Letters to the Editor: Rohrabacher should follow Royce and Issa and leave office

It’s been a good week for Orange Countians who are tired of being “represented” in Congress by men who don’t have the best interests of their constituents, their state or their country at heart. The announcements by U.S. Reps. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Darrell Issa (R-Vista) that they would not seek re-election are a chance for our region to make a meaningful change in the complexion of the House of Representatives, as well as a sign that these gentlemen have some inkling of the discontent that was likely going to sweep them (and any number of their colleagues) out of office anyway.

I would humbly invite Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) to follow their lead. Though he demonstrated a moment of clarity by voting against the Republican “tax scam” bill, his far-right voting record, persistent science denial, lack of empathy toward marginalized communities, troubling ties to Russia and refusal to meet with some constituents should more than disqualify him from serving one more term.

Rohrabacher does not represent this community. I hope he opts to join his colleagues in moving on to another calling; if not, I look forward to devoting all my resources and energies to helping make that decision for him.

Eliza Rubenstein

Costa Mesa

Newport City Council should work to lower carbon emissions

Speak up Newport’s Sea Level Rise meeting at City Hall was an evening filled with sobering assessments of what projected sea level rise would cost us: Estimates were as high as $1 billion.

But adaptation to the problem was all that was discussed by the panel, two from the city and two scientists from UC Irvine. The only talk about addressing climate change and mitigating the problem came from the audience.

One questioner asked, and got confirmation, that if we lower CO2 emissions we would reduce the threat of sea level rise. Another questioner, a Newport Beach resident, asked if it wouldn’t make sense for the city to discuss mitigation and what we as a community can do. He was spot on, and his was the only question that drew applause.

Working to slow or stop sea level rise is something worth talking about, but that’s in the City Council’s hands, according to former Mayor Ed Selich, who moderated the meeting.

Selich is right: it is in the hands of our council, and we should be asking it to follow the lead of other cities and petition Congress for action on climate change

Mark Tabbert

Newport Beach

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