Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Nov. 17, 2022

New blood gives MMWD payers reason to rejoice

The day of reckoning appears to have finally arrived. The latest ballot counts show that the wise voters of Marin County responded to years of disastrous leadership at the Marin Municipal Water District by summarily ejecting all eligible incumbent directors (“‘New era’: Marin Municipal Water District could see post-election shakeup,” Nov. 10).

This is a clear warning for those who are left on the Board of Directors — they have failed their customers utterly. I predict they will also be replaced. The absolute, unfettered train wreck that is the MMWD board can only be rebuilt from the ground up. The new blood will be in the best position to do just that.

MMWD is a case study in how to completely hobble a municipal organization through a decadeslong lack of strategic planning, financial ineptitude and a default policy of inaction due to the ossification of leadership. Hopefully, the case study will now end on a positive note, following the anticipated reconstruction of a Board of Directors that actually strives to fulfill its primary duty — to deliver an affordable, reliable supply of water.

It’s really not that complicated, regardless of what the old entrenched interests would have us believe. Congratulations MMWD customers, our message has been delivered with authority.

— James Winter, Tiburon

Leaders must do more to guard against fascism

In his book, “Rising Fascism in America: It Can Happen Here,” political scientist Anthony DiMaggio states: “To dismantle the threat of fascist politics in the U.S., the people must emerge from denial that it has taken root. Fighting fascism must become a regular topic of conversation in homes, schools, media and everywhere else discussions about the future of the nation takes place.”

Images of The U.S. Capitol’s violent insurrection, which was based on a false narrative, voter fraud conspiracies, voter suppression and more and more people proudly wearing swastikas, are disturbing. The rise of “White supremacy” is difficult to dismiss as fake news. Fascist politics has indeed taken hold in America and has been building for some time.

It might not be a terribly bad idea to open discussions on this problem.

— Dennis Kostecki, Sausalito

Tough questions about Constitution, institutions

Recently, we witnessed two divergent views expressed in recently published letters to the editor on the IJ Opinion page between David Minnick and Ruth Dell. It mirrored the divide in our nation.

Minnick pointed to the Constitution, “institutions” (like the U.S. Supreme Court) and traditions for guidance. Dell wrote that the Supreme Court has overstepped its authority. Clearly, each is ingrained in their own belief system. Are the Constitution and U.S. institutions antiquated and/or outdated? Or are our Constitution and institutions still relevant for today’s times?

For two centuries, the understanding of natural law and Judeo-Christian ethics governed our country. But then along came the 1960s, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of ’65. It was the age of the war on poverty, which introduced a sweeping set of social domestic policy programs initiated by former President Lyndon B. Johnson. Religion was removed from schools and government institutions.

From my perspective, it seemed that flaws and truly abhorrent behavior in our country was being emphasized. Corrections in our laws and changing institutions were de-emphasized, which appeared to reduce respect for our nation. It’s clear we fell short of creating our “Great Society.”

While we reduced the poverty level by less than 3% from 1965 to 2017, our national debt has increased exponentially. Today, our national debt is $31 trillion. We have been printing money that we do not have and causing record levels of inflation. Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman declared inflation as “the most pernicious tax that a society can experience.” Today our “entitlement programs” occupy two-thirds of our federal budgets.

Regarding laws about a woman’s right to an abortion, I find it disingenuous to say the Supreme Court took away a “constitutional right.” I prefer that each state enacts its own laws about abortion. I don’t believe the changes brought about by the Supreme Court will necessarily create a divided nation.

— Thomas Costantino, San Rafael