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Cities must retain
right to limit homeless
Re: “We should help, not punish, the homeless” (Page A6, April 26).
Amrit Bassi’s letter to the editor ignores the fact that a high percentage of homeless people are not employable. It doesn’t matter how “fair and affordable” housing is for those who can’t work. We must find ways to provide permanent shelter for the mentally ill and chronically drug- and alcohol-addicted people who populate our encampments.
But deterrence is also part of the solution. California has made it too convenient for those who choose not to work and instead live on the streets, spreading filth and squalor over our once beautiful state.
If the Supreme Court won’t allow cities to enforce ordinances to limit encampments, California’s homeless crisis will only get worse, regardless of how much affordable housing we provide.
Dave Salle
San Jose
County is modeling
juvenile detention reform
I am writing to commend the efforts of Santa Clara County in spearheading a remarkable transformation in juvenile detention practices.
Len Edwards wrote a 2022 opinion piece celebrating the remarkable progress achieved under the leadership of Chief Probation Officer Laura Garnette. In an era where juvenile detention rates have been alarmingly high, Santa Clara County stands out as a beacon of progress and innovation.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of Santa Clara County’s reform efforts is its focus on addressing disparities within the juvenile justice system. By providing specialized services for African-American and Latino youth, the county has demonstrated a commitment to equity and fairness, ensuring that all young people receive the support they need to thrive.
Diane Hanratty
San Jose
Walters turns again
to favorite whipping boy
Re: “Newsom holds blame for state homelessness” (Page A6, April 26).
What is Dan Walters going to do if Gavin Newsom ever leaves politics?
Every column I’ve read by Mr. Walters is about Mr. Newsom, always blaming him for something. This time he all but blames the homeless situation on him. It started long before Newsom came along, Mr. Walters. But I have seen that Newsom may be the only governor in this or any other state who is trying to do something about it. It’s a tough situation and there are no easy answers, just like the border.
If you have any great ideas, Mr. Walters, please share them, instead of just whining about your favorite whipping boy.
Steve Ortiz
Redwood City
PG&E should not be
a for-profit company
Re: “PG&E profits up, as is ’24 outlook” (Page C7, April 26).
PG&E should be a public company, not a for-profit organization. It is an essential monopolistic utility and not an optional choice.
For an equivalent service, my monthly winter PG&E bills increased from $700-$800 last winter to $1,200-$1,300 this winter — hence, the increase in PG&E profits this year.
Stan Kaplan
Menlo Park
Loose constitutional
reading hurts U.S.
Recent letters have advocated the idea of a “living constitution” meaning loose construction as opposed to strict construction, or originalism. While there is a need to interpret the U.S. Constitution in terms of modern values and technological advances, the founders wrote with considerable latitude to allow for societal changes without revisionism.
Concepts such as due process and cruel and unusual punishment can be updated without rewriting. Cryptographic security has the same legal meaning as lock and key. Abortion rights should be protected by the Ninth Amendment, not by the invention of government-controlled rights.
Court rulings involving loose interpretation have resulted in the deterioration of our democracy through expanded federal power including presidential authority that current Democrats are so afraid might devolve to Donald Trump.
Expansion by values like FDR’s four freedoms belongs in an ethics textbook rather than in the Constitution. Progressive interpretations are moving us forward in the wrong directions.
Fred Gutmann
Cupertino
Right-wing radicals
undermine institutions
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The GOP and England’s Brexiteers have something very big in common: their objectives are the same — to dismantle their existing institutions.
Historically America has been a nation of increasing freedoms, not removing them. Now books are actually being removed from library shelves in some areas, women have lost control over making decisions about their bodies, though even many men don’t want that, and there still are more items on the GOP list.
See the effects radicals have had in Britain and think about what the radicals in the United States want to happen here — we have the benefit of seeing a preview before we vote in November. So far, men and women have the right to vote here, but even that could change.
Marguerite Sinnett
Morgan Hill
