California must challenge Trump-led redistricting in red states | Opinion

California must redistrict

“Nonpartisan redistricting: Newsom’s evolution on the issue,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 6)

The Trump administration is aware that its policies are unpopular and its approval ratings are declining, leading to a sense of desperation. It’s seeking a last-ditch effort from Texas and other Republican-controlled states to redraw their districts.

States with Democratic control must challenge this without hesitation. The billions lost under the current administration would easily cover the costs of a special election. California must stand up and vote to have our state’s districts redrawn.

Brian ONeill

Roseville

Restore voting rights

“California archives exhibit marks 60 years since Voting Rights Act was signed,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 6)

Sixty years after the Voting Rights Act promised racial equality at the ballot box, California still denies thousands of people a fundamental right of democracy: the right to vote. Felony voting bans silence our disproportionately Black, Latino and low-income prison population — communities that already bear the weight of systemic oppression.

Voting is not a privilege; it is a voice. When we strip that away, we sever people from the very society we expect them to return to. We tell them their voice does not matter. That is not justice.

Restoring voting rights to incarcerated people makes us stronger.

Shivani Nishar

Oakland

Doctors defend TMS treatment

“Magnetic therapy offers hope — and mixed results — for Sacramento region,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 3)

We are concerned that describing outcomes as “mixed” based on a single patient’s experience may unintentionally discourage individuals with treatment-resistant depression from considering a therapy that is safe and well-supported by rigorous clinical research.

For the one in three patients with depression who do not respond to antidepressant medications, TMS offers a significantly greater chance of relief. Unfortunately, it remains widely misunderstood and is often conflated with electroconvulsive therapy and the associated stigma. Mischaracterizations in headlines risk reinforcing misconceptions and further increasing barriers to care.

Katharine Marder, MD

Debra Kahn, MD

Helen Kales, MD

UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Opting out

“SMUD shared customer data with police, prompting privacy, racism concerns,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 4)

After reading this article about the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s smart meters, I immediately called SMUD and opted out. I didn’t know opting out was available until reading this article.

Misty Miller

Carmichael

Cooling is critical

“California pushes heat pumps for all new homes starting 2026 with new building code,” (sacbee.com, Sept. 12, 2024)

Sacramento summers are only getting hotter, and these rising temperatures can be deadly. Until last year, I had no cooling in my home, and the heat was unbearable. But thanks to incentives from TECH Clean California and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, I was able to install a heat pump that now keeps me safe and comfortable. It’s efficient and pollution-free, and it has reduced my energy bills by over 75%.

Incentives covered 95% of my project costs. Programs like these are critical, especially as extreme heat continues to worsen. One in four California homes still lacks air conditioning, and renters are hit even harder.

I’m urging Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry to prioritize long-term funding for clean cooling in the state’s Cap and Invest program. Heat pumps save lives, reduce emissions and improve public health. Every Californian deserves access to safe, reliable cooling.

Cheryl Moore

Sacramento

A grim warning

“My family witnessed fascism in Italy. It reminds me of what’s happening today | Opinion,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 3)

Trish Fontana’s story of the death of her Italian aunt, who lived through the horror of fascism during World War II, resonated deeply with me.

The last of my Norwegian grandfather’s siblings died in Oslo at the age of 98 on New Year’s Day in 2023. He and his 11 siblings, including my grandfather, vividly recalled the five-year Nazi occupation of their country. The sole teacher for their tiny village, Lars Nødtvedt, was tortured and murdered by the occupiers in 1942.

Stories such as Fontana’s, told in horrifying detail, must be shared now — especially since those who witnessed and survived the violent destruction of democracy are sadly dying off.

Paul Thornton

Alhambra