Wednesday’s Letters to the Editor

Putin’s trump card

EDITOR: I think most Americans — save a few Putin fan boys like Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump — are dismayed and appalled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And I think it is true that the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the European Union will hurt the Russian economy and the pocketbooks of the oligarchs.

But neither Europe nor the U.S. is willing to hit Putin where it really hurts: oil and gas exports. As a petro-state, nearly all of the Russian government’s revenue comes from this. Both President Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin know that an embargo would raise the price of energy globally, something that no politician wants to be seen doing. This is Putin’s trump card and our greatest vulnerability.

The root cause of the West’s powerlessness over Russian aggression is our dependence on oil and gas. Effectively, we are hostages to our addiction. If we truly want to safeguard democracy and a livable future, our only option is to scale up the development of clean energy as quickly as possible and break the fossil fuel habit.

In the meantime, my heart breaks for the people of Ukraine, the pawns in someone else’s game.

LARRY ROBINSON

Sebastopol

Bad investments

EDITOR: I see that state senators have introduced a bill requiring the California Public Employees Retirement System and the California State Teachers Retirement System to divest all funds tied to the fossil fuel industries by 2027 (“Bill seeks fossil fuel divestment,” Feb. 18). As a retired teacher I strongly support this bill, SB 1137.

I spent many years working to help children grow into responsible adults. I want no part of money that is destroying their future. And make no mistake, the fossil fuel industry is doing just that. In fact, continuing to make money off fossil fuels seems to me to be a form of child abuse.

Fossil fuels are a bad investment anyway. Renewables and clean technology are where the money is.

PAULA FOGARTY

Santa Rosa

Two out of three

EDITOR: To paraphrase the great Meatloaf song, President Biden, we want you, we need you, but we don’t love you. In 2020, you received 10 million more votes than Donald Trump; no other Democratic candidate could have done that. The nation clearly wanted you.

You then got the COVID relief and infrastructure bills approved to begin the recovery process. You are now leading the effort to protect Ukraine from invading Russians. The world needs you.

But in spite of the good things, issues like inflation and Afghanistan have caused your ratings to tank. Americans aren’t showing you love. Hang in there, we are fickle. One major accomplishment, like reversing inflation or ending the crisis in Ukraine, and we will love you again. Or, as Meatloaf’s song ends, “two out of three ain’t bad.”

JON YATABE

Bodega Bay

Over the top coverage

EDITOR: I was dismayed to see that The Press Democrat felt the need to put the story of Dr. Sundari Mase, the Sonoma County public health officer, regarding her conviction for a misdemeanor DUI arrest that happened over a year ago on the front page so no one could possibly miss it (“Health officer arrested in 2020,” Feb. 19). It felt like a public flogging. This might be a newsworthy story, but I’m not sure Mase deserved that headline coverage. The misdemeanor did not happen in this county. She was off duty, and she never denied her guilt.

Mase has successfully led this county through a challenging pandemic. During a time when public health officers across the country have faced criticism and even attacks for doing their job, this coverage does her and all of us a disservice and does not show The Press Democrat in a very good light. You can do better.

LEONA JUDSON

Sebastopol

Savor and save

EDITOR: Spring is in the air, and as I begin each day, I ponder the E.B. White quote: “Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and inclination to savor it.” Now is the time to savor our world, and as we do, we will be led to saving it. Nature has been talking to us, warning us, of the dire and disastrous changes in our climate. Listen and respond. Call your congresspeople and let them know swift and equitable action is needed. A carbon fee and dividend program will save lives by the innovation of clean energy sources, and we will all awake in the morning with one thought on our minds. Let’s savor the world we saved.

DEBBI YAMAGISHI

Santa Rosa

Trump and Ukraine

EDITOR: So, Donald Trump thinks the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a good thing and further proof that Vladimir Putin is a genius. I wonder if he’s OK if China goes ahead and invades Taiwan, if North Korea invades South Korea or Russia tries to take back Alaska (it used to be theirs).

It’s time to recognize Trump for what he is — not an antiestablishment politician but a traitorous buffoon. We need to quit humoring him and try him for sedition or treason. He conspired with others to overthrow the government and has been caught with classified documents. If found guilty, a firing squad is called for. We tolerate just about anyone in this country, but we need to draw the line at traitors.

DOUGLAS ROBERTSON

Santa Rosa

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