Mailbag: Readers weigh in on national, local politics
Socialism is threatening our ways
For the past century the United States has been hollowed out from within by a continuous attack from the Socialist left.
This has cast doubt in the minds of many Americans regarding the sanctity of our basic values and institutions. The great climax of the left’s betrayal of our Constitution will be upon us on Election Day. The left is blind as to what it has done by weakening our country.
President Obama said, on the day of his inauguration, that he was going to fundamentally change our country. And now, after almost eight years in office, he has done just that, by weakening our entire society with his flawed economic policies, his encouragement of social disorder, his rule by fiat and packing the courts with leftist judges.
Obama’s lack of concern regarding our country’s diminished military strength, his tolerance toward international terrorism, our strangled economic growth and his obsession with denying us the means to personally defend ourselves, suggest a hidden agenda.
As this plays out, we must stand together and dedicate ourselves to defending our Constitution as the basic law of our land. We need to start talking to God again and to reflect on that which gave us the knowledge and strength to become the wealthiest and most successful nation in history.
We need to reaffirm the Gettysburg Address, where President Lincoln implored “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the People, by the People and for the People, shall not perish from the earth.”
The option of the Socialist left is government of the state, by the state and for the state, based on the Socialist model of a special entitled few at the top, dictating everything through a smothering bureaucracy to the disenfranchised masses at the bottom. All for the socialist promise of a “collective heaven here on Earth,” which can’t be delivered and that ends in bloodshed and tyranny when the dream and the promise fall apart.
May God help America, once again.
Robert Graham
Costa Mesa
The writer is a city parks commissioner.
Sue Savary for Congress
Donald Trump’s candidacy shines a bright neon light on the madness of our current politics. We need to discard politicians who deliver craziness or laziness. We need leaders who work with some smarts.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) has doubled down on his support of Trump — an embarrassment to everyday Republicans and Democrats — and condemns those who don’t support Trump. Yes, the coastal 48th Congressional district is predominantly Republican, but we’re not fools. Other representatives help their district. Not Rohrabacher. We can do better, and this year is our opportunity.
Yes, his opponent, Sue Savary, is a Democrat, but she is an experienced, retired USC business school professor. She is calm, aware and deliberative. We need to stop the insanity swirling around us. Rohrabacher is an all-in Trump supporter. We need him to be all-out. Let’s move forward by voting for Savary, a specialist in turning around companies in decline. Washington needs her. We do too.
Dennis Ashendorf
Costa Mesa
Trump caters to the worst of us
I have never seen or heard any presidential candidate in the last 50 years like Donald Trump, who is lewd, mean and who degrades and speaks ill of non-white Americans, women and immigrants. He incites hate. Trump is bringing this country down to its lowest level instead of making it great. Shame on those politicians and people who support him.
Hiroshi Ueha
Irvine
Judie Mancuso for Laguna City Council
Our city sells the illusion that if we get the parking just right, our traffic congestion problems go away. If we hire the right consultant, they can work this out because they are experts.
Well, it just ain’t so. Instead, Laguna Beach should hire experts for demonstrated best practices, not for options the city manager prescribes. If our City Council cannot exercise oversight on behalf of residents (it doesn’t) then it’s time for new leadership from a council person who gets it.
Judie Mancuso listens to consultants. She knows the difference between compensating for expert advice and paying for a jobs program. Mancuso knows to qualify for grant funding we need to get our General Plan in order and get this job done. Laguna needs council members who draw best practices from outside Laguna. Vote Mancuso for City Council.
Les Miklosy
Laguna Beach
The writer publishes the LagunaStreets blog.
Herdman, Greer are wrong for council
Two Newport Beach City Council candidates have recently partnered in one of the strangest political teams that Newport Beach has seen grace a ballot. Enter “Team Greer-Herdman.” This team won’t fool Newport Beach.
One half of this team is Phil Greer. Greer is a local attorney who has represented drug rehab homes and is an avid supporter of the waste of money known as the “Bunny-henge” at the Newport Civic Center. Along Greer’s journey, the State Bar sanctioned him twice.
Greer’s “Team Greer-Herdman” counterpart is Jeff Herdman, who has served on the city’s Charter Revision and Tidelands Management committees (involved in raising the dock tax) and the Civil Service Board. Herdman’s campaign recently received a $200 sanction for a campaign finance law violation. Herdman described the FPPC matter as “minor.”
Are these the actions of a leader worthy of your trust? Clearly, no. Can we really trust Team Greer-Herdman to lead? Look to their actions and know the answer.
Bob Rush
Newport Beach
Herdman is the right choice for council
As a Newport Beach resident since 1970, I have seen a lot of changes in our city, many positive and some negative. I love our city and want City Council members who support making Newport Beach even better. That is why I am supporting Jeff Herdman.
I had the pleasure of working professionally with Herdman for a number of years, and saw his intelligence, integrity and leadership ability every day. He is a long-time resident of Newport Beach and has been extremely active in a number of organizations with a similar goal of making our city the best.
Herdman has the same priorities as I do, including protecting against expansion of John Wayne Airport, monitoring and improving water quality, and development consistent with the General Plan. I’ve seen Herdman at more than one candidate’s forum this year and have been impressed by his demeanor and ability to answer questions directly and honestly.
Ski Harrison
Newport Beach
Team Newport’s position on Museum House?
One of the most significant issues facing our city is the pace and scope of development. Currently, the issue is best defined by the ongoing debate regarding Museum House. Unless the Team Newport protégés have some sort of undisclosed interest in the project, there is nothing, other than a self-serving agenda, that prevents them from opining on the merits of the development, except their fear that their answers might alienate a large number of voters.
Phil Greer
Newport Beach
The writer is a candidate for City Council.
Consultant will have helped council majority
If political consultant Dave Ellis’s candidates Lee Lowery and Will O’Neill win seats on the City Council, Ellis will have a super-majority of the council deeply obligated to him. This fact alone raises eyebrows about undo influence. For some years now, I have declined to vote for anyone who is affiliated with Ellis, and I will continue my pattern this year by voting for candidates Jeff Herdman and Phil Greer. I encourage any resident concerned about the undue influence of developers on our council to do the same.
Susan Skinner
Newport Beach
Measure Y is, unfortunately, necessary
Byron de Arakal’s comments could easily be used for the contrary argument (“Commentary: Measure Y is unwise and unneeded,” Oct. 13). He states that it “handcuffs future development” because of “arbitrary thresholds.” Excuse me? In many cases the current laws allow almost any variance that the local lawmakers choose to make.
He also indicates that new development is a must and seemingly desirable. But at what point does it become too much? Or badly decided? How about when current residents’ standard of living starts degrading? How about high-density lots in residential areas? How about those two townhouse complexes on Placentia Avenue in the middle of an industrial area? Where is it written that all expansion is good?
Now, I won’t lie. There have been many fine projects OK’d and developed. And in general, the Planning Commission and City Council do a good job of making sure that those developments meet the standards and needs of Costa Mesa. But the issue at hand is the use of variances that allow many of the incompatible (i.e., large) projects to be built in the first place.
He mentions that the public already can challenge a planning decision by referendum — hey, isn’t that what Measure Y does? — only proactively. I agree that Measure Y should not be needed, but it is.
Mike Feinman
Costa Mesa
2 of last week’s letters were spot-on
I found two of the letters in Sunday’s Forum hit the nail on the head (Mailbag: Readers weigh in on the elections,” Oct. 16). Thank you, Brian West, for pointing out the incomplete information on Mayor Steve Mensinger’s mailer. Mensinger’s attack on the firefighters was totally wrong and shameful, as they work many more hours than normal, eight-hour shifts.
In addition, their extensive training and knowledge make them a valuable asset to our city. Hopefully, the citizens of Costa Mesa are wise and noticed that faulty comparison.
The complete explanation of why Measure AA is the best way to protect Fairview Park was clearly presented by letter writer Kim Hendricks. It is disappointing that the council majority wanted to deceive the citizens of Costa Mesa, as well as waste our money by placing BB on the ballot.
Susan Shaw
Costa Mesa
Door-hanger contains distortion
Hanging on my tarnished brass doorknob, the (in red and misleading) headline touted, “Official Costa Mesa Voter Guide!” Really? These grinning portraits of the ones who would turn our fair city into a renters’, non-property-taxpayer paradise with hundreds of rental units, create massive traffic congestion and reduce police and fire protection? Shame on “Paid for by Steve Mensinger for Costa Mesa City Council 2016” and “Paid for [Allan] Mansoor for Costa Mesa City Council 2016.”
Maureen Di Domenico
Costa Mesa
Plastic bag ban can protect our coastline
Plastic bags are one of the most common sources of plastic litter that end up in the ocean and harm marine wildlife. After six years of grassroots advocacy, the Legislature passed the nation’s first statewide plastic bag ban in 2014. It was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown that September.
Political maneuvering from the big plastics industry stalled the ban and put it on the November ballot as Proposition 67. Californians now have the power to uphold the California bag ban and reduce plastic pollution by voting Yes on 67.
Through advocacy, local ordinances and statewide legislation, bag bans serve as drivers to change personal behavior and ultimately reduce the amount of plastic consumed, littered and in the sea. In California, 14 billion plastic bags are used annually and the state spends an estimated $25 million every year to landfill discarded plastic bags. Bag bans have proven to be effective around the world in reducing plastic use and pollution. By voting yes on Prop. 67, California citizens can make a difference and help protect our coasts for the future.
Chad Nelsen
San Clemente
The writer is the CEO of Surfrider Foundation.
Museum House is too dense for Newport
My wife, Christine, and I are opposed to the Museum House project, as it is proposed. Our concerns lie in three primary areas:
1.) Traffic. Anyone who drives the streets and highways of Newport Beach and Orange County knows that the congestion is already making a dramatic change to the area we all cherish and enjoy. I cringe when I think how much worse it will get when the 500-plus-unit project begins to fill. Anyone who could propose another 100 units at Museum House must not live in Newport. Clearly, they have no concern about the impact of a project of this size on our traffic and community. Add this project to the rampant development going on in Costa Mesa and Irvine (see the Jamboree Canyon) and one can only forecast regional gridlock. Yet, we insanely seem to keep moving in that direction.
2.) Mass. The hulking mass and volume of this project, adjacent to the unbelievable mass of the 500-plus Irvine Co. project, is unthinkable. Soon Fashion Island will resemble Manhattan. It is simply too big for our community.
3.) Water. Southern California is in a serious drought with catastrophic potential consequences. Yet we continue to invite people into the region. Irresponsible is the only word one can use. Just recently, the Newport Beach City Council discussed the seriousness of this issue. Yet we are considering adding 600 new units in Fashion Island alone? Lunacy!
I hope our city government is more responsible than that. I hope the wishes of the community are respected more than that.
Dean R. Laws
Corona del Mar
*
Preserve the unofficial dog beach
I support leaving Dog Beach at the Santa Ana River jetty, as it is so dogs can run and play off leash.
Sally A. Eggen
Newport Beach
*
Please support dog neach in Newport Beach. Honestly, there is no reason not to.
Nigel Jay
Newport Beach