We are rapidly approaching the time to make a huge decision about the future of our country. On the national level we have the president, Sen. Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. The decision for president is most likely between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
This will be difficult.
President Biden brought us extreme inflation, high unemployment and an administration pushing the low carbon footprint by attempting to ban natural gas and gasoline. His push on electric vehicles (EVs) is very questionable since he claims a low carbon footprint while ignoring the fact that EVs actually have a higher carbon footprint than gas and diesel vehicles. Because of the much greater weight, EVs use tires at a much greater rate, as well as suspension wear. Further, the initial cost is considerably higher than gas vehicles, and the battery packs generally have to be replaced at around 60,000 miles at a cost of $20,000 to $40,000. Further, the recycling system for the batteries is extremely limited, and the mining of the rare minerals is extremely environmentally damaging. Further, the transportation and charging are heavily reliant on fossil fuel generation.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s ban on gas appliances has been held unconstitutional by a federal judge, stating that this is an item that Congress must decide, not fiat by a government department. We know what President Biden is doing and wants to continue to do. Is this what we want?
And his policies are being backed by our senators and representative. While President Trump is not anyone’s favorite, there is one thing we all know: He will try to drain the swamp if re-elected. On the local level, we know that Gov. Jay Inslee is not running for re-election, but Attorney General Bob Ferguson has already thrown his hat in the ring.
These are the people that supported the cap and trade tax on gasoline, making our gasoline the most expensive in the country.
They have supported limiting parent rights.
They have supported limitations on police pursuits and other procedures that allow criminals to go free. They have supported anti-gun legislation that has already been declared unconstitutional in other states’ similar legislation, adding to the thousands of gun restriction legislation that have proven totally ineffective in controlling gun violence.
Our state has been controlled by Democrats for years now, and we have high taxes, limitations on police procedures, criminals going free to recommit and businesses and people beginning to leave this state in droves.
We need to carefully study the policies of the upcoming candidates and decide if they are in line with our core values. Do we want to continue along the same path we’ve been going down for four years? Or do we want to change direction and try to turn our country around and make it the greatest country on earth once again?
Bruce Peterson
Centralia
