Letters: Word and deed | Insurers’ revenue | Source material | Hard lessons | Vaccine pledge

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for July 31, 2024

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

Let’s hope that Harris’deeds match her words

Re: “Harris tells Netanyahu ‘it is time’ to get hostage deal done and end Gaza war” (July 25).

At a recent meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, Vice President Harris described the devastation inflicted on Palestinian civilians by Israeli bombardments. She ended by pleading for a cease-fire and declaring, “I will not be silent.”

I am reminded that President Biden has not been silent. During the whole 10-month siege on Gaza, Biden has pleaded with Netanyahu for a cease-fire while at the same time providing the half-ton bombs used to indiscriminately massacre innocent women and children — the height of hypocrisy and an embarrassment to our country.

Let us hope Kamala Harris will do more than complain about the egregious death toll of innocent civilians in Gaza. Actions speak louder than words.

Forrest CioppaWalnut Creek

Premiums aren’t whatmake insurers thrive

Re: “How to cool down California’s heated home insurance market” (Page A8, July 28).

The East Bay Times guest editorial by an insurance company president claims insurance companies can’t survive on insurance coverage revenue when losses exceed earned premiums.

Having worked for an insurance company for 32 years, I’m going to counter what he said. The fact is, the majority of insurance companies don’t live on earned premiums. They live on investments.

Insurance companies will take your dollars and buy investments. Many insurance companies own investment properties such as tenanted commercial real estate and buy investments such as stocks and municipal bonds.

Those insurance companies that are investor-owned receive more money from stock purchases that increase the cash flow to buy more investments. Insurance companies have highly skilled portfolio managers who are experts at maximizing investments.

Lawrence ShulmanClayton

Trump should carefullychoose source material

Re: “Trump to Christians: If I win, ‘You don’t have to vote again’” (Page A4, July 28).

Donald Trump’s promise to the The Believers’ Summit on July 26 sounded eerily familiar: “Get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.” Pay no attention to what you’ve been told. Trust me. All will be well.

Surely the Turning Point Christians have read or heard that message before. Genesis 3. The Temptation of Eve by the Serpent. Pay no attention to what you’ve been told. Trust me. She did and we all know what followed.

Advice to Donald Trump: To avoid being compared to Satan, select your analogies more carefully. Moral for everyone else: Trust not the soothing words of the serpent.

Martha ToppinWalnut Creek

Harris administrationwould offer hard lesson

I can understand why many young, first-time voters, especially those right out of high school, will flock to Kamala Harris. It gives them the exciting opportunity to make history by electing our first woman president with the promise of a lot of free stuff and a comfortable life.

It will take them a few election cycles to learn that all politicians lie and that there is no such thing as a free lunch. They will also learn that most presidents do more harm than good, and some are so bad their policies and decisions get people killed.

Right now, our volunteer military enlistments are falling short of their goals and the world is a tinder box in part because of our country’s perceived weakness. How the bad guys act under a Harris presidency versus a Donald Trump one may result in a life-altering change of plans for those first-time voters of draft age.

Bill BehanBrentwood

Local delegation mustsupport vaccine pledge

Re: “U.S. must honor vaccination promise” (Page A6, July 26).

Thanks to Rick Narvaez who reminded me in his letter of a time when I trusted the United States to be the leader in many things including funding lifesaving vaccinations.

I thought polio and measles were done. But they, as well as new diseases, return in times of war, increasing poverty and climate stress.

I assume my California senators, as well as my representative, Rep. Barbara Lee, and the rest of the Bay Area representatives, will support keeping the U.S. promise to the GAVI Alliance and vote for H. Res. 1286 and S. Res 684. I just want to say that it is important and to remember to vote for it.

Susan OehserOakland