Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Obama's Jobs Act is NOT Class Warfare

If the Republicans claim that the American Jobs Act is class warfare on the very wealthy, then the Democrats can say that failing to pass it is class warfare on the millions of jobless people who are suffering. These neighbors, friends and family members can't wait while the aforementioned politicians try to protect the very wealthy who should pay their fair share in taxes.

Many very wealthy citizens, some of whom are Washington, D.C. politicians (some are Democrats and some are Republicans), are in favor of paying more in taxes.

Some of the Republicans want to cut badly needed programs for the middle class, poor and seniors to protect billionaires. President Obama and the Democrats want to tax billionaires to create jobs, while still reducing the deficit. At the center of this jobs bill is the Buffet Rule, named after Warren Buffet, one of the very wealthy who want to pay more in taxes.

We must not allow party politics to prevent us from helping so many of our fellow citizens who desperately need our help. Congress needs to pass this jobs bill which will put people back to work rebuilding our bridges, roads, schools and other vital infrastructure.

Please call Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (202- 225-2006) and encourage her to pass the jobs legislation now. You may also join a local group that meets in front of her office every Friday at noon.

Pamela K. Elliott

Walla Walla

To the Editor:

I just read your Editorial on the bicyclist's on Middle Waitsburg Road & have a comment or two:

As someone who uses Middle Waitsburg every day to go to & from work, I have run upon bicyclists quite a bit. What they need to understand is WE LIVE HERE. If they were at home and trying to get to work and a combine or tractor was clogging up I-5, what do you think they would do?

We who are from herehellip; may make more allowances for the combines, tractors and slow moving farm equipment because first of all, this is someone's livelihood, they are doing their job! Also, this is still a "farming community," like it or not. And lastly, I always get a smile and a (friendly) wave from the farmers as you go by, as they pull off when they can to let you pass. (I used to commute through downtown Portland every day for two hours to work and two hours home, so the delay of some farm equipment being roaded to another field is little annoyance after 20 years of PDX traffic!)

The issue I have found with "some" of the visitors with the bicycles is their manners! Some of them have little to none. When riding four across and not moving or making any accommodations for auto traffic, it gets really frustrating. So, maybe if when they come to town they could have a quick "Miss Manners Minute" with a local or two and learn to treat the folks that live here with the respect we are due, and remember after all they are "guests" in our town!

Dana Moon Waitsburg