Letters to the Editor, Oct. 13

Seaquist isn’t the best fit for 26th District

Your reasons for endorsing Larry Seaquist over Jesse Young in the 26th House race belie the facts.

Seaquist is no “bulldog independent”— his voting record in the House was 90% with his party.

If Seaquist’s senior-military-officer record counts for part of his qualifications, why doesn’t Young’s experience rising out of poverty to become his high school valedictorian and earn a scholarship to Notre Dame?

It’s hard to see Seaquist as a smart thinker on education when the state Supreme Court declared that the Legislature failed to meet its requirement to fully fund education during his tenure. Over the past two sessions, Young helped pass legislation through both chambers to increase state education funding by $3 billion.

If Seaquist knows no higher priority than fixing K-12, why did he move money that was earmarked for education into an environmental fund?

Seaquist is an ill-mannered campaigner — as a fellow retired senior officer, I found his taking photos of an opponent exiting her car and allowing his supporters to denigrate another opponent’s military record to be conduct unbecoming an officer.

Larry Seaquist has shown that he is not the best fit for the 26th. Jesse Young is.

A little research can provide good insight

I found myself wondering at a letter published in the Sept. 22 issue of The Peninsula Gateway titled “Zoning Changes to be Discussed.” I went on the city of Gig Harbor’s website to see what the agenda was for the City Council Work Study Session with Planning Commission that was scheduled for Oct. 3.

I found nothing there suggesting that “... the further destruction of our small, historic, charming and unique downtown” was on the agenda. It appears to include a status update on Harbor zones and uses and shows the outcome of several listening sessions conducted by a Planning Commission subcommittee.

There is an attachment encapsulating the comments received from the public during these sessions. (I am not clear on why Ms. Jeni Woock says the public was “barred” from these meetings.) It also shows the minutes from the May 19 Planning Commission Open House as well as those from the Aug. 29 Planning and Building Committee meeting. My take was that the primary areas of concern regard traffic and infrastructure, based on what the public had to say and that the Council intends to pursue those issues into 2017.

I also called the city of Gig Harbor Planning Department and was advised that there is no proposal to “... eliminate single family zoning in all of downtown,” contrary to Woock’s contention.

A little research at the source gave me some good insight into the issues. It is our right and privilege to express our opinions. Having passion for our concerns is laudable. But, just give me the facts, man, just give me the facts!

Republican leadership enables continuing sexism

How many more women will surrender their dignity (to the point of mental instability, maiming, and loss of life) at the hands of their loved ones/ family members/ protectors/ bosses before the Republican Party categorically repudiates Trump’s implied and overt demeaning of women?

We didn’t need the latest tape of Trump’s nasty language to tell us his campaign has encouraged the mistreatment of women. This tape is not just about “locker room” hilarity. Men of Trump’s ilk, those “deplorable” supporters rightly called out by Clinton, have celebrated his very public sexist attitude. Abusers, like former FOX News chairman Roger Ailes, have felt vindicated.

A personal apology will not suffice. Pointing fingers will not do. Presidential leadership needs to acknowledge this national disgrace: Name it and work to eradicate it.

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor, Oct. 13."