Letters: Newsom’s spending | Bullet train | Vote for sanity | Q’Anon cash | Federal function | True antisemitism

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Dec. 20, 2023

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Newsom is spending
state into insolvency

Re: “Gavin Newsom owns California’s $68 billion deficit” (Page A12, Dec. 17).

Just give Gov. Newsom a little more time and he will have California completely broke. As noted, California went from a $97 billion surplus to a $68 billion deficit.

Along the way, Gov. Newson increased spending on things such as free health care for undocumented immigrants. So now taxpayers pay for health care (among other things) for the undocumented while Newsom is more concerned with trying to look good so he can make a run for president.

If he were to be elected president, God help this country.

Gerald Apostolo
Danville

State’s bullet train
must be completed

Re: “Newsom was originally right about California bullet train” (Page A6, Dec. 12).

So what are we to do with the land acquired by the High-Speed Rail Authority and the construction already completed if the rail project is abandoned? Also, do we give the $3.1 billion back to Washington?

We need to complete the bullet train from Merced to Bakersfield and put Dan Walters’ question about ridership to the test. Perhaps some people would prefer to ride the trains rather than drive on Highway 99.

Also, instead of printing silly cartoons about this issue can you get the people involved in building this project to share their perspective?

Gerald Veiluva
Oakland

A vote for Biden
is a vote for sanity

During the years of the Biden presidency, I have relished the professional, adult behavior expected and required of an individual elected to this position.

In contrast to the chaotic, conflict-riddled divisiveness of his predecessor’s term in office, the Biden years have been, in a word, refreshing. While Biden may not be remembered as a “great president,” he does appear sane.

We must remember this contrast when voting in November. Choose sanity over insanity, choose inclusiveness over divisiveness, choose truth over lies, choose calm over chaos, choose Biden over Trump.

Jon P. James
Pleasanton

City councils have
usurped federal function

Re: Policy prohibits San Jose from passing Israel-Hamas resolution, mayor says (Dec. 6).

San Jose’s policy on non-federal entities interfering in U.S. foreign policy dates to the 1970s. It prohibits the council from passing resolutions related to foreign policy matters. The rule states the council “shall not act or take a position” on “matters concerning the foreign policy of the United States of America nor its relationship to other countries of the world … .”

Those city councils that have made resolutions concerning cease-fires and accusations of genocide against Israel have usurped the authority of the federal government and brought division and fear into their cities. The resolutions must be rescinded, and apologies extended to the vulnerable residents who opposed the resolutions.

United Nations charts show that the number of Palestinians in and around Israel grew from about 944,000 in 1950 to about 5,340,000 in 2023. There is no genocide by Israel. Disinformation must stop. Community peace and respect must be restored.

Shulamit Linda Fuentes Rosner
Vallejo

Keep the focus on
the true antisemites

As an American Jew, who had family on the run from Hitler, I am appalled at the members of our government, news media and universities who are calling critics of Israel antisemites.

Zionism is a political ideology, a belief that Jews need a state only for Jews. This is like believing in a white or Christian state. Anyone not Jewish is considered a noncitizen and has no equal rights to the Jews. This is antithetical to the democratic values we as Americans hold near and dear.

To equate anti-Zionism to antisemitism is absurd and is insulting to the real victims of antisemitism. The real antisemites are those who hold demonstrations and are on social media saying Jews will not replace us and who graffiti our synagogues and kill us in our houses of worship.

Suzi Goldmacher
Oakland