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Carbon footprint alone
is reason to cancel HSR
Re. “Cost estimate triples for San Jose-S.F. high-speed rail,” Page A1, June 17:
Can anything stop this train? Here are some facts.
First, this is supposed to be a project to fight climate change. This train will never be carbon neutral with all the concrete used considering every yard of concrete produces 400 pounds of carbon in the manufacturing process. Then throw in the carbon emitted just to transport this concrete along with the carbon in all the construction equipment.
Travel time from San Francisco to Los Angeles? This distance is 380 miles using I-5. I estimate the HSR route at 430 miles, so about 2 hours and 10 minutes at 200 mph from start to finish. Now throw in 9 stops. If each stop averages 5 minutes, add another 45 minutes: 2 hours and 55 minutes. No way is this train going to average 200 mph over the whole distance, so 2 hours and 40 minutes is not possible.
Stop this train now.
William Ortendahl
Santa Clara
Let’s support families
to avoid more tragedy
Re. “‘She died trying to protect her children,’” Page B1, June 16:
The tragic death of a mother of six children, shot by her husband who then shot himself, is a reason for all who know of any type of violence in their own families to speak up.
People often say, “I heard loud noises, arguments, but it was not my business, I did not feel it was my business to tell any parent how to discipline their child.” But it was my business to do exactly that.
After a few years, I realized that family violence prevention is much more effective than intervention after a tragic incident, so in collaboration with others, we set up family resource centers offering free parent education classes, counseling for parents and for children, substance abuse treatment, and employment services. Our motto was: “We are all our children’s keepers!”
Gil Villagran
San Jose
Ballot measures mock
direct democracy
Re. “Ballot measures will dominate California’s November election,” Page A13, June 12:
I totally agree with Dan Walters’ column of June 12. Dan writes that initiatives and referendums “have largely evolved — or devolved — into ways for corporate and other special interests to have their way.” Voters are totally misled to believe that they have a direct voice in the legislative process through initiatives and referendums.
The only ones who have a true voice are the corporations and special interests who spend millions of dollars to buy ads to sway voters to vote in their favor. Referendums and initiatives are intentionally written in such confusing language that voters often don’t understand what they are actually voting for.
We have an elected Legislature whose job is to study issues and make sure that the best interests of their constituents are preserved. Let them do their job. The only initiative I want to see on the next ballot is one eliminating all future initiatives.
Alice Lev
Sunnyvale
There is no placating
Russia’s Putin on Ukraine
Re. “Instead of conflict, it’s time to talk peace,” Page A6, June 16:
I guess Jeannette Hassberg et.al. never studied 20th-century history.
In the early 1930s Neville Chamberlin took the same stance with Adolph Hitler. And look where that got the world.
There is no way of appeasing dictatorial imperialists like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Winston Churchill was right: “Those who do not know history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat them.”
Bruce Onken
Fremont
Fillmore called it:
Freedom under attack
Mallard Fillmore, the smartest duck in the comics, on June 11 warned us of the left’s war on the word “freedom.” (Page B13)
This is to be expected as the word freedom evokes self-determination and control over our own lives. There has been an ever-increasing role of government in our lives in the form of higher taxes and bureaucratic decisions that have eroded our political and economic freedom, therefore, the word “freedom” must be demonized. We can expect further attacks on “freedom” as the notion is dangerous to the left’s drives toward increasing collectivism.
The bald eagle has had a good run as our national bird, but I now recommend the mallard duck.
Rich Russek
San Jose
GOP chooses to follow
Trump toward fascism
There is no way Donald Trump can prevent being indicted for his instigation of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, and his involvement in the attempts to stage a coup of our democratic institutions.
More than 60 lawsuits showed that there was no voter fraud or any irregularity in this election. His Attorney General William Barr told him that the election was not fraudulent and that his claim of a stolen election was b——. His exhortation at the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., “to fight like hell, otherwise you will not have a country anymore” was a big endorsement for the crowd to storm the capitol.
Unfortunately, all the signs point to the fact that the GOP is now turning into the fascist party of the USA. Maybe it is time for them to rename their party.
Wilhelmus Vuist
Campbell
Source: www.mercurynews.com