U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, has sent out a survey form requesting input on what she describes as the top 10 important issues we need to address. While I appreciate her interest in what we think, I’m saddened to see that the most important issues we Americans, and all of humanity faces, was left off the list. That is, taking care of our environment.
As a physician who sees many patients suffering from allergies, immune responses to toxins, dietary deficiencies from over-processed and altered food sources, obesity, lack of preventive medicine and a populace that has difficulty accessing local, fresh and nutritional foods, I feel that all the other issues she mentioned, e.g. job creation, deficit, Social Security, Medicare, gun control, balancing the budget, Columbia River Bridge, illegal immigration, with the exception of health care, should take second place to protecting our environment and supporting access to healthy nutrition, clean air and water.
Hopefully, when and if Rep. Herrera Beutler decides to raise a family, she will think further into the future and help protect the lives of our children and grandchildren.
Kelvin Lindgren
Vancouver
