I was disappointed by the tone of Tom Greene’s letter (“It’s about time for Rep. Inslee to go,” March 5).

In my opinion, the political atmosphere in our country is becoming increasingly and destructively polarized by name-calling, corrosive cynicism and insulting the motivation of those with whom we disagree.

Mr. Greene called Inslee a “leftist carpetbagger”? Come on. How about “liberal Democrat, born in Seattle and graduated from Ingraham High School,” for crying out loud.

The writer referred to Inslee as a “career politician,” as if that’s a bad thing. Yet he cited Joel Pritchard as a “statesman” and a positive contrast to Inslee.

But hold on. Both Inslee and Pritchard served in our state Legislature – Pritchard four terms, Inslee two. Both men were elected to Congress. Pritchard served seven terms, as has Inslee. After Pritchard retired from Congress he went on to serve two terms as our state’s lieutenant governor. Sounds like Pritchard was a career politician, too, and God bless them both for doing an important and very demanding job.

Mr. Greene may disagree with Inslee’s priorities and take issue with his votes, but he weakens his argument in my eyes by casting aspersions on Inslee’s motivation, saying, “He votes for pork and the publicity he gets when he brings home the bacon.”

I hope people of different political views can debate many issues that face us based on the merits, not by attacking the other person.

Mike McCloud

Manzanita