While I would like to hang up my phone and put down my pen and just wait for the U.S. to heal by itself, I just can’t sit idle. Participation in the direction of our nation is the basis on which our country was founded. We all recognize the phrase “No taxation without representation.” What concerns me more and more is the concept of “representation.” It used to be that we would elect representatives who represented us, their constituents. But ever since the Supreme Court upheld Citizens United, Representative Dan Newhouse and his colleagues listen to corporations and big money interests from outside Washington state.

Newhouse no longer spends any time on concerns of our District 4 that stretches from the Canadian border down to the Tri-Cities, as far east as Nespelem and Washburn in the south to Yakima, Quincy, Waterville, and Winthrop on the western edge.

Case in point: Washington state has no oil, gas or coal mining, yet Newhouse is co-sponsor of two pieces of legislation, one that protects mining practices that violate federal law, HHR 38, and another, HJR 36, that reverses laws that reduce wasteful oil and natural gas mining on federal and tribal lands.

We may not like regulations, but the real question is, why is this legislation of such concern to Newhouse that he spends time and staff energy and our money on bills that do not relate to our state and district needs?

The answer? In 2014, 62 percent of Newhouse contributions came from within District 4. In 2016 only 26 percent came from within his district. I hazard to guess that out-of-state contributors with no concern for WA state voter issues want Newhouse to support their mining and oil and gas legislation for their personal and financial benefit.

We need a new representation in Washington D.C. to work for our district and state on issues that affect our lives and livelihood, don’t you think?

Gay Northrup