Say no to unfairness;vote down Prop. 50
In 2010, Californians voted to create a nonpartisan Residents Redistricting Fee to cease many years of gerrymandering. That reform was meant to revive equity and be certain that all Californians — no matter political affiliation — had a significant voice in illustration.
At the moment, Proposition 50 threatens to undo that progress. If handed, it might enable California’s Democratic supermajority to tighten its management even additional, decreasing Republican illustration in Congress from an already disproportionate 17% to simply 8%, regardless of conservatives about 28% of seemingly voters.
Kurt LibbyAlameda
Non-public donors shouldnot fund authorities
Re: “Donor who gave $130M for military pay is reclusive Mellon fortune heir” (Web page A6, Oct. 26).
Permitting non-public donors to pay authorities bills — and particularly permitting them to specify which authorities bills they pay — is a horrible thought, no matter its legality. (It’s in all probability unlawful, as famous within the article.) That’s true whether or not it entails army salaries or a brand new wing on the White Home.
Congress controls how a lot the federal government spends and on what. If the folks don’t approve of the best way Congress appropriates tax {dollars}, they’ll complain to their representatives or vote them out of workplace. Acknowledging that Congress isn’t functioning notably nicely proper now, if ultra-wealthy people fund authorities and the folks don’t approve, what recourse do we now have? That’s authorities by the rich, for the rich (aka, oligarchy), and the remainder of us shall be left with even much less energy than we now have now.
There’s a purpose that authorities companies are allowed to spend solely quantities appropriated by Congress.
Phil SandersFremont
Hegseth and Trumpcelebrate a slaughter
On Dec. 29, 1890, 300 Lakota Indian males, girls and kids have been massacred by america Cavalry at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. A number of days later, they have been buried in unmarked graves. The troopers who took half within the bloodbath have been awarded Medals of Honor. The parable was that Wounded Knee was a battle when, in actuality, it was a bloodbath.
There was an try by Joe Biden’s Secretary of Protection, Lloyd Austin, to revoke the medals from the troopers by ordering a assessment. Nevertheless, the present Secretary of Protection, Pete Hegseth, stopped the assessment, saying that the troopers ought to maintain their medals. For his motion, Hegseth, alongside along with his boss, President Trump, are celebrating the bloodbath of American Indians.
Billy TriceOakland
Congress should savefood applications
Re: “No federal food aid will go out Nov. 1, Trump administration warns” (Oct. 27).
Republicans declare they can not present SNAP advantages on Nov. 1 if the federal government stays shut down. That’s not true. SNAP has a $5 billion-$6 billion contingency fund. Republicans are shamefully utilizing the greater than 40 million Individuals who depend on SNAP as pawns, making a starvation disaster to stress Democrats to undergo Donald Trump’s will.
Nevertheless, Democrats shouldn’t surrender their battle to save lots of our well being care. Congress solely has two weeks left to increase the ACA premium tax credit. As soon as open enrollment ends, the dramatic will increase in medical insurance premiums shall be locked in — even when Congress acts later.
In the meantime, this shutdown is actually costly. In accordance with White Home’s Council of Financial Advisors, this shutdown may value the U.S. economic system $15 billion per week.
What are we doing? Trump and Congress want to start out negotiating on a bipartisan foundation in good religion to reopen the federal government and lengthen ACA premium tax credit.
Jennifer HuberEl Sobrante
Actually, GOP isn’tso powerful on crime
The Trump administration is now utilizing the Nationwide Guard for regulation enforcement in cities with shrinking crime statistics, in direct battle with native officers and sure even federal regulation.
The president additionally pardoned 1,500 folks for assaulting native and federal cops whereas storming our nation’s Capitol and threatening to execute elected federal officers. Equally, Trump commuted most of George Santos’ sentence and the administration granted favorable therapy to Ghislaine Maxwell.
All this whereas firing many senior officers within the Division of Justice, decreasing federal funds for native regulation enforcement and prosecuting political enemies.
That’s below the management of a draft-dodger, adjudicated intercourse offender and convicted fraudster. Don’t overlook the never-completed efforts to prosecute him for election fraud and categorised doc instances.
But, the president has confronted no resistance or objection from a Republican-controlled Congress. Are they robust on crime? I don’t assume so.
Jim KennaBrentwood
We must always make healthcare a human proper
Well being care entry and affordability has been an ongoing moral problem. Tens of millions of individuals are having a troublesome time affording medical care, insurance coverage and medicine, and it’s affecting their general well being and high quality of life.
A few components which might be limiting their entry to well being care are earnings and site. I strongly imagine that to forestall struggling, well being care must be a human proper and never a enterprise for revenue.
Well being care entry, reasonably priced remedy, well being applications and insurance coverage must be prioritized for our well-being, in addition to defending everybody, selling public well being and constructing energy in our communities.
Mikaela ClareteFremont