What have we learned?

What have we learned since the 2020 election? No matter how ill-founded the lie, if continually repeated for two years--the Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen--many people will believe it.

Repeating lies has been utilized, sometimes successfully, by presidential candidates before. But previously it’s been used before election, not continually repeated for two years thereafter, never to subvert our democracy, and terminated with electoral results accepted.

Besides promoting the Big Lie, Cathy McMorris Rodgers has successfully used repeated lying to remain in office for many years. She’s continually told constituents she’s representing them while voting against them on countless issues, as well documented by numerous Spokesman-Review letters. The only people she’s delivering for are her campaign contributors; of the approximately 800 nation-wide US House candidates in 2022 she was easily the top recipient of Political Action Committee (PAC) donations (Seattle Times, 11/20/22)--plenty to help fund MAGA colleagues’ campaigns.

Bob McCaslin, election-denier she endorsed for Spokane County Auditor, was one of a nation-wide effort to install election officials to overturn elections for MAGA candidates. He opposed certifying his loss, but was over-ruled by the nonpartisan Canvassing Board. Then he paid for an obviously futile hand recount of only 2,398 votes, needing to gain 1,183. Maybe he hoped any recount conducted would promote public distrust of election results. Zero votes were changed.

Clearly, McCaslin would be a threat to our democracy if he won and his endorser, McMorris Rodgers, is a threat until she loses.

Norm Luther

Spokane, WA