Questions on Panesko’s Views Unanswered
To the editor:
Wow! When a Republican gets attacked in this county, it’s The Chronicle to the rescue.
First, The Chronicle wrote a glowing editorial about John Panesko’s efforts to help put up a memorial to eight girls killed in a flash fire at a dynamite factory. And then Panesko got to write a commentary glorifying his efforts. But in neither case, was it explained why it took Panesko 16 years to become so righteous.
I think Panesko explained it best when he wrote about buying the cemetery, “... we’ve been blessed many times over for doing it.” Well, I guess not having to pay property taxes on his mansion up on the hill is certainly quite a blessing. He even bragged to his radio listeners that he “was very good at finding loopholes in the law and taking advantage of them.”
And in neither The Chronicle’s editorial nor Panesko’s commentary did they address the issues of Panesko’s hatred of the very child labor laws, government regulations and union safety rules that could have saved those young girls’ lives.
But we’re supposed to forget about the 16-year time lapse and the lack of oversight that led up to that tragedy.
So what’s next for Panesko? His own column in The Chronicle? That would never work. Panesko can’t stand criticism, and as long as The Chronicle allows me to write letters to the editor, he would never get away with all the wacky stuff he puts out on the radio. You know, he banned me from calling his talk show because he can’t beat me in a debate.
But the larger issue is, where is the Lewis County Democratic Central Committee? Panesko can’t ban everybody who disagrees with him. Why do they give Panesko 30 minutes a day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year, to spew all his right-wing, anti-government propaganda?
For example, we all know Panesko hates unions. Vice chairman Brian Dow is some kind of a big union man. Ever hear of him?
Former chairman Bob Guenther is president of the Thurston-Lewis-Mason Counties Labor Council and former president of the IBEW Local 77. Why doesn’t he ever call in to defend unions? Why don’t Guenther and Dow organize others to call in and defend unions?
The Lewis County Democratic Central Committee, chaired by Sharon White, is the most pathetic excuse for a political organization I have ever seen. White demonstrates absolutely no leadership skills whatsoever. She is more incompetent than former chairmen Guenther, Deanna Zieski, Jan Nontell and Bob Schroeter put together.
At a typical meeting of the Lewis County Democratic Central Committee, most of the time is spent planning the next meeting. Everybody gets out their calendars. A calendar to the members of the Central Committee is as important to them as the pocket Constitution is to the Tea Partyers.
The Tea Party is nuts, but the Lewis County Democratic Central Committee is delusional. White should resign and lock the doors behind her. Nobody would notice the difference.
Chuck Haunreiter
Chehalis
Make Out-of-State Drivers Pay to Use Roads
To the editor:
Instead of raising the gas tax, putting tolls on roads and making taxpaying drivers pay more to drive the public roads, why not make out-of-state drivers pay to use our Washington roads?
They could buy a one-day, three-day, one-week or even a month usage permit like big trucks from out of state have to pay to use our highways when they cross the state lines. Why not others? I would gladly pay to drive out of state if it kept the gas and other money collecting methods down, like tolls.
We already pay enough to use our roads, make the ones that don’t pay, pay their share by buying out-of-state permits. This would bring in a lot of revenue for our roads. How often do you see an out-of-state plate? Remember, they didn’t pay a cent to drive here unless they happened to buy gas here.
Mike Mulford
Chehalis
Lawmakers Silent
To the editor:
We have attempted numerous times to contact our representatives in Washington, D.C., Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler via the Internet. The only site we were able to connect to was Cantwell’s request for campaign donations.
All we wanted to ask them was a quite simple question. We have heard that if the debt limit is not increased then those on Social Security will not receive checks in August. We just wanted to know it this was true or not. If it was true, would they still be receiving their paychecks? If they are, how do they live with themselves knowing there are seniors out here who live from month to month relying on those checks. Do they really care?
J.E. & R.J. Howe
Chehalis
