California forum letters: Bee readers take on Joe Manchin, mice regulations, legal cannabis
One senator
“Manchin upends Biden’s agenda, won’t back $2 trillion bill,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 20)
I am furious that, yet again, one man has taken it upon himself to decide the fates of millions. Democracy cannot function if individuals hold this kind of power. The future of our country and habitable world depend on acting on climate change now. Sen. Joe Manchin must be held accountable for disregarding science and the will of the American people.
The planet is burning down and my three young children will likely never know it differently. I am furious that our government has been unable to combat what we have known about for decades. Catastrophic climate change is the greatest threat to our continued survival as a species, and the fact that one senator can arbitrarily decide that acting against this threat is just not worth the money is gut-wrenching and disgusting.
Emily Maxwell
Elk Grove
Real bargain
“Manchin upends Biden’s agenda, won’t back $2 trillion bill,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 20)
I am dismayed by Sen. Manchin’s machinations, pretending to collaborate with Democrats to reach an agreement on the Build Back Better bill. After repeatedly moving the goal post, he then refused to support multiple bills he proposed. Refusal to support this bill means eliminating many programs critical to our social and environmental well-being, including climate change.
The costs of climate change are escalating every year now, with billions of dollars borne by federal programs. The current bill includes only a half-trillion dollars for climate change programs. With ongoing and increasing costs to Americans, it may seem like a real bargain in 10 years even if the full $2 trillion cost of this bill were for climate change alone. Sometimes real solutions require very large investments to bring benefits, and this bill is one of those.
Martha K. Nungesser
Carmichael
Civility wins
“Mice are running amok on these California islands. Here’s a plan to eradicate them,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 17)
After a seven-hour hearing, the California Coastal Commission made the difficult decision to concur with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that a mouse eradication project on the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge was consistent with the state’s Coastal Zone Plan. I applaud the commission for putting aside emotions and acting on the science as explained in staff reports and by scientists who spoke at the hearing. This was a rare case in today’s polarized environment where a controversial project was handled in an objective and civil manner. Kudos.
Marge Kolar
Davis
Rawness of life
“A historic hotel’s rebirth as a dining destination could signal Sacramento is on the rise,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 17)
This article about a new restaurant at the Centric noted that the hotel had replaced the Hotel Marshall at 7th and L streets. The Marshall was described as a “vermin-infested haven for registered sex offenders, the destitute and the mentally ill.”
From 2002 to 2007, I was a member of the staff of the SRO Project. Our task was to engage with residents of the downtown single-room occupancy hotels (SROs). Among the SROs, the Marshall was the least habitable; however, it provided shelter to those whose lives had not been easy. Yes, there were mice and roaches. But there were also people who looked out for one another. In the rawness of life, they felt the depths of sorrow and the simplest of joys. I hope we will not forget these residents who had hopes and dreams and simply wanted to be valued.
Susan Kenney
Carmichael
Honor promises
“California is failing on legal cannabis. To honor the will of the voters, overhaul is needed,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 22)
The editorial board’s piece on the legalization of cannabis touched on many key issues, including the need for more records expungements for people with past marijuana convictions. It also called for a fix to cannabis tax policy, echoing the strident voices from the cannabis industry who want a big tax cut.
On this topic, the editorial failed to mention that the state is currently investing about $300 million in childcare for low-income families and over $100 million in youth prevention services from cannabis tax revenues. If the cannabis industry wins the day and gets its large tax cuts, we’ll potentially see thousands of families lose their childcare and young people lose access to prevention support. Back in 2016, then-Lt. Gov. Newsom promised that legalization would result in new investments in youth prevention. This promise needs to be honored as well.
Jim Keddy
Sacramento
Majority view
“The darkest consequences of Build Back Better’s failure for California and the country,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 21)
In the editorial regarding the potential demise of Biden’s ill-advised Build Back Better program, The Bee noted that Republican senators represented 40 million less people than their Democratic counterparts. What you didn’t point out was that Biden’s margin of victory was only 7 million votes. That is clearly not an electoral mandate for this Republic-killing liberal legislation. Further, the editorial neglected to point out that Republicans carried West Virginia in the presidential election by a 39-point margin. It is refreshing to see a senator actually voting to support the majority of his people.
Peter Tellier
Roseville