Reading the June 2 Columbian story “Baird weighs in on local politics,” I can definitely see why Brian Baird “doesn’t approve” of the way Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, conducts her town hall meetings. The way she restricts her meetings with constituents to “telephone town halls” to avoid having to deal with them face to face does a disservice to those she is supposed to serve. And when she referred to those who disagreed with her in said town halls as digital “brownshirts,” well, she obviously holds a large percentage of her constituency in contempt and doesn’t deserve to represent them in Congress. Oh wait. Herrera Beutler didn’t do either of those things. Baird did both of those things.
Please, tell us more, Mr. Baird. I’m sure the writers at The Columbian will faithfully record and transmit every utterance, challenging nothing, while papering over many of the glaring inconsistencies in what you say and what you do.
Patrick Flynn
Vancouver
