Of Screeds and Health Care

This week’s online letters respond to local tempests and national concerns 

CONTE LETTER COMPLAINTS

Anya Dobrowolski et al.’s bizarre screed against Paul Conte and the Jefferson Westside Neighbors (“Conte Will Stop at Nothing,” Letters, June 1) is simply gaslighting and fit pitching over their failure to take control of the Jefferson Westside Neighbors Executive Board.

Jacob Trewe attended four board meetings as we struggled to recruit candidates, stated he was not interested in running, and concealed his cadre’s intentions to run. We gladly accepted his offer to make our meetings hybrid. However, his real intent was to enable a coup by packing Zoom with supporters and surprising neighbors with last-minute floor nominations.

The group’s plan was to make it appear the previously announced candidates were unopposed and thus suppress turnout. The plot was exposed, and the group was soundly defeated. Only Dobrowolski won her board position — narrowly — but then startlingly withdrew. Furious, they lashed out with demeaning age-ist comments, Dobrowolski whining “the olds prevail.” One nominee was asked to step aside for a “younger” candidate.

In facilitating Zoom, Trewe prioritized his supporters’ questions. He later attempted to extort future technical support by demanding apologies from Conte and me. Conte, on Zoom, had asked Jacob Trewe to have his spouse sit down when she exceeded her allotted time. My “offense” remains unclear.

The idea that Conte has some magic power to use “Jefferson Westside Neighbors as his platform, indoctrinating well-intentioned neighbors” is tragically patronizing and reminiscent of Trumpist complaints about “woke” teachers and media indoctrinating youth. Ironically, this group of so-called, and not very democratic, socialists have more in common with MAGA and their tactics than Conte.

Ted M. Coopman

Eugene

IF ONLY WE HAD A REAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Do you have health insurance through your employer? How often does that insurance change? Do you buy insurance through ObamaCare? How often do you have to choose a carrier and sign up? How often does your eligibility change? Gets tiresome, doesn’t it?

Meanwhile, Oregonians on Medicaid are trying to figure out if they still have that insurance. Now that the COVID emergency is over, they have questions about new eligibility requirements. 

If only there were health care that lasted a lifetime.

Jo Alexander

Corvallis