Oct. 17 Letters to the Editor

Grenades anyone?

EDITOR: Gov. Jerry Brown's veto, for the sake of this state's hunters, of a bill limiting the sale of semi-automatic weapons left me wondering ("Brown vetoes gun controls," Saturday). I've known and respected many hunters in my life but can't recall any who equated rate of fire with hunting skill.

If it's firepower that's required, perhaps our less-able huntsmen should lobby the governor for the legal use of hand grenades.

PAT STEPHENS

Sebastopol

Misreading reality

EDITOR: John Flaherty's anti-Charles Krauthammer letter ("GOP's hypocrisy," Monday) deserves a rejoinder only because it's reflective of popular misreading of reality.

ObamaCare was not conceived through decades of prior research but in a great rush to take full advantage of a Democratic Congress and president. This was expediency, stupidity and hypocrisy of the nth degree — since the legislative and executive branches were to be exempted from this legislative offal. True, the EU offers universal health insurance and European countries are in persistent economic difficulties.

Unquestionably, health insurance reform was overdue — but Obamacare was an ill-disguised effort for eventual single-payer system, certain to provide health care with the efficiency of the U.S. Postal Service and compassion of the Internal Revenue Service. (We're there now.)

The fundamental flaw of socialism is that well-intentioned programs aren't actuarially sustainable: Medicare's solid to 2024, Social Security to 2033. To fund growing social programs requires an increasingly well-educated, productive work force and a growing GDP. (We're not there now.)

Paraphrasing Lincoln liberally: It's enough to fool enough of the people enough of the time. (We're there now.)

ANDY LOGAR

Santa Rosa

Food money

EDITOR: It angered me to see people on the local news stations complaining that their benefit cards were not working this past Saturday ("County hit by multistate food stamp glitch," Sunday). When the new station talked with these recipients, I was upset to see that one still had his cigarettes and another showed off her card with her salon-decorated nails — both lamenting that they didn't know what they were going to eat for dinner tonight. One person complained that Carl's Jr. wouldn't accept his card. These people seem to have their priorities backwards. If you have no money for food, you shouldn't be spending what the government gives you on luxuries, e.g., cigarettes and acrylic nails.

JANET MONDRAGON

Middletown

Nature nearby

EDITOR: Thanks for your editorial support of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area bill ("A sound plan for public land," Friday). As a lifelong public school and outdoor educator, I also support Rep. Mike Thompson's proposal to permanently protect and manage this area in a coordinated effort between the agencies.

As an advocate for the Children and Nature campaign, I realize that Berryessa Snow Mountain will be a nearby destination for families to take their children outside so they can connect with the wonders of nature. I extend special appreciation to the many heroes who are giving so much energy toward the bill's passage, enabling us all to enjoy these public lands.

I'm eager to put on my day pack and explore this nearby nature. Imagine, just an hour drive from Santa Rosa, a 100-mile long geographically and biologically diverse land awaits exploration and enjoyment. I am curious to hike, camp, bird watch and run rapids in these oak/chaparral covered mountains and creek carved canyons with hopes of glimpsing some of the diverse wildlife such as the Tule elk, bald eagles and black bears.

See you on the trail.

CAMILLE ARMSTRONG

Santa Rosa

Clean house in Congress

EDITOR: I know elections are a long way off, but I hope when the time comes everyone, Republicans and Democrats, will remember these people who are in office right now and causing this mess that is affecting all Americans. Let's not re-elect any of them. Clean house, and start over. I wish we could get rid of the all right now.

TONI MacDONALD

Santa Rosa

Health charges

EDITOR: I was shocked to read that doctors and dentists are offering charge cards for health care at an annual interest rate of 23 percent, with a 33 percent penalty rate or a $50 charge if payments are missed ("The perils of mixing finance, health care," Monday). These are outrageous interest charges. Are these considered ethical?

Hippocrates must be spinning in his grave.

HELEN B. RUDEE

Santa Rosa