Friday’s Letters to the Editor

Appalling decision

EDITOR: It is appalling to see the Sonoma County supervisors cave to the wine industry and reverse their earlier decision to protect farmworker health and safety during wildfire evacuations (“Evac access to include harvest,” Sept. 21). Agriculture is a vital part of our economy and deserves to be respected, but not at the expense of workers who are largely responsible for its profits but see too little respect and compensation.

Particularly disappointing was the about-face of my supervisor, Lynda Hopkins, who under pressure from Big Ag supported giving the sheriff discretion over the Agricultural Access Verification program because she has greater trust in the current sheriff than the previous one. Public policy should not rely on a certain individual in office. Individuals change, but the policy remains. In addition, the majority of the board is blind to the earned distrust that the Latino community has toward the Sheriff’s Office.

Duff Bevill, a major grape grower in this county, reflected the industry’s greed when he said decisions should be made “without putting every decision through the filter of social and equity justice.” In fact, it is essential that policy decisions be made with a constant eye toward social justice and equity. The survival of workers and our planet count on it.

TERRY WINTER

Sebastopol

Benefits for strikers

EDITOR: I was surprised to see that your Sept. 19 editorial opposed Senate Bill 799 to allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefit (“Some bills for Newsom to sign and veto”). You called it “almost unprecedented,” but it’s the law in both New Jersey and New York, with no reported ill effects. You say that the bill “would require employers to keep paying striking workers,” but unemployment compensation is less than half a regular paycheck and it’s paid from the Unemployment Insurance trust fund.

What this bill would do is allow children of workers to buy school supplies, allow couples to keep paying rent, prevent workers from having to rely on overstressed food banks. An “unfair advantage” for labor unions? No labor law reform has passed Congress in decades; striking workers, paid a fraction of CEOs, are already disadvantaged. This bill would strengthen the fight against inequality, which produces homelessness and food insecurity.

I urge you to reconsider your recommendation of a veto.

LAUREN COODLEY

Napa

Use the ‘F’ word

EDITOR: It’s high time for Democrats to use the “F” word — fascist, that is. After listening to Republicans call Democrats everything from radical left-wingers to socialists to communists, why not let Americans know what the Donald Trump Republican Party really is? Why do Democrats always let Republicans frame the narrative on issues?

Call today’s Republican Party fascists and define what that means. Show examples from the past so Americans will clearly see the parallels between today’s Republicans and fascist dictators from the past like Benito Mussolini and fascists in the present like Vladimir Putin.

Fascists condone the use of violence to achieve their ends. They spread lies and misinformation to brainwash their followers, who then do the dirty work. American election workers have been terrorized by Trump’s minions, as well as school boards, judges, prosecutors and anyone who disagrees with MAGA talking points.

TOM LANZONE

Sebastopol

A broken oath

EDITOR: Donald Trump is no oath keeper, but he is definitely one of the proud boys. Trump violated and defiled the oath of office and desecrated his vow to “protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States.” It’s time for all Americans, of all stripes, to “stand back and stand ready” to wield their 2024 presidential vote and send this hate-seething charlatan back into political oblivion. Vote like our U.S. democracy is at stake.

STAN PAULE

Santa Rosa

Tuberville’s ‘protest’

EDITOR: Don’t be fooled by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s “protest.” It’s the same stunt Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell pulled with the Supreme Court. By postponing military promotions as long as possible, the greater the chance they may have if the election goes their way to insert picks favorable to their agenda of a conservative takeover of the federal government. Even the support of Donald Trump is part of their scheme to destroy the way the federal government does business and rebuild it in their image of what they think it should be. Think about it. It’s not a theory, it’s happening right in front of your eyes.

J.W. HALE

Petaluma

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.