UC’s violated trust
Regarding “UC’s extravagant habits” (May 9): Given recent revelations about a secret $175 million UC fund, extravagant spending habits, bloated administrative salaries and interference with state auditing, why should the state university system and Board of Regents continue to be allowed to operate with nearly complete autonomy? It has violated public trust, and ought to be subjected to stringent oversight. And since these acts of malfeasance occurred during her tenure, UC President Janet Napolitano ought to be fired immediately.
Henrik Gunderson, San Francisco
Populism’s not a negative
Regarding “French election a blow to surge of populism” (May 8): I take offense at the headlines saying that the French election is a blow to populism. Since when did populism become synonymous with extremism and the alt-right? Populism is not a negative force. I consider myself a populist and I am a liberal, one who champions the rights of ordinary people and a decent life. Patricia Andrews, San Jose
Punishment should fit crime
Regarding “BART can’t cite, arrest juvenile fare cheats” (May 8): Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross highlighted legislation I authored changing the penalty for transit fare evasion by youths. They reported that the mob of juveniles who took over a BART train car on April 22 and robbed passengers also allegedly jumped fares. They wrote that BART’s hands are largely tied in pursuing fare evaders, due to my bill. That is not true. First, I am appalled by the incident and the crimes allegedly committed.
The youths involved should be pursued and prosecuted. My bill does not affect those prosecutions. Second, my legislation doesn’t tie agencies’ hands. It simply keeps a minor from being sent through the criminal courts when the only violation is fare evasion. Should a poor kid who jumped a fare to get to school be charged with a misdemeanor and taken to juvenile hall? I think that’s overly harsh, and it can start youths down a troubled path. Under my bill, every transit agency in California has the same option as Muni and can create an administrative process for issuing citations, fines and other penalties to juvenile fare jumpers. Fare evasion is wrong and there should be consequences for violations. But the punishment should fit the offense. State Sen. Bob Hertzberg, Van Nuys
Extreme vetting’s necessary
Adjacent to each other on the front page are two articles, “Crucial test for Trump ban on travel” (May 9) and “Ex-official tells of warning on Flynn” (May 9), that, when read together, point to yet another irony in President Trump’s administration. In the first article, the Justice Department’s acting solicitor general is reported to have said courts should defer to Trump’s judgments on national security. The article continues with Judge Dennis Shedd asking why the president, the executive branch, was not entitled to some deference. In the second article, those objections find their answer. After warnings from both former President Barack Obama and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates that there were serious reasons to be concerned about Michael Flynn, Trump not only hired Flynn to serve as national security adviser, but also continued to keep him on weeks after being told he was a security risk, firing him only after the press brought the issues to light.
So if the Trump administration wants to argue that deference should be given to the chief executive when it comes to national security, I would posit that, first, extreme vetting needs to start at home (in the White House).
Wilma Murray, Martinez
GOP is drunk on power
Regarding “No cure at the house of suffering” (May 8): E.J. Dionne Jr., usually the soul of dispassionate discourse, is furious and I can’t blame him. Taking a page from President Trump’s brand of ignorant egotism, the House Republicans have perfected their own brand and are so drunk on power that they can’t even be bothered to read the legislation they pass. One small correction on a otherwise spot-on column: He refers to the GOP’s hatred “for a law named after Barack Obama,” but let’s not forget that it was a law the GOP themselves insisted on nicknaming after him, the better to hate it. David Kelso, Oakland
Disorder in the royal court
Regarding “Grasping at distractions” (Editorial, May 9): The White House must think that it is actually a royal court, with the current president fancying himself as a king. Only that scenario could explain why — despite warnings by former President Barack Obama and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates — this administration first hired and then refused to fire Michael Flynn as its national security adviser. Only public revelations of Flynn’s deceitful communications with Vice President Mike Pence caused his downfall.
Who knows how many other members in our current government have been compromised by their contacts with Russian officials during the presidential campaign? And will a congressional investigation of culpability lead all the way to the Oval Office? “Royal court watchers,” also known as the American public, are anxiously awaiting answers to these questions.
Barbara Sandstrom, San Francisco
‘Do nothing’ strategy of Dems
Where is the “resist” leadership in Congress? The Republicans had no answer to the Affordable Care Act for seven years except voting to “kill” it. It’s clear that the ACA has its problems. Where are the legislative proposals by the Democrats to improve the ACA? Is their “do nothing” strategy supposed to be successful? Please show your constituents and the American public that an improved version of the ACA is preferable to the ill-conceived Trumpcare. Help!
Curt Cournale, San Francisco
What UC system needs
It is no surprise that financial troubles are plaguing the UC system. Janet Napolitano has no real-world experience running anything similar to a billion-dollar university system. Her experience: attorney general, governor and secretary of homeland security!
Her chief financial officer: formerly of J.P. Morgan! Both are wonderful and intelligent people, but their experience leads us to the issues now at hand. Let’s get a seasoned hospital administrator and CFO in that role. Someone who knows how to run a large business, deal with elite egos and the government.
Bill Godwin, Berkeley