Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.
Government must
prioritize mental health
Re: “Group homes going unregulated” (Page A1, Aug. 4).
The California State Council on Developmental Disabilities estimated 615,252 Californians met the federal definition of a developmental disability that impacts their ability to live independently.
In a perfect world, these unfortunate individuals would be sheltered and cared for by their families. But what happens if they don’t have supportive families?
California relies on a network of private group homes to provide rooms and medical care for the mentally disabled. The living conditions in these homes are often appalling due to a lack of governmental oversight.
So where do these neglected individuals go? They wander the streets and land in encampments.
California needs a realistic and robust plan for sheltering and carrying for the disabled. It’s a tall order, and one our politicians have been both unable and unwilling to tackle.
Dave Salle
San Jose
Bring back institutions
to care for mentally ill
Re: “Those with mental health issues have few choices” (Page A8, Aug. 11).
My best friend worked at Agnews Developmental Center, so I knew how important it was for the mental health of its residents. As soon as I heard it was being closed down, I knew that the current situation with mentally ill homeless people would start developing.
I see all this hand-waving about what to do when it’s obvious: build new developmental centers to help these poor people now stuck on the streets with no help.
Karen Brenchley
Sunnyvale
S.J. has more pressing
needs than Ireland trip
Re: “4 on S.J. Council traveling to Ireland” (Page B1, Aug. 15).
So now we are giving free vacations to members of the San Jose City Council (two of them will be leaving their office this year) as well as the city manager, city clerk and a substitute for the mayor. What a blatant example of the “cluelessness” that exists among our elected officials and in high-level city positions.
We read daily about the crises that exist: homelessness, affordable housing, support for residents (as well as the homeless) affected by addiction and mental health issues. The choice to spend “taxpayer-funded district office money” for these trips is insulting to all residents.
We are waiting for effective solutions to the many serious issues our city faces. The need to travel to our sister city is not one of them. Send one person and anyone else can pay their own way. Maybe the Irish can teach them some lessons in frugality.
Judy Barbeau
San Jose
Christians’ support
for Trump is confusing
I’m old — 79 — and there have been many changes in my lifetime, so there are lots of things I don’t really understand, like the latest technology and especially what happened to evangelical Christians.
Although I do not regularly attend church, I have always tried to live by Christian values, which I understood to be: humility, kindness, honesty, integrity, love, honoring women, generosity and forgiveness
So, I just don’t understand how so many Christians can support the current Republican candidate for president. I am honestly perplexed.
Don Eggleston
Aptos
GOP works for power,
not the good of nation
The Republican Party policy of saying no to everything (other than cutting taxes on the very rich and corporations, thus running up the national debt) is not only demonstrating their lack of governing ability but is seriously damaging to the future of our country.
From opposing Obamacare — which was a near copy of Romney care they enthusiastically supported — to recently following Donald Trump’s wish to block the passing of their own declared border policies while saying Democrats won’t act is disingenuous. And now after opposing Biden’s reelection for being old and enfeebled, they decry as anti-democratic him choosing not to run again.
It’s a sad thing for our country that, like when the Republicans admitted wishing for a failed presidency for Barack Obama, the GOP is reduced to acting only in its own interests rather than for the good of the whole country.
Fred Geiger
Santa Cruz
Copying Trump policy
is no answer for Harris
Related Articles
Letters: Prop. 12 | Functional president | Olympic spirit
Letters: SJSU housing | Paying Google | Football theft | Biden accomplishments
Letters: Harris vs. Trump | Secretive process | Democracy on ballot | Big lie? | Against fascism
Letters: Care for vulnerable | What happened? | Create peace | Regional conflict | Immediate cease-fire | Naked aggression
Letters: Narrow view | Clean cities | Trump’s deceit | Biden’s politicking | Denouncing reform
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have been trying to convince us all along that Donald Trump and JD Vance are weird guys. So why did she copy Trump’s promise to eliminate taxes on tips?
Most experts believe implementing this idea would be difficult(cq comment=” or impossible” ]. Certainly, many voters don’t even get tips as part of their jobs and don’t care about it anyway.
Harris needs to draw a line and not imitate her opponents if she wants to win the election. So far, both candidates have drifted away from the nitty-gritty issues to play trivial pursuit too often.
Bill Graham
Salinas
