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Barbara Lee is not there
the leader Oakland needs
Subject: “Leaders court Bay Area progressives for mayor” (Page A1, November 16).
A little post-election advice: They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. Barbara Lee was perhaps the most progressive member of Congress. Do you really want her (or another extreme progressive) to be your mayor, Oakland?
If you don’t like the way things are going here and want things to change, then stop voting only for Democrats. Or, at least, stop voting only for far-left Democrats. Add a few moderates or even, God forbid, a Republican for a change.
One-party rule, whether Republicans or Democrats, is undemocratic.
Christophe Andrus
Dublin
AC Transit will reduce
costs by reducing service
Subject: “AC Transit should cut costs, not just chase more taxpayer dollars” (page A6, November 14).
The author does not seem to know that ACTransit is reducing costs thanks to its realignment plan, implemented in March 2025. I should know: service on the line I depend on, number 7, is cut in half .
It is difficult to attract new passengers when service is reduced like this.
Joanna Pace
The Cerrito
The essay uses fear
tactics for shaping the agenda
Subject: “Solar radiation management must include controls” (page A6, November 15).
Lara Williams’ essay attempts to scare us into thinking about injecting stratospheric aerosols to quickly combat climate change. She uses biased words, scary words, such as “dangerous”, “seductive”, “risks”, “scary” and “terrifying”.
Such geoengineering is clearly cheaper, faster, and easily reversible by stopping injecting good-sized particles into the upper stratosphere. It’s clear that what she’s really afraid of is competition with her preferred strategy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This solution has been tried for 30 years and does not reduce the increase in greenhouse gases. In fact, levels in the atmosphere are increasing every year.
Geoengineering is much simpler and more practical than modifying civilization’s energy systems, which, as history shows, takes about a century. So let’s do the necessary research on these promising methods. This is the future, so you better go for it.
James Benford
La Fayette
Grandparents’ arguments
is not convincing
Subject: “Today’s marijuana is not your grandparents’ marijuana” (page A7, November 12).
I had to laugh at that comment.
No, today’s pot is not your grandparents’. Your car is also not your grandparents’ car, nor your phone your grandparents’ phone, nor your computer… did your grandparents at least have computers? I guess that makes everything bad.
What an ignorant approach to life: if your grandparents didn’t do it, no one should.
The grass is stronger. Cars drive themselves. Phones have apps and computers are… well, they’re your phones. But prison remains prison, and prohibition is always a mistake. America doesn’t need more specious and biased scaremongering about cannabis. It’s here to stay, so smoke a low-potency joint (yes, they still exist) and relax.
Chris Conrad
The leftovers
It’s time for conservatives
come from the shadows
It has been interesting this past week to watch and listen to the gnashing of teeth, the cries of rage and the grim accounts of the reality of the failures of the progressive left. There is no greater disinfectant than the rays of the sun that illuminate the truth of what has happened over the past four years. I and other conservative Californians will no longer remain in the shadows for fear of being ostracized and ostracized for holding values contrary to the mantra of the radical left.
It is time to defend and make heard these values which are fundamental to common sense. The desire for safe streets, affordable groceries, and the ability to live a life free from the oppressive tactics of others to silence dissent and control information are not radical ideals. These are the ideals of a normal life where happiness can be found and enjoyed.
Ray Winther
Livermore
Our nation can still
unite in peace
How do we Americans feel?
We asked for truly democratic elections and I believe we got them. Now do we spend the next four years complaining because things didn’t go the way we wanted? Or do each of us ask ourselves: What can I do to make things better?
What would happen if, instead of hating and complaining, we turned our thoughts to peace, talked about peace, lived peace, became peace. America will never heal if half of its citizens are immersed in fear and hatred. We might not even survive.
John Rexroat
Concord
