Still think Trump won? You should be enlightened by a wider variety of news sources | Opinion

Seek variety in news sources

A March 2023 CNN poll found that only 37% of Republicans believe Democrat Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. This demonstrates Republican propaganda continues to overwhelm abundant evidence to the contrary.

Republican leaders have stood in the way of the peaceful transfer of power, a crucial hallmark of democracy. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, did stand against the Jan. 6 insurrection but hasn’t meaningfully supported justice in this since. Faint praise indeed. More Republican propaganda asserts that Biden has, for political purposes, controlled the legal process against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. How?

The most compelling witnesses aligned against the former president are his appointees and closest advisers. Court cases intended to disenfranchise millions of voters were rejected by some 60 Republican-appointed judges.

All can justifiably mock Republicans’ callow rallying cry of “we the people.” Trump didn’t even win the popular vote.

Elected offices reached through campaign propaganda are nefarious on their face. All voters should take in a variety of news sources.

Voters must be informed by factual evidence if we are to lift our fragile democracy away from its current path toward despotism. Your vote can better our nation for yourself, your family and your neighbors. Believe that. That’s democracy.

Ivar Husa, Richland

Will coffee, marijuana be sold together?

If marijuana was legal at the federal level, Starbucks could carry and sell pot with coffee drinks. The farms that supply cannabis could be diverse and both grown inside and outside as well as in numerous strains. The value of the stock could grow and become quite a bit more valuable than ever before.

The implications are huge and even airports could sell cannabis and coffee, as my friends call “speedballing,” the mix of stimulant and depressant like coffee and pot, which go very well together.

I hope to see pot and coffee sold at Starbucks someday.

Eric Kalia, Richland

NPR/Marist poll gave false choices

On Aug. 3, the Tri-City Herald reported the results of an NPR/Marist poll pitting the economy against climate change. Those polled had to choose which was a higher priority, a healthy economy or a stable climate.

That is a false choice. We know that most climate change solutions are good for both the climate and the economy. Although many solutions, such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, wind turbines and solar panels, cost more upfront than carbon-intensive alternatives, they cost much less to operate and hence are cheaper over their lifetime. In addition to reducing the impacts of climate change, they also improve human health and longevity.

My friend Craig Brown would be the first to say that wind and solar power are not universally reliable electricity sources. That is why competitive nuclear power is also needed, as well as storage methods that are cheaper than batteries, such as pumped hydro, salt thermal energy storage or clean hydrogen. We can do this.

The Inflation Reduction Act subsidizes these climate solutions because the market isn’t accounting for the cost of climate impacts of fossil fuels. Do your part by using IRA rebates to purchase an electric vehicle and a heat pump.

Steve Ghan, Richland

Our firefighters deserve thanks

I just wanted to say thank you to all our local firefighters. With the recent fire in Maui, and a couple of fires that have been pretty nearby to where I live this summer, it seems like our firefighters’ response has been great, and I really appreciate it. Thank you, guys and gals.

Ryan Blanchard, Benton City