The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and don’t necessarily reflect The Press Democrat editorial board’s perspective. The opinion and news sections operate separately and independently of one another.
EDITOR: The assassination attempt of Donald Trump was a very sad occasion. As much as I think this man is the antithesis of what a leader and law abiding person should be, this violent act is just another sign of how this country’s gun laws are so out of step with what the majority of America wants.
That said, do not make this man a martyr for what happened. He is UNFIT to be president let alone a dog catcher. He is a blatant liar, has assaulted women, has been convicted of felonies and more.
Joe Biden may stumble with his words and in his gait, may have failed in the recent debate but he has accomplished many things in his first term, is honest, wants the best for ALL in this country and actually holds true to his oath to our Constitution. That can’t be said about Trump or his sycophants.
Don’t let Trump back into the White House. Re-elect Biden and, please, keep the Senate in the Democrat/Independent majority and return the House to the Democrat/Independent majority.
EDITOR: As has been widely reported local animal shelters are overcrowded, and many adoptable pets are spending too much time caged and getting more stressed. I would love to see The Press Democrat do a regular feature of “adoptable pet of the day (or week).” It would showcase available animals, helping them find homes. And lots of your readers would probably enjoy it, even if not currently searching for a pet. The paper is a community resource that can help with this sad, ongoing problem.
EDITOR: On July 1, the Supreme Court hammered the penultimate nail in the coffin of U.S. democracy. There is just one more nail to go before this awful result is complete — the national vote this November. Regardless of how you feel about President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, if you value democracy in this country, you must vote to elect Biden. This could be the last meaningful vote of your lifetime. I urge you to also volunteer to call, text or mail voters in swing states. Let’s not regret that we didn’t do our best to avoid this potential outcome.
EDITOR: Everyone should read the grand jury’s reports. These reports are done by 19 regular citizens. They don’t have any ax to grind. As a group they decide which issues to investigate and spend thousands of hours reviewing documents and budgets, interviewing and writing reports that a Superior Court judge must approve.
Every taxpayer should read the report on county revenues. It’s got so much information you probably don’t know and is of real interest. We pay a lot of taxes, and it’s all very complicated with lots of flags raised. Equally concerning is how much — after all their work — the grand jury couldn’t figure out.
The report on the Department of Health Services is appalling. Particularly since several earlier grand juries found problems, and so did two independent consultants, including our own Pisenti and Brinker.
How will DHS be held to account? There is the implication of mismanagement of millions of dollars. If there is indeed a toxic work culture, then the buck stops at the top. The Board of Supervisors should take this report seriously.
Happily, our election process works very well — time for that mechanism to help our county agencies be more accountable.
EDITOR: Please start publishing excerpts from Project 2025 so voters can see the scope to which the far right wishes to destroy our Constitution. I have seen articles almost daily regarding Joe Biden’s fitness for office, but I have seen very little in your paper about Project 2025’s manifesto to destroy our democracy. A few key points: it calls for ending LGBTQ+ rights, banning the morning after pill — mifepristone — from the market and higher taxes for the middle and working classes. It would remove checks and balances (such as they are right now) from our three branches of government. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, has characterized Project 2025 as “a dystopian plot that’s already in motion to dismantle our democratic institutions.” “The Handmaid’s Tale” could be our reality.
Although the media is no longer held to the fairness doctrine it once was, you do your readers a huge disservice by not reporting all the negative ways in which another Donald Trump presidency would affect our lives.
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