I really do appreciate the work the Kirkland Reporter is doing to provide us with in-depth stories on local news. What I can’t understand is why, week after week, you publish the thoroughly irrational letters of Robert Styles.

Excerpts of his letter published Sept. 23: “Government (should) put citizens first.” “Government should not put their special interest ahead of ours.” “We don’t need to progress into irresponsibility only to have someone who was elected do it for us. We need to represent ourselves.”

Government 101 to Mr. Styles: “Government” is made of citizens! In the U.S., we govern ourselves! What “special interest” do government officials have, other than getting re-elected? The special interests of corporate elites, or lawyers, or neighborhood activists, or home builders, who – hello? – are also citizens. If they don’t represent enough voters, why do we keep electing them? Here’s an idea: let’s do away with elected officials altogether, and we citizens can vote on every single decision.

Name me one public works project that is not a “special interest?” What citizens are not part of a “special interest?” Citizens who only care about having fewer laws and lower taxes?

It’s hard to believe the Kirkland Reporter receives so few letters that they have to keep printing nonsense from Robert Styles every week.

Mike Stanger, Kirkland