Letters: Brett Kavanaugh and his missing judicial temperament

Brett Kavanaugh

“A crying Brett Kavanaugh. This is what white male privilege looks like” (Erika D. Smith, Sept. 27): Watch Mr. Kavanaugh's performance with the sound off. I did, several times, and consistently found it incredibly unnerving to see someone who is applying for a job with the U.S. Supreme Court be unable, or unwilling, to control himself or to show respect for the institution of the U.S. Senate. Red-faced, immature and mad at the world, he was belligerent and aggressive, bringing to mind how his Yale roommate described his demeanor when inebriated. We're all human. We have emotions, but a justice must be able to distance him or herself from his or her emotions. On Thursday, we saw a very different Judge Kavanaugh, one who felt completely justified in blasting others with anger in a job interview on national television. He does not have the judicial temperament needed for the Supreme Court.

Senate Bill 1437

“Hundreds serving time for murder could get sprung under new California law” (sacbee.com, Sept. 30): Thank you for covering the signing of Senate Bill 1437, my bill that, as the article states, “will give a second chance to potentially hundreds of individuals serving prison time for murders they did not commit.” You fairly portray that murder convictions will be restricted to those who actually killed, directly assisted, or acted with reckless indifference to life. However, the headline is misleading. No one will automatically “be sprung” as a result of SB 1437 becoming law. Resentencing is not automatic. To be considered, a petition substantiating beyond a reasonable doubt that the petitioner could not have been convicted under the new law must be submitted for judicial review. Then and only then will a court consider whether to hold a hearing. This bill represents hope, not guaranteed freedom.

Fuel standards

“How fighting climate change will raise California gas prices even higher” (sacbee.com, Oct. 2): Clean transportation policies, such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, are successfully cutting carbon emissions and improving air quality in California. But you wouldn’t know that from reading the first few paragraphs of this article. The fossil fuel industry’s concerns about consumers ring hollow when you consider its profits and its lobbying against the very clean transportation policies that will save lives. The California Air Resources Board was right to extend the fuel standard, a program that will truly do Californians a lot of good.

NRA in schools

“Some say NRA is giving California schools ‘dirty’ money. These students beg to differ” (sacbee.com, Sept. 27): It is horrendous that a high school in California offers a class on shotguns and that the district administrators are naive to the NRA's dirty money. The school claimed the most money of any school in any state. In our gun loving culture, where gun homicides, suicides and accidents are among the world's highest, what are we telling our children? Guns are dangerous and lethal.

Eleni Kounalakis

“To solve two of California’s worst problems, vote Eleni Kounalakis for lieutenant governor” (Endoresments, Oct. 1): This editorial would be so different if she was Republican. I expected the sounding an alarm over her having too many conflicts of interest. You would probably berate a similarly wealthy and politically powerful conservative candidate.

Yes on Prop. 12

“Want to save a child’s life? Vote ‘yes’ on this California ballot measure” (Endoresments, Sept. 25): I agree with The Bee's editorial board that it would be ideal to have our lawmakers addressing important issues, such as the mistreatment of farm animals. In the absence of such legislative action, I'm heartened to have a chance to vote “yes” on Proposition 12 to prevent animal cruelty. Sadly, millions of chickens in our state are locked in cages, causing both animal abuse and food safety concerns.

Oak Park

“There’s a war to make gentrified Oak Park black again. A ‘racist’ coffeehouse is the latest target” (Erika D. Smith, Oct. 2): If Smith wants to inflame racial tensions in Oak Park, why pick on a little trendy coffeehouse as her symbol of oppression by gentrification? Why devote an entire column to a two-bit dispute involving Old Soul and Black Lives Matter? I assume that’s more palatable than going after the real movers and shakers in Oak Park, like the UC Davis Medical Center, McGeorge School of Law and major developers. Why not look at the impact of these entities on home and rental prices? How about examining their hiring practices to see how many poor blacks from Oak Park are on their payrolls? And why would a columnist for the city’s only daily newspaper think promoting racial divisiveness is a good idea?

Rent control

“Will rent control kill California housing production? Not necessarily, data show” (sacbee.com, Sept. 28): I was chief counsel for the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board from 1993 to 1995. At significant expense to the city, eight attorneys and more than 20 review accountants and intake staff were necessary to deal with endlessly divisive hearings and litigation contesting decisions by an elected, but bitterly divided board. While types of rent control can vary, many legal issues inevitably arise over the constitutionality of limiting a fair return on a landlord’s investment. Under Proposition 10, many well intentioned cities and counties may return to overzealous rent controls without understanding not just the effect on new construction, but also the costly bureaucratic swamp that accompanies such efforts.

Grateful for cops

“Sheriff’s deputy killed in Rancho Cordova shooting at auto parts store” (sacbee.com, Sept. 17): People all over the city love what police do to serve and protect us. Members of our community should recognize that police officers are people, just like you and me. They care about the public, and they are trustworthy, helpful, friendly, kind, obedient and brave. I want to thank all our officers who protect and serve.

 

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