LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Who does Bentz represent?; Trump and logging

Published 7:20 am Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Rep. Bentz appears to have a constituency of one

Who does Cliff Bentz represent? Small timber operators? Nope. He voted to let the big guys tie up the forests for 20 years. Sick people? Sorry, the Medicaid cuts he voted for may cause 200,000 of us to lose coverage. Rural hospitals are headed for bankruptcy.

Well, then, what about the rural folks who depend on accurate weather and fair reporting from public broadcasting. On your own, suckers.

Surely the cattle ranchers and grain growers in Eastern Oregon —t hey like Bentz, right? Not exactly. Trump’s tariff roulette may ruin their markets.

What about the crushing $3 trillion-dollar debt he endorsed so billionaires could pay less tax. Hey, he will be gone, and our children can deal with it.
My opinion? Bentz has a constituency of one and that guy doesn’t even live in Oregon. His name is Donald Trump.

John Frohnmayer / Medford

Trump’s big bill calls for much more logging

The U S National Forests were established in 1905 under the Department of Agriculture “to provide a sustainable supply of timber.” The proposed 8% increase in timber production allows the U.S. Forest Service to meet its production target, which it has fallen short of for several decades.

More timber means more taxes funding public schools, forestry research, firefighting capacity, and more desperately needed housing. 20-year contracts, versus 3 to 4 years, takes fewer USDA personnel to manage, while allowing timber corporations long-term financial stability to invest in roads, equipment, and provide long-term good jobs. It also promotes the long-term sustainable management of our National Forests for re-growth and wildfire planning.

With a master’s degree from Michigan’s School of Environment and Sustainability, I believe everything about this federal law is positive as opposed to the negative spin conveyed in this article (RVT print edition, Page A5, Saturday, July 19).

Barry Thalden / Ashland