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Biden’s presidential
legacy will be obvious
Thank you, Joe Biden.
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you to thank you for student debt relief, support for working men and women unionized and not, your insulin cost ceiling, your backing of Social Security, raising the minimum wage, reducing inflation, and one man’s enthusiasm for universal health care, women’s choice, long life and liberty for all of us.
The effect of your positive actions as president will be obvious soon. We will look back and smile. It was a big deal. Thanks.
Gary Owens
Santa Cruz
Harris’ VP must
show high integrity
President Biden accomplished many good things as president. His decision to step aside was inevitable. It was belated, but still made in enough time.
Vice President Kamala Harris will be addressed as Madam President at her Inaugural.
In addition to the challenging issues facing our nation that she must address, I hope that she will seek a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. We must reclaim our belief in the sanctity of human life. We cannot allow the slaughter of our fellow human beings in Gaza to continue.
Who will Harris choose as her running mate? She or he must not only be a winner in the battleground states and with the majority of American voters, the person must show the true leadership and integrity that our country needs and requires more so than ever — and must be someone who will work on behalf of all Americans.
Anh Lê
San Francisco
Vance’s views mirror
Trump’s dystopian mindset
Re: “How a ‘never Trumper’ turned running mate” (Page A7, July 18).
A chill ran down my spine as I read Carl Leubsdorf’s op-ed about J.D. Vance’s beliefs as a vice-presidential candidate — opposes gun control and abortion rights, doesn’t care about Ukraine (which means he is pro-Putin) and, most chilling of all, says climate change is not a problem.
I wonder what his future grandchildren will think about that as they swelter in intense heat or experience ultra-extreme weather events. Vance once said Trump could be “America’s Hitler” and now says he’s the best president in his lifetime. Hypocrisy at its height.
So many Republicans haven’t stood up for their principles and dance to the tune of the ex-president. Are these the people you want as your leaders? Please dive deep and realize what the November election means to our country and the future of our children and grandchildren.
Emily Adorable
Santa Clara
Democrats must stay
focused on winning
Thank you Joe Biden for your service to the party and country. Now Democrats must keep the goal of winning this election in perfect focus. Although there’s a lot of excitement about it, the goal is not to elect a woman or a Black woman as president. Clear-eyed Kamala Harris knows the main goal and will get onboard. Poll-testing of potential candidates is critical. Time is of the essence. Democrats must put forth the best candidate to get the job done period!
Marcia Hulberg
Campbell
Clearcutting ban would
reduce wildfire risks
Re: “As temperatures rise, so does danger from everyday activities” (Page A1, July 14).
Regarding the question on “What more could California be doing to reduce the risk?” I would love to hear our fire experts also address how clearcutting on private lands is increasing the wildfire risk.
More often we hear that clearcutting reduces fuel for wildfires but that’s not true — as in reality, mature, fire-resilient trees are replaced with non-native younger tree plantations that can burn easily. Furthermore, the clear-cut area itself increases the fire danger. The loss of tree canopy results in hotter and drier air from clear-cuts, thereby creating a fire hazard zone.
It is imperative that we speak up against the harms of clearcutting so it can be banned in California.
Shruti Chandrasekhar
San Jose
New Mexico prosecutor
owes an explanation
Re: “Case against actor Baldwin is dismissed by New Mexico judge over withheld evidence” (Page A1, July 13).
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The dismissal of the case against Alec Baldwin is another reminder that overzealous prosecutors with a political agenda on their minds that takes precedence over their legal ethical duties are a threat not only to the defendant on trial but to the public as a whole and the integrity of our judicial system.
Fortunately for all of us, the judge in New Mexico presiding over Baldwin’s manslaughter trial saw that the outrageous actions of Special Prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey amounted to intentionally and deliberately withholding critical evidence in this case, and dismissed the charges against Baldwin, finding that the prosecution’s conduct amounted to “scorching prejudice.”
The good citizens of Santa Fe are owed, if not their money back, at least a damn good explanation of how this case was so badly mishandled from Day 1 to the ignominy of an outright dismissal with prejudice because of prosecutorial misconduct.
Steven Rease
Salinas
How do we pull U.S.
from war with itself?
Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, made a stunning and truly sad comment on Fareed Zakarias’ program.
He stated that there are currently three wars going on in the world: Russia vs. Ukraine, Israel vs. Palestine, and Americans vs. Americans.
If this is true, which I think it is, how did we get to a situation where we are at war with our fellow Americans? How do we get out of it? We will never be the leader of the free world if we have no room for peaceful dissent in our own country.
Lorraine D’Ambruoso
San Jose
