As Washington State Chairman of the Republican Party we naturally turn to state Rep. Jim Walsh of Aberdeen for answers to questions and concerns relating to his party’s activities — particularly questions regarding President Elon Musk and his enabler King Donald J. Trump who was enthroned Jan. 6 of this year.

Back in 1965 Lyndon Johnson officially signed a law leading to creation of Medicare and Medicaid. His signature expanded medical benefits for millions of U.S. citizens. And way back in 1935 President Franklin Roosevelt helped needy seniors and working families by launching the Social Security Act.

Today nearly 80% of Americans support both of these social programs — opposing Republicans who support cutting these critical national benefits in order to support tax cuts for the wealthy. Rep. Walsh, are you one of these Republicans willing to slash programs your fellow Americans have relied on for decades? Or are you willing to stand tall against King Donald?

Are you and your fellow royal right-wingers serious about properly funding our government? If so why are you all committed to making it easier for the rich to evade their taxes. Check the math — for every one dollar IRS invests auditing the top one percent it typically collects $13. So Rep. Walsh, terminating 7,000 IRS employees (especially during our current tax season) simply makes it easier for King Donald and his wealthy lackeys to avoid their fair share.

King Donald’s history of filing for bankruptcy multiple times should give us reason to seriously question his so-called expertise in matters of financial management. Here I’m referring to the King’s tariff actions. Rep. Walsh, why have you not publicly challenged your King on this critical issue?

But for now let’s focus on Social Security. Apparently, Rep. Walsh, your King Donald’s version of “Make America Great” involves scrapping free phone service that 73 million Americans (mostly seniors) have for years used for handy access to Social Security. The phone is critical to Twin-Harbors elderly who cannot make it to a SSA regional field office. Rep. Walsh, do you support King Donald’s reduction in SSA’s regional field offices along with substantially less access to phone service?

Rep. Walsh, are you comfortable neglecting millions of seniors who dutifully paid into Social Security throughout their working careers — expecting a reasonable return on this required investment during their retirement? Why have you not challenged King Donald regarding this critical issue?

As you know King Donald has made Social Security officials less available. Why have you not argued publicly in favor of easier access for elderly and disabled to receive their Social Security benefits? These benefits are the largest source of income keeping at least 22 million Americans out of poverty. Rep. Walsh, your silence speaks volumes.

Also your voters are owed explanations relative to changing access to Medicare and Medicaid. Rep. Walsh, how do you live with yourself knowing that your fellow supporters of King Donald endorsed House Republicans who voted to gut Medicaid and food stamp programs for the poor in order to facilitate tax cuts for America’s richest 1%?

And how about Medicaid specifically, Rep. Walsh? You have yet to challenge King Donald’s threat to Medicaid which is our nation’s single largest health insurance program. By not pushing your King away from weakening or even dismantling Medicaid you’re ignoring nearly 80 million children and adults. This includes pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities and most significantly kids now covered by Medicaid and CHIP.

But you and King Donald probably don’t care since nearly half of this nation’s prenatal care and births are funded by Medicaid. And it’s Medicaid that provides primary funding for long-term services to those needing health and nursing home care. But of course, you and King Donald don’t give a damn that one in five Americans depends on Medicaid/CHIP to see a medical doctor.

Can we agree that only lunatics would ever be this insensitive to medical needs as you and King Donald have proven? And this is without our focus on King Donald’s cutting 70,000 staffers serving this nation’s veterans. Shame on you, Rep. Jim Walsh. And by the way, you and King Donald need to quit pretending racism is patriotic.

Dave Gauger is a past president of Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA), and a former newspaper publisher and radio broadcaster in Raymond.