Carbon tax doesn’t have to be burdensome + Deadly Hwy 395 intersection needs fix | Opinion

Share windfall of carbon tax equally

The CEO of the American Petroleum Institute has doubled down on the need for yet more oil and gas from American sources to sustain energy security (Tri-City Herald, 10/22, ‘Middle East crisis may disrupt oil supply, raise price of gas’). This is an argument for the status quo that would further accelerate the looming climate crisis.

Energy security will be better found by taking the actions necessary to remove our dependence on volatile fossil fuel energy markets, prone as they are to global geopolitical disruptions. An excellent step in this direction would be the adoption of national, revenue-neutral, carbon fee and dividend legislation. This would help to mitigate climate issues and gradually reduce our dependence on fossil fuel energy sources. Importantly, all of the proceeds from the carbon fees would be returned to citizens in equal share, more than offsetting any increased gas and energy prices for most people.

Interestingly, an editorial by April Connors in the same edition makes a similar point, albeit in a bit different context. She argues that funds from the carbon tax in Washington state’s Carbon Commitment Act should be used to provide financial relief with payments directly to families.

Dennis Finn, Pasco

Dems had role in ousting speaker

The U.S. House of Representatives is now back in business after a three-week shutdown, due to the lack of a speaker. Media accounts have tended to place the blame for the shutdown on the Republican representatives; in a way, that is true because a few of them did initiate the effort to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

However, the Democratic representatives are far from blameless; 208 of them joined eight Republicans in voting to vacate the office, while no Democrats and 210 Republicans voted against that action. If only 4 Democrats had voted against the action (or if 7 of them had just not voted), McCarthy would not have been removed from that position — and there would have been no shutdown.

John L. Swanson, Richland

FDA fall short on limits on vaping

The Food and Drug Administration has fallen short in enforcing regulations against illegal vapes, putting our youth at continued risk. In 2020, the FDA issued guidelines that banned flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarettes, a step toward curbing the youth vaping epidemic. However, excluding disposable products has created a regulatory loophole.

Per the CDC, nearly 95% of disposable e-cigarettes are flavored, and more than half of young e-cigarette users prefer disposable options. These products often hail from unregulated producers, who employ ingredients containing dangerous drugs and carcinogens. While the FDA has issued letters to vape manufacturers, more than 50% of the products mentioned in these warnings remain on the market.

Fines imposed on vaping manufacturers this year excluded major brands favored by young people, like Puff Bars. With over eight million Premarket Tobacco Product Applications submitted, only 23 electronic cigarette devices and nicotine e-liquids have received approval, all of which are tobacco-flavored. Given this, the vast majority of flavored disposable products, appealing to underage smokers, are being illegally sold across the state.The FDA must close these regulatory gaps and get illegal vaping products off the market. And if the FDA doesn’t do its job, Congress must step up.

Corey Wallace, Richland

Letter recalls old, discredited ideals

In his Letter to the Editor of Oct. 22, Bill Petrie tells us the barbaric terrorist attacks by Hamas in Israel were a bad thing we should mourn.

In these attacks, hundreds of innocent civilians were brutally murdered. He then rationalizes the atrocities as inevitable, invoking an article in Jacobin magazine.

What is Jacobin magazine about? Jacobin calls itself a “leading voice of the left, offering a socialist perspective on politics, economics, and culture.”

Its name calls back to the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804 – punctuated by the 1804 massacre of the white population. The revolutionaries were sometimes called Black Jacobins, referring in turn to the Jacobins of the French Revolution. In the Reign of Terror, the Jacobins murdered 17,000 human beings they hated.

Throughout the world we hear the chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and “There is one solution.” The “river to the sea” means all Israel from the Jordan to the Mediterranean will be free … of Jews. And where have we heard before about a “solution” to the Jewish problem?

David H. Brown, Richland

High-speed intersections unsafe

U.S. 395 at Crestloch, and at adjacent intersections, has a speed limit of 70 mph. This is the same as I-82, a similar divided highway. But, while I-82 has full grade-separated interchanges, Highway 395 relies only on stop signs and driver judgment to control the cross traffic. At 70 mph, a vehicle on 395 travels 102 feet in a second, or the length of a football field in three seconds. This is not a safe situation, as is borne out by the fatalities at that location.

An obvious and low-cost solution would be to lower the 70-mph speed limit significantly in this entire stretch of Highway 395, thus affording motorists more time to react to traffic. A more costly but very effective solution would be to signalize those intersections, which would have a somewhat greater impact on 395 travel times.

U.S. 395 needs to be improved before someone else gets killed.

Kip Coulter, West Richland

Veterans entitled to support

A donation request letter was received from the respected charity “Wounded Worrier Project.” The organization was requesting funds to support America’s most severely wounded veterans and their families. Ironically, that same day, President Biden said, in a press conference to the American people, that he will request an “additional” $100 billion to mainly support the governments of Ukraine and Israel to war with their respective enemies.

The fact that the U.S. is over $29 trillion in debt, should serve notice that changes in spending priorities are needed. So, where is federal priority spending for veterans, the homeless, reparations for slavery, infra-structure improvements, and social security? There is truth in the statement “America First,” when it comes to charitable and deficit spending. The freedoms that Americans enjoy are due to the service of our military. Thus, for disabled veterans to require charity to adequately care for their medical and family’s needs is by default betrayal, if not treason. Wounded warriors have earned government security, not charity.

Dallas Barnes, Pasco

Give a helping hand

I have noticed quite a few homeless people entering Richland Public Library to seek shelter during the day. The city of Richland, coordinating with area charities, should provide services to help these individuals at a dedicated location. The chosen site should contain a small self-service laundromat, showers, a clothing bank, and a place for them to eat a healthy meal. Social workers and psychologists should provide evaluations and referrals for services and housing. This brings to mind the saying “there but for the grace of God go I.” Everyone at some time in their life needs a helping hand.

Amy Small, Richland.

Stop adolescent drug use

Adolescent drug use is not discussed much in our community, and there is no clear method in place in which we can provide our youth with the resources they deserve to receive help and guidance. Drug use affects everyone in the community no matter the age and will continue to be prevalent until the community decides it is time to address the problem.

The only way to efficiently tackle the issue is to have the community recognize it and take action to better help the adolescent age group. Having school counselors trained to handle these types of situations and speak with students would be the first step towards providing guidance. The only way for this to work is to promise there would be no repercussions for coming forward. We need to create an environment with the sole purpose of helping and providing resources.

Jason Castillo, Kennewick