San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Trump’s dismal record
Regarding “Trump’s losses, debt and tiny taxes” ( Editorial, Sept. 29): Why is anyone surprised that President Trump has paid little or no income taxes in recent ( and not so recent) years? His life has been one of selfaggrandizement, with a sorry record of filing for bankruptcies, stiffing contractors and scamming ordinary people with phony enterprises like Trump University. While millions of Americans recently mourned the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also known as “Notorious RBG” for her steely determination to advance the rights of women and minorities, they will not miss the Oval Office departure of President Donald “not paying taxes makes me smart” J. Trump, who could also be called “Vainglorious DJT.”
Julian Grant, Pacifica
Pattern of apathy
Regarding “Act now on climate” ( Letters, Sept. 28): It is simply unbelievable that despite the warnings of virtually the entire scientific community over three decades, there is still almost nothing actually being done to arrest the destructive forces creating global warming.
One wonders if the entire human race is not mad — or at least living in a deep hypnotic stupor! How is it possible that in the face of the increasingly powerful wildfires that are now killing many people in California, we are not seeing huge public protests in all major cities of the West Coast? And this pattern of apathy and passivity exactly repeats our lack of responsible resistance to the invention and spread of nuclear weapons that began in 1945 and continues virtually unopposed today. Humankind’s lack of assertiveness in defending our basic right as people to live without these manmade catastrophes threatening all life on our planet must express a deep but still unconscious wish among the majority of human beings to escape the responsibility of being an alive and freedomloving person. Time is running out for humanity to wake up!
Incapable of leading
Regarding “First debate devolves into debacle” ( Front Page, Sept. 30): In the aftermath of Tuesday’s debate, is there anyone with even a modicum of objectivity who honestly believes that President Trump is capable of leading our country for the next four years? Here is a man who was totally unprepared for this important debate and who clearly has no understanding and no plan for the challenges ahead. America deserves better.
Embarrassing display
Regarding “First debate devolves into debacle”: To ask President Trump to remain silent for two minutes is like telling a rooster to stay quiet at daybreak.
Like his presidency, the debate last night was a bad reality show that traumatized the nation. The embarrassing display of an infantile fabulist hurling insults at a mature adult was cringeworthy and illustrated exactly why there should be no more debates to
GOOD WEEK
follow. In a classroom setting, an unruly student is promptly removed from the class. If he or she was left unmanaged in the room, nothing would be accomplished and the other students would suffer. After four years of a class clown wreaking havoc on a sick, divided nation, Trump’s expulsion is long overdue.
Keep the masks up
Whether or not “Elementary schools reopening in N. Y. C.” ( Nation, Sept. 30) is a good idea before a safe COVID19 vaccine can be given to both adults and children, this native New Yorker hopes that proper mask wearing is going to be enforced.
Unfortunately, a photo accompanying this news story shows both a school staff member and a student wearing their masks below their noses, which will definitely not help protect themselves or others from the insidious coronavirus.
Defensible space needed
Regarding “Fires prove folly of sprawl into forests” ( Insight, Sept. 27): Agreed, people ought to live in cities, or towns that have defensible space between them and forests. Forests are for visiting, not living in ( wildlife excepted).