Unsympathetic toward PG&E’s plight
Regarding “PG&E is no victim of wildfires” (Open Forum, Aug. 10): Erin Brockovich is a national hero. This article is an exceptional outline of all the manipulations and machinations that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has performed over the years to the public and all its ratepayers. PG&E absolutely continues to try and portray themselves as a victim. This is nonsense and executives in the organization are getting huge paychecks to try and perpetuate this myth. Sitting through their numerous mawkish and sentimental TV commercials — that our high rates are paying for — makes me even more unsympathetic to their plight.
Sharon Steckline, San Francisco
China’s bullying
Regarding “Google bows to Beijing” (Editorial, Aug. 9): This once again demonstrates that Beijing succeeds in coercing international enterprises to accept its political agenda. Google is not a single or the first case. In fact, China has been attempting to take the free out of the global free enterprise system. Myriad of international enterprises bowed to Chinese censorship to access China’s market. In April of this year, the Chinese government demanded major international airlines, including four American airlines, to designate Taiwan as part of China.
Many of them gave in to Chinese pressure. More disgracefully, Beijing forced the East Asian Olympic Committee to cancel the scheduled 2019 East Asian Youth Games, which was set to be hosted by Taichung City, Taiwan. China publicly and formally acknowledged that the Games were canceled due to political factors. China’s bullying must be stopped. Any success that China made encourages it to be bolder and bolder about exercising its power to achieve its political goals. We call on all countries and enterprises in the free world to stand up against China’s bullying before its interference becomes an acceptable norm by the international community.
Shannon Shiau, San Francisco
Conspiracy followers
Regarding “Twitter CEO defends Infowars decision” (Business, Aug. 9): Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey feels that it is the responsibility of the mainstream media to correct (debunk) the misstatements of Alex Jones. Does Dorsey really think that Jones’ followers read the mainstream media?
John Ringer, Alameda
Back to ancient ways
Regarding “Gig is rigged” (Editorial, Aug. 9): Gig work is not an innovative new economy. It’s the way most people worked for centuries. The Industrial Revolution led to factories, with their regular operating schedules. This brought people together where they could collectively bargain for decent wages and working conditions, and lobby legislators for protective employment regulations. The result was the greatest middle class the world has ever seen in the second half of the 20th century. As pointed out in the editorial, these new companies seek to take us back to the ancient ways of working to increase the wealth of the few people at the top.
Our governor and legislators should reinforce the California Supreme Court decision to challenge the independent contractor fiction and keep California moving forward, not take us back to the old ways. Robert Plantz, Santa Rosa
Real ID is the issue
Blaming the DMV for its present congestion avoids the real problem. It is the law requiring the so-called Real ID. The Real ID law demands a photo ID, or a non-photo ID that includes full legal name and birth date; documentation of birth date; documentation of legal status and Social Security number; and documentation showing name and principal residence address. People lacking such documents will be denied a real ID.
Real ID documents may be too expensive or hard to obtain by the poor, young or disabled. The secretary for Homeland Security can require the Real ID for any official purpose.
This includes but is not limited to accessing federal facilities, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft, entering nuclear power plants, and any other purposes that the secretary shall determine. All extensions to the Real ID law expire in October 2020. An order from President Trump’s Homeland Security chief that citizens must show their Real ID to vote in the November 2020 presidential election could disenfranchise millions of voters who Trump regards as inconvenient. Given his rants favoring a picture ID for voters, if Trump still has a GOP Congress after this November’s election, such an attempt is all too probable. Peter Liederman, Berkeley
Build on victories
Regarding “Mayor’s good news met with protest” (City Insider, May 9): It was good news to hear that money to fight the illegal practice of eviction has been secured, but the result was marred by infighting among the people who had worked to make it happen. In his book “State of Resistance,” Manuel Pastor warns that liberals should build on each other’s victories, not be jealous of them. Remember that together we stand, divided we fail.
Doreen Giles, Castro Valley
Mental institutions
Why is there no mention of opening up mental institutions again to house the mentally disturbed that are hurting and killing innocents in our towns? It is the “Elephant in the Room!”
Dolores Gomez, Brisbane