Editor Bob Schober

The last election, and Trump’s cabinet nominees, promise wide-scale attacks on the many social and environmental programs and values that many of us have supported over decades. And even though many of these programs, including environmental protection, minority justice, universal healthcare, and public education had enormous room for improvement, all signs point to widespread undermining, if not outright attempts of elimination of all progress made in past decades.

We can’t let that happen.

So, we of the Watch are inaugurating this new, special section — WATCH OUT!! — that periodically will shine light on particular issues under discussion and at risk in Congress that will affect all of us in Whatcom County. It is no secret that the Affordable Care Act, long the bete noir of the Republicans, will be first on the scaffold, and we all need to understand what that will mean for many here in need of affordable medical coverage.
Also at risk could be President Obama’s executive actions mandating clean air rules for power plants. Then there’s the GOP platform calling for public lands to be turned over to the states. And recently, and astonishingly, there’s been talk of privatizing Native American reservation lands to provide access for more oil drilling and mining. And every day some new and previously unimaginable threat.

It is our goal to provide the facts and legitimate sources for you to access information and to express your opinion to those in power.

If you have something to say, let us be your platform! Please submit articles or ideas with outlines to me at editor@whatcomwatch.org.

Also, please consider subscribing, if you don’t already, and enjoy the convenience of at-home delivery. If you already subscribe, please increase your support with a gift. We barely cover our current overhead despite the fact that almost all writing and editing is done by volunteers or individuals who receive mere token sums for their efforts. Our costs are so low, any gift of any amount makes a tremendous difference to us. For your convenience, you can subscribe or contribute online (a check would be appreciated because Whatcom Watch receives the entire amount, PayPal charges six percent for processing) at http://whatcomwatch.org/index.php/subscribe/, and thank you!