Shipments of cargo leave the Port of Oakland on July 25, 2022. California is scaling up efforts to ban diesel trucks and phase in zero-emission trucks. (Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters)
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State isn’t ready
for diesel truck ban
Re: “State bans sale of new diesel trucks by 2036” (Page A1, April 29).
The California Air Resources Board’s 16 members, 12 of whom are appointed by Gov. Newsom, unelected, have enormous power well beyond their expertise. The Progressive Era envisioned delegated “experts,” empowered by a congress, managing the implementation of general laws. Now we have ideologues thinking they can decree away the laws of physics and simply legislate the impossible.
Eliminating diesel combustion engines by fiat, for now, is nonsensical. The grid cannot handle the electricity needed, more than 80% of which for the foreseeable future is necessarily fossil fuel generated. This would power the batteries running the EVs. The pollution and immoral child labor African mining entails will result in at best a net zero difference from gasoline/diesel engine CO2 but instead hobble the economy and impoverish the working people of California. The rapid increase by China alone in CO2 will more than eliminate any reduction by the entire USA, already only about 14% worldwide.
Jack Knutson
Fremont
We need accountability
in Sophia Mason case
Re: “Editorial: Probe county’s failures in case of Sophia Mason” (Page A12, April 30).
I can’t express how deeply affected I am every time I read or hear about Sophia, a helpless, beautiful child who was placed in danger by the county.
The county condemned this poor child to abuse, torture, torment and ultimately death by handing her over to her abusers and after that, the county had the opportunity to rescue her from this horror eight times but negligently ignored her situation.
One can only imagine what this poor girl experienced being alone and terrorized with no hope of rescue in sight.
It was the county’s duty to protect Sophia from a situation like this, but instead they exposed her to it.
The malfeasance demonstrated by the county and those individuals responsible for Sophia’s torture and death should be held accountable.
Why aren’t county officials being held accountable? This should never happen again.
Ron Locatelli
Castro Valley
County officials have
blood on their hands
Re: “Probe county’s failures in case of Sophia Mason” (Page A12, April 30).
I would like to thank Dan Borenstein and the editorial staff for highlighting the tragic case of Sophia Mason. The arguments you presented were grounded in common sense, facts and, most importantly, empathy.
It provoked me to think that if the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator Susan Muranishi do not value the life of an 8-year-old girl, why would anyone believe they would value the lives of prisoners housed at the Santa Rita Jail. Accountability seems to be a dirty word for Alameda County. A prisoner dies from “guzzling water,” and inmate workers go on a hunger strike in the same week, yet no one questions the county’s narrative.
Shame on Nate Miley. He and his colleagues have Sophia’s blood on their hands as well as the blood of numerous deceased prisoners who were housed at Santa Rita Jail.
Aswad Syed
Dublin
Congress must launch
oversight of high court
Americans are losing faith in our Supreme Court, and it’s easy to see why.
The nine justices on the Supreme Court are the only federal judges not bound by a code of ethics. It’s up to the justices to self-police on ethical issues, and they want to keep it that way.
That’s why nothing happened when Clarence Thomas didn’t recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases that could have directly implicated his wife. That’s why nothing happened when America found out Samuel Alito may have leaked a decision about reproductive health care to anti-abortion activists. And that’s why nothing happened when it was revealed that Chief Justice Roberts’ wife has earned millions of dollars recruiting for law firms with business before the Supreme Court.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Congress has a duty to act as a check on the Supreme Court and restore faith in our judicial system. They can do that by creating a code of ethics for the Supreme Court.
The highest court in the land should be held to the highest standard. It’s time to demand that Congress hold the Supreme Court accountable.
William Mitchell
Oakland
We continue to defend
indefensible Israel
Re: “Animosity leaves Israel few choices” (Page A6, April 27) and “Article is silent on Palestinian violence” (Page A6, April 28):
Two letters denounce David Matz’s deep expressions of betrayal over Israel’s policies toward Palestinians (“I had feelings of disgust, guilt and shame over Israel’s actions,” Page A8, April 23). They both cite ‘terrorist’ acts against Israelis, in which the combatant almost always dies. People will give their lives and take those of others to end the permanent subjugation of their communities. (See Ukraine)
Israel did for a time (1991-2009, with gaps) seek peaceful compromise. Each pro-peace government, though, was followed by an anti-peace election. Since 2009, Israel’s refusal to negotiate while continuing the West Bank occupation betrays the term ‘democracy’ and the historic values of the Jewish people.
“That which is hateful to you, do not to others,” says the Jewish tradition. “Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed,” says our founding U.S. document. No country violates these sacred mandates any more than Israel, yet we still face endless defense of the indefensible.
Steve Koppman
Oakland