Driverless cars prompt new concerns
“There’s no one behind the wheel in these cars” (Editorial, March 19), but they conservatively obey all traffic laws, including speed limits. Try driving that way and report back to us how well that tames road rage. Then there are the pranksters who will use their human driving skills to taunt the selfdriving cars.
We need to figure out the legality of assigning blame when, not if, any foulup leads to trouble or harm. Just like automobiles solved the problem of horse manure in our streets, self-driving cars will bring a whole new set of problems for us. Never a dull moment.
Bob Plantz, Santa Rosa
Helpful cannabis news
I want to thank you for the insightful focus on medical cannabis for seniors. I read it cover to cover, and sent the hard copy insert to my parents who live in Philadelphia.
This well-reported information about the use of cannabis helps build their confidence to discuss medicinal and recreational use with their physicians, friends and support networks. Keep it coming!
Amanda Fried, San Francisco
Do it like the Dutch
Regarding “Trump stalls Europe’s march to right” (March 20): E.J. Dionne Jr.’s article renders yet again an eternal sign of American journalistic naivete that the world revolves solely around the United States. Dionne wants us to believe that our election of President Trump is scaring the people in Europe to veer away from the radical right.
I believe it is the other way around: The European elections in Holland, France and Germany will slowly make Americans realize that this country’s dive to become closed minded, closing the borders and fearing the future is a mistake. The voters in Holland repudiated the populist right movement in their own country because of their well-educated mass, their rational openness to the world and their readiness for the future.
They understand the path to sustained prosperity for all is through increased productivity competitiveness. Little by little, voters here for Trump will have to come to accept that the only way to make “America great again” is through taking on the challenges from competing countries to producing goods better and cheaper. Only way to do that is to do like the Dutch: be well learned, open and fearless.
Guy Vigier, Novato
Provide retraining
Regarding “Use economics, not insults, to argue for immigration” (Insight, March 19): Rather than demonizing opponents of immigration reform for their intolerance of foreigners, we ought to be providing them with retraining for the 21st century economy. Many President Trump supporters who have lost industrial jobs did so not because of cheaper foreign labor, but because of technology.
As this newspaper mentioned in an editorial “There’s no one behind the wheel in these cars” (Editorial, March 19), computer-guided vehicles will potentially result in the loss of employment by taxi drivers and truckers. This new administration, which promised “millions” of new jobs, will not deliver on its promise by building a border wall or rounding up undocumented immigrants. Rather, it must retrain workers for post-industrial jobs in emerging industries such as clean energy and health care.
Didier Dubois, San Francisco
Voice opposition
Regarding “A cure for political depression” (Open Forum, March 21): Encouraging more people to register to vote is not a cure-all for the political malaise that is currently gripping our nation’s citizenry.
A better short-term remedy for this problem is to loudly voice one’s opposition to this administration’s anti-immigrant and militaristic agenda at political rallies and town hall meetings.
Priscilla Massey, San Francisco
Keep funding public TV
Our current administration is saying “Why should a coal miner pay for public television?” as a justification for slashing funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Public television is a valuable and fundamental part of our nation’s path to free speech. Their programs are used to entertain children with shows like Sesame Street.
Their contribution to the joy of many children can not be weighed in funding. Public television also supports local news and programs that otherwise wouldn’t see the light of day.
If the government is suggesting that we can pick and choose what programs are funded, then please tell them I don’t want to pay for the military-funding increase, for oil subsidies and any other vehicle for funneling money to the monied.
Richard Lang, San Francisco