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Baumgartner votes for ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
Rep. “Serving Eastern Washington” Baumgartner just voted for Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” which included: * adding $3.8 trillion to national debt.
* increased tax benefits to the rich at the expense of vulnerable citizens.
* ripping the guts out of Medicaid and SNAP: Eastern Washington has a high percentage of babies, children, youth and adults who rely on the programs for food and health. Farmers raise food that goes toward SNAP, they lose too. Work requirement? Meet some real people on SNAP or Medicaid and see how well they can maneuver through the maze of employment qualifications you will create before they give up?
* Grandmother in the nursing home? Newborn disqualified for well-baby check? No prenatal care for mom, show us she has a job, then they are valuable enough to deserve coverage.
* ECEAP provides not only childcare for low-income families but gives children a step up for future success in school and work. Is that how you propose to take care of children? Too bad. Births good, taking care of babies and children, not so much.
* How about your rural hospitals that provide care for the “least of these” and now may close because they don’t get enough reimbursement to cover their costs for the vulnerable in your communities?
I believe a nation is judged not on the number of millionaires we have, but how we care for the most vulnerable of our nation. I will remember and remind others how you voted if/when you run again in 2026.
Becky Anderson Newport
Putting the con in conservative
You have to hand it to he who would be king, he sure has perfected the art of putting the “con” in conservative. This perpetual liar still has people spouting his falsehoods long after they have been repudiated. In last week’s Miner, one writer to the editor is still under the illusion that the economy was terrible prior to the election despite all the verifiable evidence. Another writer sang praises of the consummate businessman whose business model is bankruptcy and stiffing contractors. A “businessman” who couldn’t even keep a casino from failing? Look folks, it’s bad enough that the last administration had so little respect for the American people and the institution that they let the president go far, far past his expiration date. But to be followed by an administration of psychopaths, sociopaths and morally bankrupt bootlickers led by a glorified carnival barker is appalling. Can’t we do better?
Steve Bennett Newport
Media Inversion
The Politico article, “Trump tariffs have little impact on prices so far, defying grim forecasts,” delivered the good news that President Trump’s tariffs “unexpectedly” had little effect on prices. Their begrudging admission leads one to think this was somehow bad news.
The “tariff wars” that media mainstream media drummed up are an example of the propaganda tactic of “media inversion,” where good news is cast as bad news to stir up outrage. Every. Single. Thing. That President Trump does is spun up in a negative light. His tariffs brought over 125 countries to the bargaining table to balance trade, will provide an alternate funding source for the federal government and are bringing back manufacturing, boosting the economy. What’s not to like? Independent investigative journalists surmise that Trump’s overarching strategy is to disentangle us from the parasitic central bank system.
While Trump’s disregard for the environment and hob-knobbing with tech elites is concerning, I still believe he is our best hope for dismantling the shadow government that autonomously controls the US. I anticipate either a complete collapse of civilization, because we conspiracy realists have misinterpreted events, or blessed release from the oppressors who have been tyrannizing us for decades.
Kamori Cattadoris Newport
A new tactic
Have you ever had an understanding that was so important that you felt others needed to know? Even if they didn’t want to hear? If you are like me, you might have tried to appeal to curiosity or logic, but if they don’t want to hear, you can’t make them hear. No matter what the importance. Many of us have experienced this over the years.
But recently I had an unexpectedly different experience. I wanted to share information that I felt was important, but I knew the person I was with did not want to hear it. I knew this so I tried a new tactic.
Instead of being oppositional, I refrained from commenting for quite some time and listened. This created an energetic vacuum that the other party in the relationship could feel, which eventually inspired them to be curious and ask questions of me, rather than be triggered and defensive by what I might have said.
It requires a certain level of personal growth to be able to move through any triggers and refrain from commenting. It also requires a certain level of personal growth to be curious about something you recently opposed. Maybe that is the point.
Stacy Cossey Priest River
The Evergreed State
Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson has just signed Washington’s two-year state budget, marking the largest tax increase in state history.
Despite previous promises to cut waste and pursue a balanced approach without relying on major tax hikes, the governor opted to raise taxes by $12.5 billion, along with numerous hidden fees — rubber-stamping a bloated budget packed with: * Business & Occupation Tax Increase * Nicotine Product Tax * Property Tax Increases * Tesla Tax * Sales Tax Expansion * Gas & Diesel Tax Hike * Estate & Capital Gains Tax Increases An alternative Republican budget was proposed — one that increased key government programs while balancing the books without raising taxes. But rather than considering this approach, the governor chose not to risk his political capital by supporting it.
While he did veto $25 million from the budget, in the grand scheme of a $80 billion two-year plan, this cut is barely a drop in the bucket.
We, the people of Washington, deserve better. We deserve leaders who keep their word. We deserve to be treated as more than just cash machines.
Perhaps it’s time for a new state nickname: The Democrat-Controlled State of Washington — The Evergreed State!
Ernie Hood Newport
Art Laffer
In the late 1960s, Laffer developed an economic graph comparing Corp. Tax rates to production. It came to be known as the Laffer curve. It measured tax rates from zero to 100 and compared them to productivity. Obviously a zero rate would produce little supply and 100 would produce nothing. It showed that tax rates over 25% cut into production. Rates between 25 and 15% seem optimal. Rates too high = too little production.
When Ford became President, he thought the way to bolster the economy was to raise taxes and give the money to bureaucrats to spend on programs. Inflation ensued and prices shot up and supply went down. He was replaced by Carter. Carter didn’t change course and we know how that ended up.
Laffer and Reagan met in the mid-1970s. Reagan liked Art’s theory and implemented it. He lowered the tax rate and production shot up. The economy boomed for eight years.
Trump met Reagan in the mid- to later-1980s. Trump is implementing Laffer’s model. The difference between Reagan and Trump is that Trump’s negotiating abilities are far superior to Reagans. I expect our economy to be booming by year end. Don, the dealmaker.
Glen Pierce Spokane/Cusick
Big Beautiful?
Big Beautiful Bill: Tax cuts for the wealthy few. Healthcare cuts for the many. This bill will increase our deficit $3.8 trillion over the next 10 years. It will slash social safety net programs by $1 trillion including $700 billion to Medicare/Medicaid. It will strip medical coverage for about 15 million people. The SNAP program will receive cuts of approximately $267 billion. All of this information is from the Congressional Budget Office.
Big Beautiful Plane: This plane is NOT free. Just sitting on the ground, it costs the taxpayer dollars. Best estimate it will cost up to $1 billion to retrofit and meet security standards. Yes, the plane has been transferred to the military. Taxpayers fund the military.
Big Beautiful for whom? Congressman Baumgartner voted YES for the Big Beautiful Bill.
Robert W. Schutte Newport
Work or suffer
If your concern is legal immigration to the USA, who do you want to come here legally? How about a bunch of white South Africans? Perhaps some super rich people you would like to work for and serve. My heritage is a coal-mining grandfather who was in two mine explosions, lost a leg in a mining accident and I watched die of Black Lung at age 62. His two sons would have joined him in an early death, but serving in WWII broke the mining cycle.
Looking at your heritage, who would have replaced my willing Polish grandpa in the coal mine? If Trump was president in 1912 instead of William Howard Taft, he would have prevented my grandfather from immigrating to the USA. Perhaps your American- born grandpa would have worked and died in the coal mines in his place.
Looking at our zero- birth rate, who is going to replace the deported immigrants? Certainly not Trump’s white South Africans. The Republican plan is to force poor people to replace illegal immigrants by ending social welfare programs like food stamps, Medicaid, public education and housing. Work or suffer is the path to MAGA. The forced labor camps are coming.
Pete Scobby Newport
Baumgartner full of lies
Does Michael Baumgartner think I’m stupid? Does he want me to think he’s stupid? Neither of us is, but the newsletter he sent Friday (which I never consented to receive) about his vote FOR this horrible bill, is full of gaslighting lies.
He crows about making Trump’s tax cuts permanent, for the rich. The rest of us will see our taxes increase. A lot. In the past 45 years, $50 trillion dollars have moved from bottom to top earners. Analysis says if enacted, this bill would be largest tax increase in history for the 99%.
He talks about border funding but does not acknowledge Sen. Lankford, Republican Senate negotiator for that bill, admitted the Immigration bill negotiated under Biden — that TRUMP TANKED — would be better for border security than what is happening now.
And he conveniently ignores completely the BILLION-dollar cuts to Medicaid that will eviscerate our local healthcare system, necessitate cuts to Medicare and the cuts to SNAP and USDA small farm subsidies. I don’t have enough words to highlight the other MANY poison pills for our democracy in this bill. Even fellow Washington state republican representatives’ pleas would not stop his vote.
His pride at selling out his constituents is appalling. A bill passed in the dead of night is nothing to be proud of.
Lisa Wolfe Kettle Falls
