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Capitalism, social justicecrux of ballpark battle
Re. “Council votes to continue A’s talks,” Page A1, July 21:
A new crux of the battle between the A’s and Oakland’s City Council has emerged: traditional capitalism versus social justice.
The A’s want to make as much money as they can, while the city of Oakland wants hundreds of affordable homes and millions of dollars worth of community benefits. Getting the two sides — that is, philosophies — to agree would be like getting Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi to enter into an agreement on a major piece of legislation. If there is to be a deal, one side here will have to give in more than the other.
I do not see the city giving up on social justice. The mayor says, “The issue is that Oakland is standing firm on community benefits and sources for funding that.” If money is the A’s bottom line, Las Vegas beckons.
Ron TrowbridgeOakland
Shutter refinery untilviolations are fixed
Have we forgotten the Nustar tank explosions of October 2019, when Interstate 80 was closed down for five hours during rush hour? Rodeo and Crockett homes became filled with black smoke, in spite of the shelter-in-place order.
I am saddened by the negligence of Nustar/Shore Terminals, reported in the scathing Fire Commission report recently released. How can the county allow Nustar to continue operations? The county can find no record of permits for the tanks. No permits mean no inspections and reduced taxation.
Operations should stop immediately until the tanks are properly permitted and safety violations are corrected.
Maureen BrennanRodeo
Fair taxation could helphouse struggling families
One of the big problems in California is the lack of affordable housing and extremely high rents due to an insufficient number of houses.
Housing choice vouchers are our nation’s most effective housing program, but only one in four families can actually get a housing voucher. By fairly taxing the rich and corporations, however, we could afford to help struggling families get and stay in homes.
One of the arguments against taxing corporations is that they pass the tax on to us, the consumers, by raising the prices of their products. Tell that to the top four companies who have half a trillion in cash, doing nothing but enriching their own CEOs. This money should be used to help all Americans, not build up piles of cash to feather corporate beds.
Bill NicholsonMartinez
How can we swayvaccine hesitant
We’ve all heard the phrase “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” How about: a vaccine in time saves nine?
What can I say that will convince vaccine nay-sayers to get a couple of pokes in the arm? Did you know that over 99% of COVID-19 deaths last June in the United States happened to unvaccinated people? Or that the delta COVID-19 variant, the dominant U.S. variant, is both more contagious and more deadly than the original strain of the virus? The more people who get COVID, the more new variants we get, and the greater the chances for our loved ones to die.
What will it take to convince the skeptics? We’ve had million-dollar lotteries, gift cards and free vacation drawings. How about this? If you don’t get vaccinated, you’re automatically entered into one more drawing: the death lottery.
Andrew WiseFremont
Link vaccination toshelter for the homeless
The article about trying to vaccinate the homeless (COVID vaccinations lag, outbreaks spread in Bay Area homeless shelters, July 19) shows how disorganized our state truly is.
When an entire hotel (Marriott Courtyard in Richmond) can be commandeered for homeless housing, the state should require vaccination as a condition of housing. Most shelters prohibit drugs and alcohol as a condition of shelter. We should make vaccinations part of the deal if people want food and shelter provided to them.
Shannon EricksonWalnut Creek
Election lies are no morethan sore loser’s bullying
“The election was rigged because I didn’t win.” Such reasoning belongs to the realm of schoolyard bullies who are sore because a little nerdy kid won at a game of cards.
The basis of it is the supremely arrogant assumption that in any fair election “I will win.” The American people must stand up to this. We must put to good use our God-given brains and come to the realization that Donald Trump is a liar, a bully and a fraud.
Jack BragenMartinez