Letters to the editor HAVE YOUR SAY

Liccardo should fix city before criticizing PG&E

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, I just watched a segment on the evening news (Channel 2 last night) where you criticized PG&E as a result of the weekend power outages during a significant heat wave.

As a native San Josean, I’ve been frustrated with the “visible” state of our city for quite some time now, but after hearing your criticism of others I can no longer hold back my feelings.

I know you’ve got a list of accomplishments, but do you actually feel the city is better, as a whole, than when you took office? Look around; what a disgrace and embarrassment San Jose has become. Streets are crumbling, trash is on the freeways and our city streets. You and the City Council have not done your part as leaders of our once beautiful city.

Please, don’t criticize others when you haven’t cleaned up your own house.

— Mark Milioto Sr., San Jose

Rapid testing would help care facilities

It’s been challenging having my mother with dementia residing in a long-term care community. COVID-19 adds another complication. It’s been over four months since I’ve been able to visit her in person. I worry that she thinks we’ve deserted her or if the facility is executing due diligence with her care.

When Santa Clara County went on lockdown, I lost the ability to monitor the nursing home.

I am forced to blindly trust them and pray for the best. Long-term care facilities account for more than 40% of the deaths in California. I find this frightening. The Alzheimer’s Association’s long-term care policy recommendations noted that access to rapid point-ofcare

Letters to the editor:

Letters of up to 150 words should be submitted online at www.mercurynews.com/letters. Commentaries: Submissions should be 600 words and include a tagline and daytime contact information. Email submissions to mnopinion@bayareanewsgroup. com. No attachments please. testing equipment and supplies would help these communities safely reopen.

Please join me and request that Gov. Gavin Newsom and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren ensure rapid testing for longterm care facilities. This will help alleviate the fears for those of us with loved ones in these communities.

— Carmen Brammer, San Jose

Is high-speed rail alternative in the works?

Re: “Walters: North-South bullet train reflects California’s crisis of competence” (Opinion section, Aug. 18):

While this article rightly points out the many failures of the high-speed train project, it ignores the benefit of environmentally sound rapid travel along California and offers no alternative.

Aviation is rapidly moving to pollution-free regional aircraft. Investing in these technologies can provide such an alternative requiring less major infrastructure and be even faster. Electricpowered aircraft that can go 400-plus miles carrying 50 to 100 passengers and eventually use small, dispersed airports are already in development with some prototypes flying.

These are rapidly maturing, likely becoming available around or even before the introduction of high-speed rail, presenting a strong threat and further undercutting its economic case.

— David Roland, Menlo Park

Turmoil at Postal Service demands voter response

If President Trump wants to sabotage the Postal Service, it may be time for the American voter to respond.

First, I suggest that more states offer early voting, thereby allowing more time for the Postal Service to deliver completed ballots to election offices.

Second, the announcement of election results could be delayed as long as is necessary. (The Bush vs. Gore election wasn’t announced until December!)

Frustrating? Unfair having to wait for results? Yes, but honest results are important. The American voter does not have to be a victim.

— Janice Lamphier, San Mateo

Electoral College failed in principal mission

Victor Davis Hanson is wrong when he says the Founding Fathers established the Electoral College so that “small, rural states would retain importance in national elections” (“Democrats are waging war versus tradition, Constitution,” Opinion section, Aug. 14). It was not intended to protect small states, rural states or slave states.

He touches on the truth later in the column when he says the founders established a constitutional republic “in order to check and balance popular and often volatile public opinion.”

As the Senate was elected by state legislatures, the president was to be elected by wise men (almost certainly men) — the Electoral College — rather than the people, so that demagogues and others who inflame emotions among the general population could not achieve that high office.

Yes, the Electoral College was established so that unqualified, unfit people like Donald Trump could not become president.

— Merlin Dorfman,

San Jose