Sessions not fit to be attorney general
Congress is holding confirmation hearings on Sen. Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general. His confirmation would be a disaster for reproductive freedom. He voted to ban abortion after 20 weeks, defund Planned Parenthood and was against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
He is another “good ol’ boy” worth $11 billion. He cannot fairly represent all Americans, and he is not qualified to serve as attorney general.
Lorraine Lerman, Berkeley
Solar sense
Regarding “Solar bill modeled on S.F. law” ( Jan. 9): State Sen. Scott Wiener’s bill comes none too soon as NASA has just verified that 2016 was Earth’s hottest year on record. California taking San Francisco’s lead in this commonsense approach would be a model for the rest of the country.
The general consensus is that the burning of fossil fuels is the primary reason for the temperature rise. This is why, in addition to solar panels being installed on every new home and commercial building, fireplaces and chimneys should be omitted. It makes no sense incorporating emission-saving technology while including a device designed to pollute. Michael Haworth, Vallejo
Trump’s focus
With regard to Donald Trump’s tweet response to Meryl Streep’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globe Awards, I really wish he would focus on his job instead of his ego. I would think as the president-elect of the United States, his focus would be on the issues we have before us and he would take criticism as every president before him as part of the job. He and his fellow Republicans are in the process of creating a billionaire boys club. It is concerning to me that each of the Cabinet members he has selected is in some way or another controversial. You would think his focus would be to select individuals with vision and insight. He is asking to be second-guessed, and 140 characters just won’t justify a reasonable response to his detractors. Trump’s agenda is nothing more than a four-year business plan.
If he wants to run the country as a business, then Congress must be the board of directors and must make sure that the stakeholders (us) are protected, or we will see the financial debacle of 2008 all over again. The day Trump tweets something constructive will be the day I reactivate my Twitter account. Until then, I will take my cues from the media — at least they do not pretend to do their real job 140 characters at a time. Joel Mark, Carmichael, Sacramento
County
All-time low
Regarding “State first to finance inmate’s sex change” ( Jan. 9): We have reached an all-time low in societal norms when a murderer is allowed to have what amounts to plastic surgery at taxpayer’s expense. Instead of rotting away on Death Row, Shiloh Heavenly Quine will be moved to a women’s prison and provided with anything her little heart desires, including nightgowns, necklaces and scarves. Might I suggest a personal hairdresser and manicurist just to make sure she is happy?
Raymond Moreno, San Francisco
Stop Tillerson
No, Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin is not your friend, but he is very likely your business partner. How could we know, since we haven’t yet seen your tax returns and you haven’t yet addressed how you will handle your finances when you take office?
One way to punish Putin for his interference in our election is to deny his friend and business partner, Rex Tillerson, the powerful position of secretary of state. We should have bipartisan opposition to this nominee so that Putin doesn’t get everything he wants.
Susan Torres, San Francisco
Pick Romney
I’d like to help Presidentelect Donald Trump be the exceptional leader he’s convinced himself he actually is, and in that spirit, I suggest that he tap former Gov. Mitt Romney as his national health care czar.
Romney, let’s not forget, is the only Republican who has successfully implemented statewide health care, and assuming the GOP is serious about upgrading the Affordable Care Act, it would be wise to put Romney in charge of drafting a national version of “Romneycare.” Enacting such milestone legislation would also prove to Meryl Streep and the Trump-bashing Hollywood elite that beneath our new president’s crass, burnt-orange exterior beats a sensitive, selectively caring, anatomically correct heart.
Just to be clear, once Republicans pass “Robamney-care,” Trump will deserve nothing less than an Oscar-worthy apology from Streep. Such an apology should be more than enough to convince Trump that Streep can indeed act.
David Kelso, Oakland
Not even news
The problem isn’t what an entertainer said about a president-elect or what a presidentelect said about an entertainer. The problem is that this sort of infantile nonsense is presented as a meaningful form of political dialogue by our advertising-centric, infotainment-driven “news” media.
Riley VanDyke, San Francisco
Hostile power
The intelligence agencies of the U.S. government have uncovered a plot ordered by the Kremlin to alter the outcome of the 2016 presidential race. In and of itself this is not startling, considering that they are our historical enemy.
What is shocking, however, is that the president-elect has consistently downplayed the clear and present danger to our democracy that such meddling entails. Donald Trump’s supporters are asking, “What’s the big deal?”
The big deal is that Trump and his supporters don’t think it’s a big deal. We’re talking about a hostile foreign government attacking our sacred and precious democracy in an effort to weaken us. And Trump is OK with this? Whose side is he on?
Gareth Loy, Corte Madera
Not included
At the end of her speech, Meryl Streep disparaged those who watch football and mixed martial arts. I guess those folks don’t make the cut in her inclusive culture.
Mark Allendorf, San Mateo
Decency first
“Disrespect invites disrespect,” Meryl Streep said brilliantly in her moving Golden Globe Awards acceptance speech. We cannot ignore the challenge Donald Trump presents to civil society, as we are reminded every day by his childish tweets.
Conservatives’ strange obsession with “political correctness” is a dog whistle for this invitation of disrespect. Our society has marched down this path before. At what point will conservatives have their shame moment?
How far will they go before they step back from the cliff (or march over it with people like Milo Yiannopoulos)? I must have faith in American constitutional democracy, which has survived other dark moments (Civil War, McCarthyism, lynchings). Decency, I must believe, will once again prevail.
James Heron, San Francisco
Reasonable speech
My Internet tells me a “rant” is to “talk loudly and in a way that shows anger. To complain in a way that is unreasonable.” There was nothing unreasonable about what Meryl Streep said.
Janet Mills, Oakland