the constituent feedback is right or wrong, good idea or bad, and then bring ideas to council, where they can be voted up or down democratically by the whole council.
I want all of council to be as receptive as Eric Lewis, so we can rest assured that someone will at least consider our views, good or bad.
Ray Wilkett
Blaine
The Editor:
Recently in this forum Sharman Burnam critiqued a letter by Ronald Snyder of Blaine, suggesting that Snyder’s characterization of the Trump administration’s acquisition of a stake in Intel as out of the fascist playbook somehow invalidated Snyder’s entire thesis. At best, this amounts to cherry picking a tangential argument with the apparent goal of distraction.
If President Trump really wants to influence the business decisions of a crumbling former titan of American chip technology (Intel), then I say have at it. Other U.S. administrations have made similar investments with good or dodgy intent. Guess we’ll see how our Intel investment performs over time.
If one set a goal to document the autocratic actions of the Trump administration, the biggest challenge would be to encompass the body of publicly available evidence. Consider just one category: Trump assuming for himself spending powers (“the power of the purse”) vested by the Constitution solely with Congress. When he decides to freeze billions of dollars in foreign aid – money for food, medicine and development assistance, that is unconstitutional overreach.
When he claims broad powers to refuse to spend congressionally allocated money for transportation projects, health research, education, “sanctuary cities” and more, asserting without evidence that that spending is wasteful or “not aligned with the administration’s values,” that is unconstitutional overreach.
Trump bypassed Congress when he unilaterally imposed trade tariffs impacting countries (including friends and allies) around the world. Tariff levels appear to be based on voodoo economics colored by a brutish political gangsterism that would make Don Corleone blush. The goal seems to be to enrich himself and his cronies at the expense of American workers and consumers. That is unconstitutional overreach. (Oh, and criminal on its face.)
I’d like to suggest this to Trump apologists who hope that yelling “Squirrel!” will shift the attention of the American people away from the danger presented by Trump’s wantonly destructive and self-serving actions: We’ve dispatched tyrants in the past.
And despite the tacit approval of a complicit majority Republican Congress, we can and will do so again.
Brian Bell
Birch Bay
The Editor:
I favor the de-annexation of Grandis Pond.
I’ve lived in Whatcom County since 2012, when I moved here to attend Western. My parents live in San Diego, and kept asking me to come back to Southern California after I graduated. But every time I visited them, what I noticed was the traffic congestion and how few open spaces there were. I decided to make my permanent home here in the Pacific Northwest because I wanted to live in less congested and greener environs.
I work in the service industry in a job that doesn’t pay all that well but offers me a flexible schedule to do the things I enjoy out in nature such as camping, hiking, mountain biking and paddle boarding. I appreciate being able to drive to and from work in under five minutes. If I lived in, say, low income housing near Grandis Pond, it would take me much longer to get to and from work.
I don’t want to be like my brother who lives in Los Angeles, where it takes him over 30 minutes to drive the six miles to get to his job.
That’s what over-population and over-development will get you. If there must be new development, I think it would be much wiser for it to be closer to town because that is where most people work. A shorter commute also saves on gas and helps to preserve the environment.
I am also opposed to building in an area that supplies clean water to our region. I suggest the city find another area to develop that doesn’t lead to the contamination of our precious natural resources, most especially our drinking water.
I intend to vote in favor of the de-annexation of Grandis Pond. I hope everyone else does as well.
Spencer Pickell
Birch Bay
The Editor:
I attended the 24th anniversary of 9/11 at the Peace Arch remembrance this past week and was struck by a troubling absence. Not a single elected official from the United States – whether national, Whatcom County or the city of Blaine – spoke at this solemn occasion.
The remembrance is not only about looking back, but also about affirming our commitment to community, unity and resilience. That our leaders could not find time, nor a replacement, to join their neighbors across the border, and the many community members present, is deeply disappointing. The master of ceremony twice called for a United States representative/official to come to the stage to express their thoughts and remembrance.
At the same time, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Skagit County and Whatcom County firefighters for their powerful display and tribute. Their presence reminded all of us of the courage and sacrifice that 9/11 continues to symbolize.
It was also heartening to hear the thoughtful words shared by elected officials from the Canadian side of the border. Their speeches carried dignity, compassion and a recognition of the shared values that bind our two nations together.
It is my hope that, in future years, our own elected officials will recognize the importance of showing up – not just in words, but in person – at moments that call for remembrance and unity.
Erin Hallenburg
Blaine
The Editor:
When I spoke with your newspaper editor, I was asked why I did not attend and speak at the recent 9/11 ceremony at the Peace Arch. I replied that I had not been invited to do so. Had I been invited, I would have been there.
I was at the time attending a city of Blaine meeting. The chief of police Rodger Funk was also present at that meeting, but he left early to attend the 9/11 ceremony, thus representing Blaine along with other first responders.
Last night, I received an email from Jessica Hansen, legislative assistant for state representative Alicia Rule. She wanted me to invite Alicia to future events at the Peace Arch for 9/11 memorials. I am presuming from this, that representative Rule was also not invited to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony. I replied that I am not in charge of organizing and inviting the speakers for this event.
I am writing this letter in the hope that this does come to the attention of those in charge, so that perhaps, as requested by Jessica, both representative Rule and I may be invited to attend and speak at future 9/11 events.
Mary Lou Steward, mayor
Blaine
The Editor:
Sign us up for the traitor list! We support councilman Eric Lewis. Why? Because as Blaine residents, we have questions and we can’t get answers.
Why does Drayton Harbor have such a high fecal bacteria count? Why are wetlands and shoreline setbacks not enforced for all property owners and developers? When we residents contact the EPA, the official will tell you their hands are tied. Enforcement is up to the Blaine City Council and concerned city departments.
Now, according to The Northern Light article in the September 11 issue, residents are not allowed to question our elected council representatives for information about how building permits or waivers are issued, or enforcement. Why is a SEPA report so important? If the designated wetland boundaries are so vital to the health of our harbor, why are so many waivers issued?
Why doesn’t clean water matter?
Exactly how are our concerns to be answered? Why is councilman Lewis, when he responds to community concerns, asked to resign? Haven’t we all learned from the violence rocking our country that it is foundational for a democracy to have rigorous debate on the issues and transparency in our government.
Mayor Steward calling councilman Lewis a “traitor” and threatening to force him to resign should have a chilling effect on every resident in Blaine. We don’t expect our city council to have united “come to Jesus” moments.
Get engaged. Go to a council meeting, and start a conversation with someone different from you; get to know their Blaine story. We expect our representatives to listen to all concerns.
Support Eric Lewis.
Do you let your children and dogs play in the water along the Drayton Harbor shoreline?
Amy Ernlund
Blaine
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