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Climate catastrophe
is here already
It’s certainly unfortunate that so many countries are missing their pledges to cut emissions, but that’s just half of it.
We have enough CO2 in the atmosphere and heat in the ocean to continue the kinds of damage we’ve seen this past couple of years in California and across the nation.
We already are in a mess that requires we adapt; we better start to live defensively with climate warming as well as cutting emissions.
Jere H. Lipps
Oakland
Desalination would deal
with drought dilemma
The future of California as a livable and agricultural state is at stake if we need to agonize over drought conditions year after year.
We can end this dilemma by building desalination plants in the ocean up and down our state. Why are our representatives in Sacramento not discussing this or putting the need and importance of desalination plants high on their agenda?
Let your representatives know that desalination plants are the answer to the viability of California in the future.
Stan Kaplan
Menlo Park
Feel free to vaccinate
and help stop COVID
Our country allows freedom, provided it is not abused. In a variation of this, why are some obsessed that all their own freedoms be more important than lives of others?
As an engineer, I believe in science, which is clear that the vaccine works. We all even saw for ourselves that the vaccinations were allowing a return to normal. Unfortunately, some who refuse to do their part are forcing a return to the wearing of masks.
Regardless of how the present virus originated, it has proven to be fatal to many and mutate the longer it is allowed to exist.
Please let’s all get vaccinated before we may all have to go back to being isolated in our homes again, while even more organizations are forced out of business.
Bob Fifield
Aptos
Reform recall rules
to land good candidates
California’s recall process is counter-productive. The ease of recalling a governor almost guarantees that if an event like COVID occurs, which requires real leadership in the face of a novel threat, those who disagree with the difficult choices made by the governor will attempt a recall.
Faced with that possibility, who among our leaders with the most courage to face extreme challenges will step up? Our state cannot afford the risk of being led by grossly unqualified people like Larry Elder. Gov. gAVIN Newsom struggled to make good choices in the face of many unknowns just like the president and the medical community.
It is not a job for amateurs. Let’s not discourage our best candidates for future elections.
Richard Yanda
Redding
Pundit’s poor behavior
reveals GOP’s decline
Recently I was checking in on Sean Hannity of Fox News and heard him use a derogatory nickname for President Biden. He called him “sippycup”. Sean’s close friend Donald Trump routinely uses derogatory nicknames for those he doesn’t like, but since he’s an ignorant, insecure bully it’s not surprising. He also lies constantly, brags about things like assaulting women and cheats on everything including all his wives, his taxes, and at golf.
It shows how far the Republican right has fallen when the most popular pundit on the most popular right wing media outlet, namely Fox News calls the president “sippycup.” It’s pathetic.
Dana Ellingson
Martinez
Fed’s machinations bad
economics in long run
The machinations of Federal Reserve policies like quantitative easing, overnight repos and zero interest rates make organic chemistry look like a snap. But one key metric tells the story. When the rate of government spending exceeds the growth of GDP for too long, it reduces real economic growth by borrowing from future demand and misallocating capital. It also causes more recessions.
GDP growth has historically grown at about 3% a year, but recent and proposed government spending would lock in spending that far exceeds 3% permanently. Zero interest rates have already caused investors seeking yield to bid up asset values in stocks and real estate to historically high valuations. Eventually, the double whammy of deflating asset prices and inflating consumer prices will balance the books on the backs of the middle class.
Ed Kahl
Woodside
All citizens deserve
bodily autonomy
We the people of the United States of America have faced many issues of gender inequality and injustice. As these issues of women having men decide what is best for their body rise, it is simply inhumane and unbearable.
It’s truly unfortunate that “We The People” have separated women from having a voice on the topic of abortion. While many support this position on abortion, when it comes to the global COVID-19 pandemic many individuals don’t want to wear a mask. How can anyone control what another human being does medically or physically? It simply doesn’t make sense to allow something like that to happen.
There should never be a restraint on what an individual decides to do with their body; it should come down to their voice and choice.
Monica Pimentel
San Carlos
