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Unelected Musk is
breaking government

It is bad enough for Donald Trump to continue with his poorly planned actions to create utter chaos in our country. However, to let Elon Musk run rampant with his destructive behavior is sheer lunacy.

Musk is not an elected official, nor is he an informed analyst. His aim is to break up a system that has worked throughout the years. Sure there were problems along the way, but nothing criminal enough to warrant a ruthless break up of established departments.

Musk has headed several corporations, but their sizes are minuscule compared to the vast size of the federal government. He appears to act first and then inform Donald Trump. He has tacit approval to do as he pleases. This raises the question of who is really in charge of the executive branch? The legislative branch is determined to rubberstamp Trump’s agenda. The judicial branch needs to do its duty.

Terrele Schumake
San Jose

Musk given a job
he doesn’t understand

When little, my children were given chores appropriate to their abilities, and then taught how to do the job. If the chore was loading the dishwasher, they were taught how to rinse the dishes, and then properly place them in the dishwasher.

Today, in Washington, D.C., things are done differently. “Daddy’s” special helper, Elon Musk, was given carte blanche to overhaul government services, despite not being a bona fide government employee, despite having no experience for this job, and despite no one showing him how to proceed in dealing with a plethora of sensitive government issues. Giddy as a kid in a candy shop, he is creating turmoil that will hurt the citizens of our country, as well as harm people worldwide.

I did hear President Trump say, “Elon can’t do anything without approval.” His words don’t appease me; he is too busy seeking revenge to oversee how Elon is doing his chores.

Pauline Chand
San Jose

Jan. 6 pardons result of
McConnell’s cowardice

On Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Capitol was ransacked.

During the next few days, Mitch McConnell publically stated that Trump was responsible. Yet, on Feb.13, McConnell refused to rally enough Republicans to convict Trump. Now, we are all paying for McConnell’s lack of courage.

Perhaps the word “traitor” should be placed on his tombstone.

Robert Miller
Los Gatos

Republicans aspire
to a dictatorship

J.D. Vance commented about Christians caring about others: “A lot of the far left … seem to hate the citizens of their own country and care more about people outside their own borders. That is no way to run a society.” That statement, that sentiment, is more revealing of the twisted undemocratic mindset of himself and many Republicans than he may realize. It is not the job of our government to “run” society; a democratic government is run by society. Dictatorships “run” (and ruin) societies, e.g. North Korea and Russia.

Today’s Republican Party is, indeed, aspiring to “run” our society, to tell us what we should do. Accordingly, they aspire to change our very form of government to one of dictatorship. They are a poor torch-bearer for conservatism, which is a legitimate political position.

Freedom is a society free of government telling people how to live and love and think.

Don Barnby
Menlo Park

Trump’s second term
is unbridled power trip

The outcome of the 2024 election may best be explained by incompetence — not only by the winning candidate but more disturbingly by the voting public.

First, what were almost 90 million eligible voters who didn’t vote at all thinking? Democracy cannot flourish when people won’t vote.

Second, 77 million Trump voters (almost half the vote total) chose a scofflaw, self-aggrandizer, fraudster and convicted felon. Trump’s amoral character has been fully exposed, yet his supporters seem uninformed or uncaring about the dangers facing our democracy — and their own children’s future.

Trump has now embarked on an unbridled power trip, putting loyal sycophants in charge of our national security and economy, and wreaking revenge on his perceived political enemies (among the best of our public servants). He clearly cares only about his own perverse goals while sowing chaos into our hard-won democratic social order. Impeachment is the correct legal recourse.

Jerry Meyer
San Jose

Caltrain could learn
a thing from Amtrak

This is to compliment Caltrain on their new electrified trains.

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However, as a senior coming into Diridon Station with luggage and a compromised gait, I cannot get Caltrain to give me a lift from Track 6 into the station.

I frequently use public transportation, Caltrain and Amtrak. Amtrak will pick me up on Track 6 at Diridon and give me a lift into the station, but if I arrive via Caltrain, I am stranded.

Caltrain and Amtrak, please work together on this service for your riders to complete a wonderful train trip.

Helen Gendler
San Jose