With Biden, better chance of sound Delta policy

Bravo for the Sunday editorial (“Biden offers hope for preserving the health of the Delta,” Dec. 13) emphasizing the fact that money proposed for a Delta tunnel to send water to the south would be better spent on more environmentally sound efforts both to save the Delta and to improve water usage in our own communities.

Legislation introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House by Sen. Kamala Harris (the Water for Tomorrow Act) and Rep. Jared Huffman (his FUTURE Western Water Infrastructure and Drought Resiliency Act is included in HR 2, the Moving Forward Act), respectively, emphasizes the importance of investing in water infrastructure and sustainability. As the editorial opines, Joe Biden is likely to support such efforts.

Homeowners can take action, too, both in learning how to capture stormwater for outside watering and in urging their local governments to encourage gray water usage (now legal in California).

— Nancy Barnby, Menlo Park

Child care workers should get vaccine early

For the public’s health and safety, our child care providers need vaccine priority. These essential workers put themselves and their families at risk to serve working families, including front-line workers, while caring for young children who cannot socially distance and babies who can’t wear masks.

Many in the field lack health insurance, or have high health care costs, and do not have paid sick leave or adequate personal protective equipment. Most child care environments are inadequately ventilated and lack resources to fix this. The early educator workforce is largely composed of women of color who are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus for social reasons like intergenerational housing.

Our child care industry is at risk of crumbling both economically and health-wise, and this impacts California. We invite the governor and the California Department of Public Health to stand up and prioritize early educators to receive the vaccine as soon as available.

— Sue Britson, Berkeley

Taxpayers play big role in U.S. innovation

Fred Gutmann (“Profit motive keeps U.S. innovation humming,” Letters to the editor, Dec. 13) doesn’t seem to be aware that much of the early funding for the development of COVID-19 vaccines came not from private capital but from the taxpayer.

Many innovations in this country are derived from research funded by taxpayers. This is true for medicines including vaccines, as well as the internet itself, cellphones, our food supply — the list is very long.

Private capital is unwilling to take early risks, but it is very willing to reap the profits that flow from the risks taxpayers take on an ongoing basis.

— Anthony Stegman, San Jose

U.S. can rejoin global climate change fight

With China announcing its latest carbon reduction goals, as reported in “China, in nudge to U.S., makes promise to tackle global warming” (Page A11, Dec. 13), the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine, and new leadership in Washington, I feel cautiously optimistic. I am hopeful that this country can find renewed purpose and common ground in climate solutions.

We’re all experiencing how pandemics are disruptive. Climate change will be too. With important legislation like the

Energy Innovation Act, introducing carbon dividends, and the RECLAIM Act, ensuring support for coal communities while America transitions to renewable energy, we have real bipartisan possibilities in progress.

A year before the pandemic, 80% of voters said they wanted Congress to put politics aside and reach a solution on climate change. Let your member of Congress know that you still support a national focus on climate. Let’s lead again, join China, and announce our carbon reduction commitments to the world.

— Julie Steury, Mountain View

Dec. 13 a good reminder of when to concede

On Dec. 13, 2000, Al Gore conceded to George W. Bush, in keeping with our tradition of how we transfer power from one administration to another.

Compare that to the actions of the current White House demagogue and his Republican sycophants in Congress.

— Chuck Wyatt, Hollister

Follow Harris’ lead and set goals high

Dwight Eisenhower said that when he was a small boy in Kansas, he and a friend got to discussing what they wanted to be when they grew up. Eisenhower said, “I told him that I wanted to be a real major league baseball player … like Honus Wagner. My friend said he’d like to be president of the United States. Neither of us got our wish.” He didn’t reach the majors but he aimed high.

Fast forward to about 2013. Responding to her fourth grade teacher’s question of what she wanted to be when she grew up, Vedika Jawa (“I’m 16: Here’s why Kamala’s win is so important to me,” Opinion section, Dec. 11) says that she answered, “president of the United States,” and that classmates giggled and one said that girls couldn’t be president. Good that she is inspired by Kamala Harris’ rise. Moral: Forget the naysayers, just have a goal and do your best.

— Bob Benson, Lafayette