An ectopic pregnancy means I need IVF. Washington legislators must pass this bill
This wasn't how the story was supposed to go — not after years of waiting to start a more stable career, and after moving cross country to be closer to my family as I started my own. I was not the only one affected by this. My partner, Michael, a disabled Army veteran with two deployments to Iraq also had his dream of starting a family together ripped away.
Right now, our lawmakers are debating this bill, and public comment opens January 21st. While we go back and forth for years on this issue, people like me are running out of time. You may not know me, but one-in-six means that someone you really care about is also running out of time. I guarantee they think about this every single night.
Call your state representative today and ask them to vote yes on HB 1129. We are running out of time.
Maranatha Hay, Hoquiam
Donald Trump becomes the first convicted felon to become president. Day one, he enacts numerous executive orders which are a threat to the Constitution, national security, rule of law, civil rights, environment and public health.
This man represents the Republican Party, who claims to be the party of law and order. He pardons 1,500 individuals, who he invited to Washington on Jan. 6. He incited the insurrection by instructing them to go to the Capitol and 'fight like hell' to stop the peaceful transfer of power. This led to the violent attack that injured over 100 police officers.
Trump's actions to pardon these criminals is a direct attack on the rule of law and the United States judicial system by rewarding criminals by glorifying political violence. Because the Supreme Court granted the president absolute immunity is this an attempt to create a private police force that will obey his illegal instruction, knowing that he will again pardon them?
Do the majority of Republicans in the House and Senate agree with rewarding these criminals? Their silence is deafening.
Steve Golubic, Puyallup
The era of great presidents is gone because money, not the people, now decides elections. Leaders no longer rise on merit or by connecting with voters but through massive funding by corporate interests and the wealthy elite. Campaigns have become billion-dollar spectacles, where the loudest ads and flashiest rallies drown out genuine policy debates.
The Electoral College, once meant to balance power, has turned into a partisan tool, where only swing states matter. Meanwhile, the average voter feels voiceless as super PACs and dark money dominate the political landscape. Policy and leadership have been replaced by obligations to donors, with every decision and bill scrutinized for how they appease those who fund campaigns.
Presidents now emerge as products of a system that rewards money over merit. Their actions often serve the interests of their financial backers rather than the people who elected them. True democracy is eroded when the voices of the majority are drowned out by special interests.
Until campaign finance reform levels the playing field, the idea of a great president — someone who leads with courage, vision, and integrity — will remain a distant memory. America cannot reclaim its democratic ideals when elections are bought and sold to the highest bidder.
Greg Alderete, Steilacoom
The Pierce County Council should appoint Kimber Starr to the District 5 position vacated by Marty Campbell.
Pierce County is facing a myriad of severe problems that are only expected to get worse, especially in the context of the state's budget crisis. As a current District 5 Planning Commissioner and the manager of the Governor's Subcabinet on Business Diversity, Starr has both the experience and the vision to manage these problems.
Throughout her time on the Planning Commission, Starr has been a vocal advocate for responsible development. Her land-use philosophy sufficiently balances environmental conservation—especially of our region's shoreline—with the necessity for strong economic growth. Additionally, having worked on the Community Redevelopment Authority Board, particularly in using her position to promote affordable housing, Starr understands that economic prosperity is something that our county achieves from the bottom up; first by uplifting the poorest among us, and building upward from there.
Pierce County is rapidly changing. To manage that change, the county council needs thoughtful leadership with a proven record of benefiting all residents. Starr is one of those leaders and should be District 5's next county council member.
Marco Rosaire Rossi, Tacoma
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