Tea time, GOP leadership, Clinton lacks trust

Will tea time ever end?

Re “Another voice of some reason lost” (Editorials, Sept. 26): Now that John Boehner, current speaker of the House, has resigned, will Congress continue to accomplish nothing but ideological bickering while the real issues of our times go unresolved?

Probably, unless the electorate becomes better educated on the real issues and the candidates with the abilities to solve them.

The fact that the least capable candidates are surging in the presidential polls suggests that those people who bother to register to vote are mainly interested in ranting and blaming over substance and solutions. While the tea party may be counting Boehner’s resignation as a success, what real-world solutions have they provided? This little band of rebels is holding our nation hostage.

Republicans who can cry

We need more Republicans who have the courage to weep about people’s problems and issues, just as we need more Democrats who have the courage to wince about pork barrel spending.

Inexperienced GOP leadership

Re “State could gain major clout if McCarthy is next speaker” (Page 1A, Sept. 27): Really? House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is a man whose greatest legislative accomplishments include renaming a post office and research facility, and if he became speaker he would be No. 2 (after Joe Biden) in the presidential line of succession.

The GOP has become a do-nothing, know-nothing and do-as-I-say establishment. Its philosophical hypocrisy attracts the likes of Kentuckian Kim Davis, a person who breaks the law and then garners a GOP presidential hopeful (a God-fearing man) to defend her lawbreaking actions.

Maybe the pope’s words will find meaning to some GOP politicians other than Boehner. If not, they deserve to get Trump as their nominee.

Hillary Clinton lacks trust

Re “More Clinton emails found, officials say” (Page 11A, Sept. 26): Hillary Clinton either has Alzheimer’s or no ethics when responding to FBI investigations of mishandled national security information. She once addressed a Silicon Valley conference bragging about having two cellphones, two email addresses and two computers, one for business and one for personal use.

If she can’t handle two things at once, why would we vote for her to manage a nation? She states she submitted everything relating to work from her private emails, but the FBI finds additional emails not submitted. She either has no ethics or should be treated for Alzheimer’s.

Strengthen ozone standards

With the EPA poised to set new limits for ground-level ozone pollution, it is critical these limits protect the health of California families. Ozone can be deadly, shortening the lives of thousands each year at levels currently labeled “safe.”

Research shows that we’ve been living with too-weak limits for years, and suffering the consequences. The recent wildfires choking California residents are a reminder how important it is to breathe clean air.

Here in Sacramento County, there are 128,000 adults and children with asthma who suffer on bad-air days. Californians deserve to know when the air we breathe is dangerous, so they can protect themselves.

We urge the EPA to adopt the most protective ozone standard.

Don’t decertify SEIU

Re “Effort to boot SEIU gets new life” (Insight, Sept. 26): Signing Ken Hamidi’s decertification effort would be a huge mistake. Hemidi has long sought to break SEIU 1000, and is being supported by the National Right to Work Foundation, a union-busting organization funded by the Koch brothers and others.

Signing his petition will sign away collective bargaining rights and put pension, benefits and rights at risk. SEIU 1000 fought long and hard to build a democratic union where members directly elect their leaders, run a transparent union, elect bargaining representatives and openly bargain for a fair contract.

Why would any member want to decertify in favor of paid lawyers and a union-busting result?

Union busting on the job?

I’m pretty sure union busting isn’t in Ken Hamidi’s job description at the Franchise Tax Board. I hope his supervisor pays close attention to how he spends his on-the-clock hours.

This story was originally published September 28, 2015 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Tea time, GOP leadership, Clinton lacks trust."