Re: “ ” (Page A1, June 8). I wonder whether the smoke from the Canadian wildfires now polluting the air in many Midwestern states will persuade Republican voters there to finally demand action to fight climate change from their members of Congress. If it does, and Republicans no longer set roadblocks to effective environmental action, that would be a silver lining to the clouds of smoke now blanketing the region.
The homeless crisis in San Jose is getting worse. What we’re doing isn’t working. We need to get creative and turn to innovative solutions we haven’t considered in the past.
The fact is reallocating a portion of the Measure E funds — $38 million — to homeless services isn’t going to have a major impact on the estimated $5. 7 billion dollars per year that an analysis by CalMatters says California needs to spend on affordable housing. But it can make a difference to the more than 6,000 homeless in our city.
Essential services benefit everyone in our community by addressing the root causes of homelessness, offering resources, and sometimes preventing homelessness in the first place. Which is why we strongly encourage the San Jose City Council to support the mayor’s budget message as proposed. It’s time we mitigate this crisis and help our most vulnerable.
Re: “ ” (Page A1, June 8). San Jose has approved $18. 9 million to lease a Berryessa site for up to 85 RVs currently occupied by homeless people.
Moreover, San Jose officials estimate a cost of $24 million for the project over a five-year period (over $282,000/space). The question is, why would San Jose not spend this money to help these people relocate to states where the jobs/housing mix would allow them to live in a decent home? The only plausible answer is that these people do the difficult-to-fill jobs in the low-wage service industries which cater to the high-tech economy of Silicon Valley. If these people move, our house-of-cards economy might well crumble as our standard of living spirals downward.
If carried out, this project will create an underclass of people permanently reliant on the public dole, confined to an RV in perpetuity. In what world is this good public policy? Re: “ ” (Page A4, June 8). I was heartened to read that Pope Francis is recovering from his latest operation and will be “fine.
” He has been a “breath of fresh air” in his leadership over a worldwide, complex, diverse institution with generational problems. The article mentioned that he is 86 years old. That is the same age that Joe Biden would be at the end of his second term if re-elected.
The thought occurred to me that some of the criticism of Biden running for a second term is just plain ageism in an era of polarized political rhetoric and social media. Sunday’s political cartoon speaks volumes (Page A12). Surrounded by wildfire smoke, Smokey the Bear is holding a “Climate Change Inaction” poster while pointing forward and exclaiming, “Morons!” Smokey demonstrates a stark reminder that more action must be taken against climate change if we are to maintain a livable world.
Smoke-filled skies and dangerous air pollution from Canada’s worst wildfire season ever spread across the East Coast recently, reminiscent of what the Bay Area experienced during the devastating California wildfires of 2018 and 2020. The AQI in Queens, N. Y.
, , categorized as “hazardous. ” Washington, D. C.
, and Baltimore experienced the worst air quality levels recorded in those cities in recent years. One thousand Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers are in D. C.
this week meeting with members of Congress about the need for more legislation on climate. My hope is that the recent smoke-filled skies will spur Congress to heed their advice. Re: “ ” (Page A13, June 11).
Mike Pence saved democracy? What a low bar we’ve set. Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen gushes over a politician doing the simplest thing they can do in their job — adhere to the Constitution. The vice president did one thing he was supposed to do at the end of his term and now calls it a triumph for freedom.
He can’t hide the four-year coat-tail ride that led to his and his boss’s defeat. It’s a little late to start picking on Donald Trump, right or not. As an Independent and now a member of AARP, I’ll keep voting because I love the opportunity.
But I understand the futility in younger voices about the choices given. I don’t have an answer for the political machine, but I don’t want to laugh about it anymore. I just wish the bar wasn’t set so low in holding “leaders” accountable for what they say and do (or don’t do).
The Republicans are correct. Donald J. Trump has been held to a different standard than other people.
The DOJ has been extraordinarily deferential and cautious when dealing with Trump. The federal campaign finance felony that Michael Cohen in part went to prison for was never prosecuted. The very strong obstruction of justice case put forth in the Mueller Report was never prosecuted.
Any person other than Trump would have already faced those felonies in court. Jack Smith has been very thorough and I believe that he can prove most if not all of his allegations. However, Judge Aileen Cannon may thwart justice by making further wild rulings unsupported by law in favor of Trump.
She could even just dismiss the case after a jury is seated. Trump is the true “Teflon Don. ” He may yet escape accountability, but even-handed justice could still happen.
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From: mercurynews
URL: https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/06/12/letters-smoky-skies/
