Make president pay for a border wall
Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump said he was going to “build the wall” and Mexico would pay for it. Mexico has made it clear it will not pay for it. Then he tried to get Congress to put the cost in the budget, placing the burden of payment on the American taxpayers.
But Congress said no. However, they will look at it again later in the year. Since Donald Trump has made a point of flaunting his wealth, why doesn’t he pay for it? Diane Galliani, Daly City
Not worth the money
The Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier is an ostentatious waste of money and will likely lead to injuries and legal action against the city. To fall 20 feet is like falling from a second-story building. Someone could be critically injured if thrill seekers jump, thinking they will survive the fall, and break their necks instead. I think the net will encourage more people to jump and lead to serious injuries that will be the responsibility of the city. This is an astronomical expense for a comparatively small portion of our community who would be better served by increasing mental health services.
I am not trying to discount the need for suicide prevention; however, it is not the transportation department’s responsibility to fund suicide prevention. Millions of people who are just trying to get to work safely are driving on unsafe roadways. Every day, I see people swerving trying to avoid the cratersized holes, nearly avoiding other cars. Why isn’t the safety of the majority of people the primary concern? That $211 million dollars would fix a lot of potholes. Last year, 40,000 people died in fatal car accidents; 1,500 suicides in the history of the Golden Gate Bridge pales by comparison. Carroll Burdett, Richmond
Fishermen’s profit
Regarding “Fish sold from boat: The old way is back” (April 25): This is a great step forward for fishermen in San Francisco. Selling to distributors can be a hassle and generate less profit since the distributors want to make sure they make money selling your product. But now, with the license, fishermen can sell from their boat directly to retailers. Fishermen can have a bigger profit by doing this and the retailers can be sure that the products they are buying are fresh. This is also more environmentally friendly since the products do not need to be transported across the country, thus lowering the food miles. Hopefully, in the future, Giuseppe “Joe” Pennisi and other fishermen can sell directly to the public, which can create a community between the fishermen and consumers. Allen Twu, San Jose
Texting hazards
Regarding “Parents must fight for local cannabis control” (Open Forum, April 26): As the sale and usage of recreational marijuana becomes commonplace here in California, the issue of its affect on young adults is a worthy topic. However, while pot might affect a teenager’s judgment and reaction time while operating a vehicle, texting while driving is an even more frequent hazard. Instead of advocating for local (rather than state) control over marijuana, the author of this piece ought to be urging parents to have serious and ongoing discussions with their young adult children about how to behave responsibly. Dorothy Van Horne, San Francisco
Unequal criticism
Regarding “Farewell to the undisputed king of cable news/talk” (April 25): Ruben Navarrette Jr. could have defended Bill O’Reilly without piling on liberals. The problem with his approach is that everything of which he accuses liberals is glaringly obvious in conservatives. Perhaps Navarrette doesn’t think conservatives are sore losers because they come out swinging: They are a vindictive bunch. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for eight years kept his promise of blocking former President Barack Obama at every step.
The latter is no longer president, yet the right keeps at him. Since the right hates political correctness, let me just say why it is so: Obama is African American. As to what happened to former President Bill Clinton, he got impeached, another fact conservatives forget. Both the left and right hold intelligent and idiotic positions. Calling out liberal reaction over O’Reilly’s firing doesn’t show Navarrette at his best. Criticism, one of my editors once wrote in his weekly critique of the publication, should be such that though we may not like it, we have to admit it is fair. Suruchi Mohan, Los Altos