Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.
For effective governing,
measure the results
Re: “Democrats keep repeating the same mistakes” (Page A6, July 18).
State Sen. Steve Glazer’s, D-Orinda, op-ed defines an opportunity for Democratic legislators to raise their games to a new level to benefit Californians. The role of government is to do things with our tax dollars to solve problems and make life better for our citizens. It is about effective governing not holding on to power.
I feel Democrats are good at holding power, but bad at governing. The senator’s examples of reluctance to measure results is a glaring example. Franklin Roosevelt said of the New Deal that we should try things — if they fail, admit it, learn from it, and try something different. The proof is in the result. Democrats and all of us would be better off if our elected officials lead the way to a more efficient and productive state government that effectively tackles our most difficult problems. Can’t do that without an objective analysis of the results.
Dave Riggs
Aptos
U.S. should butt out of
Israeli domestic issues
Re: “Biden invites Netanyahu to U.S., easing tensions” (Page A3, July 18).
I voted for President Biden, but I wish he would stick to solving our own justice issues instead of trying to interfere with the domestic issues in Israel. Currently, Israel has a Supreme Court that can veto any nominees for their replacements and can override votes of the parliament by ruling that the laws passed by elected officials are unreasonable.
How would we like it if Justices John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas could veto any addition to the Supreme Court? What is democratic is not only in the eye of the beholder but also who is in and out of power. Those out of power are taking to the streets because they lost the election.
The proposed judicial reform in Israel is for Israelis to work out and our president should stay out of it. We have enough problems at home.
Gilbert Stein
Aptos
GOP lawmakers, justices
attack our democracy
Republican lawmakers — state and federal — are challenging our democratic values of equal human rights under the law. Lawmakers (and some courts, including the Supreme Court) have arbitrarily conspired to assume legal jurisdiction that was never granted nor intended by the people.
Authoritarian laws that deny personal freedoms of choice, ban accessible reproductive health care and medical facilities, restrict and dictate childhood education, and promote unfair elections have no place in a true democracy. Their baseless promotion is arbitrarily attacking basic human rights, equality before the law and democracy itself. Lawmakers (and courts) that arbitrarily declare jurisdiction over vital aspects of private lives — against the consensual choice of the governed — have crossed the thin line that protects true democracy from dictatorship.
Our Constitution was designed not only to establish an impartial rule of law but also to prevent the government from taking away our control of the rulebook.
Jerry Meyer
San Jose
Source: www.mercurynews.com