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We will feel crackdown
in wallets, at tables
Re: “How will Trump’s crackdown affect area?” (Page A1, Jan. 25).
Most undocumented workers are in the agricultural sector. If they are deported, it is going to affect all of us in terms of productivity and the prices of our food.
Deportations will have negative effects in separating families and are considered cruel in every culture. It will affect our local economies by disrupting food supply chains, causing higher prices.
Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions will force many of the food system workers underground leading to wage and safety violations, sexual harassment and violence, and much more.
Mohan Raj
San Jose
Lack of supply drives
the housing crisis
Re: “Investors have created state’s housing crisis” (Page A6, Jan. 24).
Letter-writer T.A. Barbella blames the housing crisis on investors scooping up all available homes.
The crisis is that housing, be it owner-occupied or rented, is unaffordably high. This stems from the lack of supply of all housing — basic economics.
It matters not whether the housing is owned or rented. Both prices and rents are unaffordable.
If we could dramatically increase the supply of housing relative to demand, prices and rents will necessarily fall.
Conversely, if suddenly 5 million or 10 million people depart California, prices and rents will plummet.
Currently, people want to live here and demand outstrips supply, driving the cost of housing up dramatically. That is the crisis in a nutshell.
Gary Miller
Saratoga
Biden’s feckless policy
lengthened Gaza war
Re: “Trump as peacemaker is wishful thinking” (Page A6, Jan.24).
Alan Price makes one accurate statement in his letter. The best thing that President Biden did was to include Donald Trump on his administration’s negotiating team. After months of futile negotiation, it was Trump’s threat of “all hell to pay” after Israeli neutralization of Hezbollah’s incursion threat that facilitated the truce, fragile as it is.
Biden waffled between support and criticism of Israel almost daily since the October atrocity.
Biden told Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate to the Hezbollah provocation. If that advice had been followed, Hamas would still be fighting with the expectation of Hezbollah support.
Biden’s pivot to Asia policy followed by expressions of empathy with Gaza’s populace, along with ICC prosecution and student protests, constitute a propaganda victory emboldening Hamas.
Permanent peace is not in the foreseeable future. Peace-through-strength policy might extend the ceasefire. Biden’s feckless empathy-based policy would only continue the bloodshed.
Fred Gutmann
Cupertino
Ceasefire offers chance
to restart aid program
Re: “Israel’s ceasefire deal with Hamas to take effect today” (Page A10, Jan. 19).
At last, there is a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israeli hostages are being released and humanitarian aid is being allowed into Gaza.
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Now is the time for the United States to restore its funding to UNRWA, the organization formed by the U.N. to provide Palestinian refugees in the Middle East with humanitarian aid. For decades UNRWA has provided food, health care, education and shelter to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, providing a lifeline to communities suffering the consequences of war and contributing to regional stability.
After more than 15 months of war, Gaza lies in ruin and the people’s suffering continues. The need is great. Let’s join the global community and do our part.
Connie Hunter
San Jose
