Letters to the editor, March 15, 2019

President’s lies; renewable energy

Lies

10,000 (and counting). According to the facts, that’s how many lies President Donald Trump has communicated as president. Above all else, that will be his legacy. His children have inherited his penchant for lying, and our own children are learning that lying is now “cool.”

Trump calls it “truthful hyperbole.” The media bought into it for more than four decades when he was a real estate tycoon and New York celebrity. Now that he’s president, the mainstream media isn’t so gullible. Too much is at stake.

The very fiber of America is unraveling. Helping ourselves is replacing the long-held belief that we should treat others as we would want to be treated. Many Christians are among Trump’s biggest supporters. His long-lasting influence on the justice system holds them captive.

Teflon Trump may escape the fate of those with whom he has surrounded himself. Thanks to his supporters and the Republicans in Congress, Trump may get another four years as president. Oh, and let’s not forget the tech giants who unwittingly aided Russian President Vladimir Putin in hacking the 2016 election.

I’m hopeful that those inclined to still share God’s gifts with those less fortunate will save America from Trump madness… for us and for future generations.

Millie Vierra

Issaquah

Renewable energy bill is good start

I am happy to see the state Legislature take up a bill (HB1211) to achieve 100-percent renewable energy in our state. This is a great investment in our future, and with the costs of renewables dropping rapidly (something that doesn’t happen with fossil fuels), it makes great economic sense.

Thanks to abundant hydropower, we already have a clean grid, but we can close the gap and demonstrate that it is possible to go 100-percent renewable while maintaining reliability and ultimately lowering costs for consumers. And with lots of Washington companies providing clean energy products and services, we can help drive innovation and economic growth. This is why I am an investor with E8, a group that focuses on early stage clean tech companies.

Free markets are wonderful but imperfect, and the market currently doesn’t account for the long term harms done by fossil fuels, which is something policy can address, and HB1211 is a good start.

Eric Berman

Woodenville