Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

A debate is crucial
for robust mayoral race

I supported Loren Taylor in the last Oakland mayoral election, and I support him now.

It’s troubling that after her failed run for U.S. Senate, Barbara Lee is now running, with indications the local electorate is more than ready to “anoint” her as the next mayor of Oakland. While I supported her in Congress, I don’t support her for mayor.

I strongly encourage a public debate between all mayoral candidates. If we are not allowed to hear and see candid responses from everyone, then Lee could be rubber-stamped as the next mayor. It doesn’t have to be this way. Her Washington insider status is meaningless during the next four years of the Trump administration and an unfriendly Congress. In fact, it would be a detriment to Oakland.

It would be great for Taylor to publicly request a debate.

Ross Almazan
Oakland

Trump’s plans veer
into inane, unworkable

Re: “Trump pauses threat of tariffs” (Page A1, Feb. 4).

Donald Trump realized his tariff idea was stupid when the stock market went down, and he realized his idea of clearing Gaza of Palestinians was stupid, so he added more stupidity to it, to make it a resort. Hopefully, as each of his stupid nominees fail at their job, he will realize it, and get someone competent.

What I did not realize was the depths of Trump’s heartlessness. Killing USAID will mean that thousands of children will starve to death; that unstable nations will become more destabilized and need the military to get involved. Buying rice is so much cheaper than buying fighter jets. Removing security details from people he doesn’t like will cause one of them to be killed. Will he realize how stupid this is, or will he pardon the killer?

Let’s focus more on the important stuff, and less on theater.

Cliff Gold
Fremont

Who will pick up
the slack for USAID?

It is a tragedy that this administration has illegally and unwisely stopped USAID, which has been leading America’s best international humanitarian efforts for over 60 years.

What can we do to help continue the work being done by the USAID organizations internationally?

I wrote Bill Gates, asking what the Gates Foundation can do to pick up the programs of vaccination that USAID funds were supporting.

I wrote to the former USAID administrator, Samantha Power, asking if she could help us understand what we can do as citizens to support the work of USAID in feeding hungry people across the world. Is there an organization or two that she thinks can quickly pick up the slack? Someplace to donate money as we are able?

I want to know what I can actually do to help.

Robert Feraru
El Cerrito

Media must report on
clear constitutional crisis

Re: “Musk calling on young techies to help with DOGE” (Page A1, Feb. 5).

I was disgusted at the front-page headline in the East Bay Times. Musk, a nongovernmental appointee, who lacks appropriate security clearances, has recruited a bunch of kids with who-knows-what backgrounds and qualifications to access highly sensitive payment systems and U.S. citizens’ personal information. As far as we know, they have not gone through any security clearance processes either.

This goes beyond “helping with DOGE.” One of Musk’s recommendations based on data that was retrieved from the financial system was to shutter USAID, which will further put Americans’ lives in danger.

There is a constitutional crisis underway, a coup to overthrow the U.S. government as we know it. It’s time mainstream media woke up and started reporting on what is really happening.

Cathy Teegardin
Pleasant Hill

When will Democrat
voters wake up?

Re: “Dems pass bills to ‘Trump-proof’ state” (Page B1, Feb. 5).

Your article exemplifies the stupidity and selfishness of those ruling California’s Democratic Party.

At a time when the state desperately needs enormous federal assistance to help with billions of dollars of destruction from the fires, somehow the Democrats seem to think angering Trump with ever more lawsuits is more important. Even Democratic Gov. Newsom is not that stupid.

One wonders how much longer it will take for the Democratic voters to wise up.

Chris Kniel
Orinda

As institutions crumble
so will democracy

Related Articles

Letters: California should deregulate home insurance market

Letters: Supporting Trump doesn’t make us bad or stupid. We just see the world differently than you.

Letters: Unelected Elon Musk is bent on breaking government

Letters: Trump is incapable of summoning our better angels

Letters: ‘Christian nationalism’ is a contradiction in terms

One of the underappreciated great moments in the history of our country came after the presidential election of 2000.

I remember thinking how few of the countries in the world would have the results of an election hanging by a chad without having tanks in the street. I was proud that the strength of our institutions and traditions preserved the peaceful transition of power and democracy itself.

I worry that the piecemeal destruction of those institutions is destroying the foundation of our democracy.

James Kuhn
Oakland