Sunday’s Letters to the Editor

A disunited nation

EDITOR: Jonathan Weisman’s article in the July 3 Press Democrat did not go far enough discussing government dysfunction (“Court Rulings further divide nation”). The fundamental problem facing the Disunited States is how our Constitution structures the government:

The president has only a four-year term. As Donald Trump demonstrated, national policy can turn 180 degrees with a change of presidents. Such turmoil is a surefire way to accomplish little.

In the Senate, small states (Wyoming) have the same number of senators as states 85 times larger in population (California). Thus, conservative rural interests can cancel out the wishes of the majority, resulting in gridlock.

In the House, where all 435 seatsare up for election every two years, the primary focus is raising money for the next campaign; the need for big money tells us whose interests will be heard.

The Constitution limits the powers of the federal government and emphasizes states’ rights. Thus, we are more an aggregation of 50 fiefdoms than we are one nation.

Our polarization resembles the free state/slave state divide of the mid-19th century, and we all know how that ended.

KIRCH DeMARTINI

Saratoga

Commuting for school

EDITOR: At last count, we had four school districts for the Sebastopol area. Twin Hills, my district, is enjoying the taxes I supported for our community. However, more than half of the students come from outside communities, with few young families able to buy $1 million and up houses in west county. This district has several charter schools, so privileges continue, publicly financed now. Parents could push to improve their own geographic district schools (which benefits their geographic community). It takes a village to raise a child, so why go to a far off village, clogging roads twice a day and creating carbon emissions, and bring them home without getting to know their neighbors? This is how America lost all community feeling.

WEEDY TUHTANJOSEPH

Sebastopol

Trail closure is failure

EDITOR: I would like to express my extreme frustration at another closure of the Joe Rodota Trail in Santa Rosa. Sonoma County and parks officials continue to kick the can down the road in terms of finding humane solutions to the homeless encampments there. And people who use the trail for bike commuting, as I did to get to my Kaiser job, are once again not considered. At all.

I tried to use the trail to ride to Graton for lunch last week. No signs at Santa Rosa Creek indicated the trail was closed ahead. The alternate routes are very poor.

County officials need to read the article about integrated solutions for homelessness in Houston. I can provide copies from the June 26 edition of the New York Times.

JOOP DELAHAYE

Petauma

Reassessing Cheney

EDITOR: I just read another letter praising Rep. Liz Cheney. Just short of sainthood, sounds like. I agree that she has been courageous and admirable in her recent resistance to Donald Trump and has performed marvelously in the Jan. 6 committee presentations. But she falls far short of being my hero.

Let’s remember she voted in favor of Trump’s actions more often than Rep. Matt Gaetz did. Her voting record shows she consistently opposes taxing businesses, consumer protection, environmental protection, gun control, public health, immigration policy, labor rights and wages, LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality, taxing the wealthy, countering Russian interference and women’s rights. She supports big business and hawkish foreign policy.

I’m glad there was a point where she drew the line (sadly it wasn’t at parents and their children being separated at the border). And few other Republicans have had similar courage. But let’s keep it real, folks. This hard-core conservative isn’t deserving of a pedestal for resisting a coup. She enabled it and is trying to correct her mistake. Good for her and us.

CHUCK SHAY

Cotati

A ‘drop in the bucket’

EDITOR: Seven years in the planning and fundraising effort, Catholic Charities is almost ready to open Caritas Center to complete, at long last, what Santa Rosa and Sonoma County, the business community and NIMBY taxpayers refuse to do — make a serious, if limited effort to eliminate homelessness (“Project nears finish line,” Monday).

What a model — relying on private nonprofits to do what everyone else considers a nonessential task. At this rate, the county will see the end of homelessness in the late part of the 23rd century.

Now, how about housing for the thousands who can’t afford it — teachers, nurses, social workers, construction workers? Oh, yes, as Mayor Chris Rogers said, “We don’t do building.” The neat thing about shame is lacking any. So, for sure. get all excited at the latest drop in the bucket.

TERRY ROWAN

Santa Rosa

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