Regarding Pacific County Commissioners’ admonition to our “Constitutional Sheriff” to “lawyer up, our duty is to protect taxpayers (and ourselves) from liability” — the mirror shines brightly.

Let us be brutally clear: the soporific practice of MAGA-dom lies simply in the joys of “I can do anything I want, the rules don’t apply to me.”

Strangely, in the near past, officeholders and citizens recognized a normal duty to serve the public’s interest in a rule-based society. I do suggest they take their own advice: at least protect themselves from liability.

War-zone summer ignitions encouraged by the commission “for freedom” under the stated policy of “hoping it rains all June” will absolutely someday be a Waterloo. A class action lawsuit by Pacific County homeowners due to insurance companies rating us at greater fire risk — causing skyrocketing rates or cancellations, as happens in other areas — is an eventual certainty.

I dearly hope we escape the fate of summers decades ago when Bandon, Oregon burned to the ground and fire nearly torched Lincoln City. Most horrifically, we see what can happen after wind-driven fires devastated the Hawaiian seaside town of Lahaina.

Would the commission indeed consider lining up their own lawyer? Or instead, will county leaders finally actually be responsible?

JAMES TONGUE

Seaview