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PG&E money creates
appearance of conflict
ABC’s KGO-TV reported in February that PG&E was quietly declared a “safe company” by Gov. Newsom after sparking California wildfires.
Is this a coincidence, or a $200,000 conflict of interest in the governor’s job of policing the PG&E monopoly?
When Newsweek asked Gov. Newsom about PG&E’s donations to his wife’s nonprofit, his answer was, “There’s no correlation, period, full stop. Absolutely none.”
PG&E is now failing to deliver power to tens of thousands of customers because its new shutoff software is disconnecting disturbed lines at the drop of a hat (or the drop of a dead squirrel).
In this attempt to avoid another wildfire lawsuit, PG&E is inviting a new type of lawsuit when grandma falls down the stairs in the dark during a shutoff.
Curtis Panasuk
Santa Cruz
Politicians pulled
a fast one on voters
Re. “Voters extend leaders’ terms,” Page A1, July 18:
Residents are over-taxed and overburdened. What justification is there for spending $3.2M on again polling residents and voting just because these politicians were not happy with the first outcome?
I firmly believe that once terms are set, candidates should be voted on and when their terms are up, then they need to vacate and find another job.
How many years can candidates successfully do a proactive and unbiased job without their self-serving interests?
Political representatives are making it harder and harder for the average person to survive in this city. This self-serving practice needs to stop. When representatives do not get their way another vote is placed on the ballot. And again, taxpayers pay for a political whim.
Our tax dollars need to be better spent. Stop the abuse of the residents. No more bogus voting.
Maria Reyes
San Jose
League does more
than register voters
Were you surprised to read that the League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale was suing the city of Cupertino? The League does a lot more than register voters.
The League was founded in 1920 and works to promote the informed and active participation of citizens in government. Sometimes it takes a lawsuit to clarify or protect citizens’ rights.
I’m proud to have been a member of the League since 1969. All women and men are welcome to join.
Barbara Wardenburg
San Carlos
To help environment,
cut back on meat
Record heat waves in America and Europe endanger millions, as wildfires rage, in a brutal manifestation of man-induced global warming.
Each of us can reduce our personal contribution by cutting back on the consumption of animal foods, which account for a whopping portion of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is released by burning forests to create animal pastures. Methane and nitrous oxide are released from the digestive tracts of cows and sheep and from animal waste pits.
In an environmentally sustainable world, vegetables, fruits and grains must replace animal food products in our diet, just as wind, solar and other renewable energy sources replace fossil fuels. The next trip to our favorite supermarket provides a great opportunity to explore the delicious, healthful, eco-friendly plant-based meat and ice cream products in the frozen food section.
Ralph Findley
San Jose
Broken electoral system
begs for new party
David Brooks in “We should fear even greater turmoil for the next six years” (Page A13, July 17) observes six reasons that Americans are disgusted with current administration policy. Causation can be laid to poor leadership resulting from our broken electoral system that has evolved into polarized politics that is helpless to cope with a plethora of problems exacerbated by poor policy. Unfortunately, attempts at a third-party solution in the United States have always failed.
A start would be the elimination of the unnecessary office of vice-president. Perhaps a new party could be formed by the likes of Joe Manchin who has saved us, at least temporarily, from the inflationary spending of Build Back Better and the socialist Green New Deal program.
Brooks wants a throwback to Theodore Roosevelt’s version of progressivism. I voted for Henry Clay in the last two presidential elections. I hope Brooks has more influence toward effecting fundamental change.
Fred Gutmann
Cupertino
Source: www.mercurynews.com