Congress can address climate change
Regarding “‘Alarming’ climate report” (Front Page, Aug. 9) and “Scientists contradict Trump climate views” (Main News, Aug. 10): The new U.S. report on the climate establishes that climate change is real and caused mostly by human activities. Solving climate change is a political issue — we understand the science, and we have the technical means to alter its effects — if we have the will to do it. We can reduce carbon emissions through several means: cap and trade, the carbon fee and dividend proposal, and CleanPowerSF (using 100 percent renewable energy generation).
There is a bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the House of Representatives that numbers 52 members. There is growing interest in Congress to address global warming, in spite of President Trump’s administration. We ask that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi encourage Democrats to seek out Republican partners to join them in the caucus. We can do something to abate the effects of carbon pollution, but we must begin now.
Terry Horrigan, San Francisco
Labor unions crucial
Regarding “In layoffs, older workers find bias is hard to prove” (Business, Aug. 10): This article neglected to mention an obvious remedy for the problem of “proving” discrimination against protected groups by employers. That obvious remedy would provide protection for all groups of people, everyone, without the need for class-action suits and impossible payments to lawyers. That remedy is labor unions.
Laws regulating corporate control of their workforces are made of, for and by employers. That is OK only if there is equal protective regulation of, for and by the workers. Those represented by a labor union have a contract with their employer that protects all of them with the transparency afforded by a fair and just contract, approved by a majority of union members and the employer.
All union workers are represented by union lawyers, up front, end of story. What an amazing system. No wonder Western European countries ensure the existence of unions in their constitutions. Unfortunately, too many Americans have been convinced by corporate propaganda that all unions are exploitive and corrupt. In reality, there is exploitation and corruption whenever there is power.
Barbara Monnette, St. Helena
Scary rhetoric on war
In my 58 years of life, I have never been so frightened at the prospect of nuclear war. Yes, the weapons have always been scary. And I am old enough to remember “duck and cover” drills. Still, I always felt that our leadership was sane enough to never actually use them. In fact, I never thought I’d hear an American politician use rhetoric to even suggest using nukes. But now, Donald Trump is president.
It’s bad enough that he is an incompetent narcissist. I can deal with the petty internal politics of our domestic affairs and still sleep at night, but the rhetoric that he has been using regarding North Korea has me convinced that he is a madman who is going to get hundreds of thousands of people — possibly millions — killed!
It’s time to start using the impeachment word, now! This sick man needs to be removed from the White House immediately. We can’t wait until after Special Counsel Robert Mueller finishes his investigation, possibly two years from now. By then, we might all be dead. Demand that our House and Senate representatives step up and stand in Trump’s way.
Joseph Magdalena, Newark
Heartbreaking case
Regarding “Crackdown hits a home” (Page One, Aug. 10): The Chronicle did a service by writing about the heartbreaking case of the Sanchez family, who are about to be deported after living in the United States for over 20 years.
The Trump administration says its immigration enforcement is focused on gang members and criminals. We know that’s false, as the administration works to deport many hardworking, law-abiding families. It’s critically important that media organizations put a face to these stories. Otherwise, it’s too easy for Americans to dismiss news of rampant deportations as only targeting bad guys.
Senate Democrats have introduced a bill to rescind the executive order that allows the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the deportation of all undocumented immigrants. Senate Republicans need to open their eyes to the fact that parents like Maria Mendoza-Sanchez and Eusebio Sanchez are being torn away from their children. That’s just wrong.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Washington
Time to build housing
Regarding “Brisbane must OK Baylands” (Editorial, Aug. 10): Kudos to the Brisbane City Council if it follows through on requiring new housing as a necessary component of a major project otherwise comprised of retail and office space. Retail and office space projects sans housing are all too common for Peninsula development, which means that San Francisco becomes the suburbia for the Peninsula.
At least in the Bay Area region, office/retail projects should be required to also provide housing in a “best practices” ratio within a convenient distance to the project (which could cross local boundaries).
Just as utilities and other mandated services are required for office/retail projects, so also should be attendant housing. The reverse should also be true; office/retail space should be required to conveniently support new housing projects. If only even San Francisco required this, it would slow down the need in the city to provide what should be other cities’ housing requirements. Regrettably, that may gore too many oxen, but at least the dialogue should be started.
Paul Webber, San Francisco