Delay the confirmation Juxtaposition of money spent

Regarding “Feinstein, Harris face pressure over Trump court pick” ( Front Page, Oct. 11): Resistance to Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation is not futile. The GOP’s rush to confirm Barrett to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court is unprecedented and unprincipled. As pointed out in Sunday’s Chronicle, appeals to justice and fairness will not sway a Republican majority bent on cementing a conservative majority in the court for the foreseeable future.

But determined opposition to the nomination can run down the clock, postponing confirmation until after the election and just possibly until the new Senate is seated.

A memo circulated among Democratic Senators describes a series of delaying tactics that could slow or stall the confirmation. Parliamentary maneuvers available to senators include: withholding unanimous consent for routine motions, and forcing consideration of other unrelated bills.

Each hour of delay makes the already tight confirmation timetable more tenuous. Other Senate business, such as consideration of a new pandemic relief bill, will likely use up more of the limited time left before the new Senate is seated in January. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris should use every tool available to run down — or run out — the clock on the Barrett confirmation.

Marvin Feldman, San Francisco

‘ Party of Trump’

I would like to remind voters that after President Trump was impeached by the House of Representations, many Republican Senators expressed their reservations about upholding the impeachment and removing Trump from office. They cited the 2020 election as the best method to let the American people cast their vote on the current president.

Since that time, not only has the president tried to limit the ability of all Americans to vote in the upcoming election, the Republican Party and its leadership at the state level, have tried numerous methods to suppress the vote. The Republican Party, best labeled as the “Party of Trump,” does not deserve to hold any office in our American democracy. They do not believe in it.

Pam Figge, Chico

Unbelievable claim

It took almost four years, but President Trump finally said something I agree with. On Monday at a rally in Florida, the president said, “Under my leadership, we’re delivering a safe vaccine and a rapid recovery like no one can even believe.” He’s absolutely right. No one can even believe it, because it isn’t true.

Gary Cavalli, Danville

Not enough experience

Putting Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s ideology aside, she may be legally qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice, but does she have the experience? No. Three years on the appellate bench is not enough. Would you let a doctor with three years’ experience and no board certification as a neurosurgeon perform brain surgery on you?

Jeanne Bishop, San Leandro

Don’t lower the standards

This year has been awful. Please don’t let President Trump’s mistakes destroy Lowell High School, one of San Francisco’s great institutions. The principal shouldn’t be in education if she believes changing from a system requiring all A’s and great test scores to a random lottery isn’t lowering standards. It’s the very definition. Many temporary ideas become permanent. Lowell helped me be the first in my family to graduate from college, at Cal.

Lowell has been great to my three kids. Lowell’s admissions made me and my kids work harder, which raises standards and made me a better father. Lowell is over 40% free/ reduced lunch; this would make it so you must be wealthy to attend elite high schools. Let’s be smart. Limit the lottery to kids who got all A’s in the two semesters for which there were grades. Have a socially distanced test at Lowell as they have done for some for decades. The achievement gap highlights our city’s failures. Former President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top initiative required funds be used to tutor and mentor disadvantaged minorities rather than across-the-board raises, and was ignored. Respect the thousands of hours of sacrifice and study of children, and help others work harder/ achieve more in school and life.

Justin Van Zandt, San Francisco

Reform the political system

The next two years may provide a historic opportunity for Democrats to fix some of the unfairness of our political system, if they can win the Senate despite the barriers posed by unequal representation in that body. Senate Republicans have abused their majority power for the Past six years. Here are three actions that Democrats could take in 2021 that would make the political system fairer for all Americans:

1) Increase the number of federal circuit judges by 50, and fill those seats.

2) The U. S. population has grown by over 60 million since the last additions in 1990. Reform the Supreme Court by adding at least two new justices to cancel out the outrageous rejection of former President Barack Obama’s appointee, and by creating term limits. Term limits would reduce the political firestorm that erupts with every opening.

3) Provide statehood for the district of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Four senators for these four million citizens would not take away the Republican advantage in the Senate, but it would at least give Democrats a fighting chance. Currently, Democrats can only hope for a Senate majority at times like this, when disgust with Republicans may lead to a popular landslide.

Daniel Seamans, Berkeley

Regarding “Fix seeks to right leaning building” ( Front Page, Oct. 12) and “Homelessness key in Oakland races” ( Front Page, Oct. 12): It was an interesting juxtaposition on the front page. We have an article about spending $ 100 million to fix the leaning Millennium Tower next to an article about homelessness. Says something about how, as a society, we spend our money.

Lincoln Spector, Albany