Dems must refocus to regain control
Concerning “Speier demands Trump’s removal” (Aug. 25): While I agree with Rep. Jackie Speier’s statement that President Trump’s behavior has been erratic, and also have concerns about his mental fitness, I question whether she and fellow Democrats ought to be seeking to remove him from office through the use of the Constitution’s 25th Amendment.
With only about 14 months until the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats need to focus on core issues like creating more jobs with higher wages, protecting the environment and stabilizing our nation’s troubled health care system. They will not regain control of the House in the next election cycle simply by being known as the “Anti-Trump Party.” Cecilia Ventigmilia, San Francisco
Servant of the law
Regarding “Judges must be accountable to voters” (Open Forum, Aug. 23): Stanford Law School Professor G. Marcus Cole stated that judges’ rulings must be “consistent with the expectations of the community they represent” and must “reflect community standards.” The professor is wrong. A judge in California serves the law, not his or her particular community.
The California Code of Judicial Ethics states, “A judge shall be faithful to the law regardless of partisan interests, public clamor, or fear of criticism.” And, as Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court has said, “Independent judgment require[s] judges to decide cases in accordance with the law of the land, not in accordance with pressures placed upon them through ... external sources.” California has 58 counties.
If judges were to rule as the professor contends, we could have 58 different outcomes based on the same facts and law. This is not how the law is to be applied. And, a judge is not the representative of his or her community as the professor claims, but a servant of the state and the law. John Schuck, Palo Alto
Barbaric practice
Concerning “Execution measure survives challenge” (Aug. 25): The prospect of California entering into a phase of speeding up executions via a streamlined appeals process and use of single lethal drug injections is disgraceful. Our country remains the only Western democracy that permits capital punishment, with thousands of prisoners on so-called Death Rows. The voter-approved ballot measure that is enabling this barbaric practice to continue ought to have been called Proposition 666.
Fiona MacPherson, Novato
Unpleasant truth
Regarding “The will and the means to build” (Editorial, Aug. 20): “People want to live in California, and Californians don’t want them to” is cute, but it disguises a starker and unpleasant truth. California communities are already required by state law to provide low- and moderate-income housing. Almost none do, for two related reasons. One, there is no penalty for failing to follow the law, a mockery of state policy which the Legislature is long overdue to correct. More insidiously, prosperous homeowners pressure local officials to approve nothing but more luxury housing, and understanding that prosperous homeowners donate far more in campaign contributions, local officials ignore the law and the needs of their less prosperous citizens.
Tim Goncharoff, Santa Cruz
Transit issues
Regarding “Bay Area transit fails its riders” ( Joe Mathews, Aug. 24) and “Big crowds expected for 1st free day of SMART train” (Aug. 24): It was amusing to see Joe Mathews’ piece in the same issue as Michael Cabanatuan’s article about opening day of the new Sonoma-Marin SMART train line. Cabanatuan wrote a good, informative article about what may become a welcome addition to public transit options (although still in development), but Mathews’ piece portrayed the unfortunate reality of Bay Area transit systems. I’ve commuted in the Bay Area for years, by various means, and have asked others why they don’t use public transit when available. The most common responses were that the systems are not coordinated, connections at transfer points are poor or nonexistent, and the schedules often do not work for people’s needs. There have been enormous improvements over the years, but as our population explodes and systems lack funds for needed upkeep, let alone upgrades, no wonder our already overcrowded highways keep getting more impossible.
Sheila Callaghan, San Mateo
Obama on the money
With our belated awareness of the inappropriateness of monuments glorifying the Confederacy, it’s about time we looked at our currency too, and remove former President Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill. His “Trail of Tears” genocide of Native Americans is sufficient reason alone. I nominate former President Barack Obama as his replacement. Ed Chainey, Richmond
Boycott the NFL
As a former high school football player and a lifelong college and pro football fan, I hereby pledge to boycott the NFL this season pending the hiring of Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick has been one of the better NFL quarterbacks and can still play well as demonstrated last season. He should be commended for standing up for his values instead of being blacklisted by President Trump-supporting billionaire owners. Please join me in boycotting the NFL. Allan Fisher, San Francisco