With smirk, no hope for change

Re “In final address, Obama shines an optimistic light” (Page 1A, Jan. 13): With all his talk to better the congressional actions of the past, House Speaker Paul Ryan, by his actions and facial expressions during the State of the Union, showed that we are in the same spot where we started: point zero.

The president’s last address seemed to bore Ryan. The constant smirk on his face showed a nation that he believes President Barack Obama’s thoughts and words should not be noticed or heard. His constant sour look shows there is no chance any change will come with Ryan’s leadership in the House. Same theater, different actors.

Obama is far from ‘dictator’

Re: “Dangerous path to dictatorship” (Letters, Jan. 11): The constant calls from the right that President Barack Obama is a dictator, shreds the Constitution and is lawless are a bunch of baloney. He has a Republican-led Congress that refuses to work with him in order to look tough to their base, not even voting on any of his nominees.

House Speaker Paul Ryan claims that “we can’t trust him” to justify the worst do-nothing Congress in history. But what’s the historical truth? Republicans never gave Obama a chance, leaving him little choice on how to get things done – and he still accomplished a lot. The sad truth is some in our country were not ready for a black president.

Cowboys no longer welcome

Re “Some sympathy for range protest,” (Page 1A, Jan. 10): The American cowboy culture I embraced growing up now sees challenges, even upsets, to ingrained traditions. The demystifying may have begun with the Marlboro Man who coughed his way to Boot Hill rather than expiring in a showdown of bravado.

Now at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon, we find men flouting unheroic, disruptive behavior and advancing disingenuous claims, all the while expecting mostly unsympathetic locals to provide snacks and drinks. These enemies of public land need to be rounded up and prosecuted.

David vs. CTA Goliath

Re “Justices should follow precedent, side with labor” (Editorials, Jan. 12): Your argument in favor of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Rebecca Friedrichs is flawed. You are inferring that should the court rule in favor of Friedrichs, it would extend to unions in private industry. That may or may not be the case. You also assert that Friedrichs has other options. How ridiculous.

Organized labor has had its power limited to the public sector and private industries that can’t outsource their labor. We can’t export the jobs of public employees, and taxpayers can no longer let them wield such political influence. The court should rule against the California Teachers Association.

Court trying to shackle unions

The same justices who gave us the Citizens United decision in 2010 appear poised to finish the job, further tilting the political playing field toward wealthy families and corporations. By suggesting that everything a public union does for its membership is political, the conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court are threatening to hobble unions.

The Wall Street elite must be rejoicing. One can only hope that at least one of those justices takes a moment this time to consider the consequences of their decision.

No mob rule on guns

Re “Views on gun control unchanged by attack,” (Page 6A, Jan. 12): So the great unwashed masses in California want gun control? Hardly. Where was the poll conducted? If it was conducted by calling urbanites, the results would be much different than if rural folks or inland county residents were asked.

Either way, we live in a republic, where the mob doesn’t get the final say. Thank God for that. Otherwise, the Constitution would have been shredded years ago at the hands of the largely ignorant electorate.