Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Aug. 3, 2024

Supreme Court needs term limits, enlargement

There is a growing cry, mostly from the liberal “left,” that the Supreme Court needs reform. It’s clear to me that the goal is to get a court that will affirm or enact the laws they desire. I have a suggestion that I believe would tend to make the court’s ideological makeup less a function of random luck.

Every odd-numbered year, the president would nominate a judge for a 22-year term. This would result in an 11-member court when full. Judges who die or resign before the term is up would not be replaced until that spot comes up again in the normal rotation.

Judges would be confirmed as they are now, except for one thing: The president’s first pick would require 60 senators for confirmation. Should it fail, the next nomination would only require 55, then 50, then 45 and so on until you get one confirmed. As it is now, I suspect we will never see another judge confirmed while the Senate and the White House are in the hands of different parties.

With the arrangement, the makeup of the court would more closely reflect the mood of the people over the previous 22 years and you would not have a situation where a one-term president gets three picks while a two-term president might not get any. It would eliminate the prospect of a radical change in the court’s philosophy in a short period of time.

— Charles Swensen, San Anselmo

Customers shouldn’t pay for mistakes of others

Kentfield resident Steven Schoonover’s informative letter to the editor about Corte Madera Creek (“MMWD plans need to respect all wildlife,” July 24) accurately observes that the creek’s “once-plentiful fish habitat was destroyed” by the 1960s concrete flood control channel in Kentfield (which didn’t halt flooding).

However, Marin Municipal Water District’s hard-pressed, high-paying customers should not go without the extra water that the capital district’s proposed plan to pump water from Phoenix Lake would provide, just because military engineers goofed long ago.

— James Holmes, Larkspur

MC lights will be good for sense of community

I would like to reply to Judy Mesinger’s letter to the IJ (“MC field lights plan bad for the neighborhood,” July 25).

I think the vast majority of high school students have always enjoyed going to games under the lights, whether it be football, baseball, soccer or lacrosse. I suspect Mesigner did too when she was in high school.

To say that the student population of Marin Catholic does not come from “the surrounding community” is narrowly focused. The overwhelming majority of students at MC live in Marin County. Regarding her statement that MC has outgrown its site, the annual enrollment of students is between 760 and 800. That’s not too many students for the size of the campus.

Our community needs to stop being afraid. Embrace the idea of hearing the voices and cheers of our young people gathering for something so positive and healthy as being a spectator or participant in student athletics. Mesinger mentions the word community many times in her letter. Maybe it’s time she reconsiders the true meaning of community.

— Dave Lenzi, Corte Madera

Artificial turf is a bad idea for Pickleweed Park

I am writing in response to the article published July 24 with the headline, “San Rafael’s Pickleweed Park renovation to begin this fall.”

I am not a fan of artificial turf. Pickleweed Park field is huge. For the many thousands of dollars needed to put in artificial turf, we could be spending years watering and mowing a natural grass surface. Plus, by switching to artificial turf, we will leave hundreds of geese and various other birds hungry. Artificial turf will destroy the habitat. There will be no flowers during the year to enjoy. I don’t think it is very good for dogs, either.

It would be better to spend money removing the dead acacia tree on the walking trail, while cleaning and fixing the trail. I support a plan to clean up the entire area while upgrading the park and playgrounds. But don’t add artificial turf. I don’t think anyone who supports the plan can call themselves an environmentalist.

— Marty Komitopoulos, San Rafael

Track Olympic medals on a per capita basis

It is hardly surprising that the U.S. leads, or is among the leaders, in Olympic medals won from one Olympics to the next. Of the 93 countries that won at least one medal in Tokyo in 2020, the United States is the third-most populated country.

A fairer measure is the number of medals won by each country on a per capita basis. While the U.S. led all countries in 2020 with 113 medals, its population exceeds 333 million, which is third largest in the world. On a per capita basis, America’s 113 medals placed 59th among the 93 countries winning medals. The U.S. was soundly beaten by countries large and small from all seven continents.

So, before we toot our own horn, perhaps we should note that the total number isn’t everything. Medal efficiency counts for something too.

— Mark Hoffman, San Rafael

Some Republican attacks on Harris are very unfair

As a former Marin resident, I am writing in response to the recently published Another View commentary by Nolan Finley, who writes for the Detroit News (“Democrats were ‘ridin’ with Biden’ for too long,” July 26).

Finley sounds like someone who represents the “make America great again” movement. Instead of contributing to a better solution that has plagued the U.S. border states, its people and the migrants desperately seeking freedom and safety, Finley appeared to be peddling former President Donald Trump’s bull.

I was disappointed when House Republicans condemned Vice President Kamala Harris and the administration with a symbolic resolution about unauthorized immigrants and national security threats. Harris’ role on the issue is much more nuanced that Republicans acknowledge.

In a recent Christian Science Monitor article, Sarah Matusek wrote, “In 2021, President Biden did task the vice president with a diplomatic role to address the causes of migration from Mexico and Central America — such as violence and political instability — and to work with those countries to strengthen migration enforcement at their own borders. Texas Republicans began to dub Ms. Harris ‘border czar.’ Several media outlets also began to apply the moniker.”

Finley wrote, “(Joe) Biden made Harris his border czar, but she refused to do the job.” But that’s just more MAGA rhetoric. It’s simply not true.

— Eileen Boore, Lincoln (Placer County)

Primary votes for Biden are being disregarded

Whether Democrat or Republican, I think all should be outraged at Democratic Party leaders for pushing President Joe Biden out of the race.

I think the leadership concealed the truth about Biden’s fitness and then freaked out when they saw him fall apart in the debate with former President Donald Trump. Then they orchestrated what I believe amounts to a theft of Biden’s primary votes and all but forced him to drop out. I suspect this was fueled by, demanded by and finally brought to fruition by billionaires in Hollywood and elsewhere.

Democrats who voted for Biden in the primary election had no say. They were steamrollered by power-mad elitists including former President Barack Obama, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Rep. Adam Schiff. I think they betrayed a man who had supported them for 50 years.

It is a sad day when votes don’t count. The Democratic National Convention will cement the coup. Then Vice President Kamala Harris, who I don’t think has done much during her 3.5 years in office, will be hailed as our “savior of democracy.”

That’s a lofty title for someone whose 2020 campaign for president never got off the ground.

— Rich Cairns, San Rafael