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Election rebukes Trump
and his policies
This election was a huge Democratic victory and a repudiation of Donald Trump. Apparently, it never occurred to him that Americans would be appalled at:
1. Masked ICE agents snatching their neighbors off the streets, many of whom were arrested because of the color of their skin. Some even turned out to be U.S. citizens.
2. Hiring an antivaxxer and science denier, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to be in charge of the nation’s health.
3. Targeting his political opponents by bringing frivolous, made-up charges.
4. Starting a trade war with our friends, such as Canada and Mexico. He just raised Canadian tariffs simply because they played a Ronald Reagan commercial disparaging tariffs during the World Series.
5. Sending the National Guard into cities in Democratic-run states on the pretext of crime preventionand against the will of the governors.
6. Cutting back Medicare and Medicaid benefits to give huge tax cuts to his billionaire donors.
Arthur Straus
Walnut Creek
The truth about
democratic socialism
Re: “Democrat Zohran Mamdani elected New York City mayor” (Page A3, Nov. 5).
Many Americans don’t understand the difference between communists, socialists, and democratic socialists. Democratic socialists believe in a market-based capitalist economy run to benefit the majority, not the few. They advocate for a robust social safety net, government control over essential services like health care and policies to reduce economic inequality, such as higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. They want universal health care, free higher education and to strengthen labor unions.
While communism and some forms of socialism involve state control of everything, democratic socialism works within existing democratic structures to achieve its goals. It is opposed to the authoritarian communism of Russia and China.
Many also worry that democratic socialism will slide into full-fledged socialism or some form of communism. That ignores long-established and respected Social Democratic Parties in Europe — the Labour Party in the UK and the Socialist Party in France, as well as left-of-center parties throughout Scandinavia.
Jim Wolpman
Walnut Creek
Restoring SNAP would
be best thing for Trump
Re: “Congress must cement health care, food aid” and “Trump administration must prop up SNAP” (Page A6, Nov. 6).
Thank you, Jim Driggers and Ricardo Narvaez, for your recent letters advocating for SNAP, the government program providing food for needy children and families.
Obviously, Mr. Trump has never had to go without food due to a lack of money, so he cannot understand the meaning of hunger. Well, Mr. Trump, there are many people without the means to buy food who have used SNAP to feed their families. Do you really want to be seen as the wealthy leader responsible for starving American children?
Restore SNAP.
Tari Nicholson
Martinez
Federal rules against
gerrymandering needed
My party just put another nail in the coffin of democracy in California with Proposition 50.
Even in high school, we learned that gerrymandering was undemocratic and unacceptable. It needs a non-political federal implementation of standard rules for all states. States’ rights are an issue, but these are elected federal positions and cannot be left up to the local political bias of states. It beats rolling in the mud with the rest of the country.
In the future, the California Democratic Party’s claim to defend democracy and protect all minorities (Republicans) will ring hollow.
James Roesler
San Ramon
Progressive tide rolls
in with election
The political tide has changed in America.
Zohran Mamdani’s emphatic victory over Andrew Cuomo shows that New Yorkers support progressive, for-the-people policies, over for-the-rich favoritism.
Democratic wins around the country — Virginia and New Jersey governors, races in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Virginia again, and Proposition 50 here, are all blows to Donald Trump’s nasty, erratic divisiveness.
Yet, the Democratic Party leadership resists progressive policies because they fear losing corporate campaign funds and are satisfied with the status quo. Chuck Schumer didn’t endorse Mamdani. Hakeem Jeffries only did so, and Barack Obama only called him at the last minute, after the outcome was clear.
Had Kamala Harris supported progressive policies rather than spouting limp anti-Trump rhetoric, she would have won.
The only way for Democrats to win back power is to prioritize ordinary people’s needs, tax the shamefully rich and give first-time and younger voters reasons to support Democrats. It’s common sense.
Keith Nakatani
Oakland
Gaza tragedy must
never happen again
Re: “It’s time to face the enormity of Gaza’s loss” (Page A13, Oct. 26).
I can only imagine returning to the devastation that once was home in Gaza. Consider the whole Bay Area reduced to powder: Grace Cathedral, 680, Golden Gate Park — no more. Schools and hospitals — piles of concrete and rebar. No clean or running water, not even any pipes or treatment facilities. No toilets; no sewers. No food. Your home is now contaminated rubble. Can you even find the lot? Your pets?
How do you rebuild centuries of history, beauty, life and culture that have all been bombed to dust? Bring back whole families blasted out of existence? Help so many WCNSFs (Wounded Child No Surviving Family)? This, while Israel continues its bombing, torture, starvation, detention and land theft of innocent Palestinians.
We must find a way to reclaim the vibrancy and history of Palestine and ensure that “never again” will such obliteration be funded with our money and support.
Elizabeth Fisher
Pleasant Hill