State suffers from too much regulation

Businesses are fleeing our state in record numbers for less regulated and more business-friendly climates. Jobs and revenue go with them, and, because of that, California lags behind in the economic recovery.

Here's an idea. Before our esteemed career politicians in Sacramento can pass a new law, they have to eliminate an old one. Maybe we can even have legislators whose only purpose is to make things work better instead of passing a law in an effort to fix or regulate every little problem.

Whoops, sorry. Got a little carried away there. Don't know what I was thinking. It won't happen again.

Tim Tomasello

San Ramon

Occupy crowd wants to punish the productive

The recent San Ramon Valley Times article "Occupy Movement Lacked Key Elements" claimed that they lacked specific action to push their goals, like sponsoring candidates.

What the author did not know is, in the theology of hard-core socialists, the workers will rise and create a "dictatorship of the proletariat." One of the primary drivers of Occupy is the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). Occupy's calls for "redistribution of wealth and income" clearly show their socialist roots. Sadly, Obama has publicly called for the same.

What is lost on this mentality is that wealth is created, not

just shuffled around. To become "wealthy" in a free society, one must create great volumes of products or services so desirable that consumers view them more highly than their cash. Both parties are then enriched. This means one being highly productive takes nothing away form low-producing people. Actually, directly or indirectly, all benefit. With a socialist mentality of punishing and redistributing high productivity, why would the productivity continue?

Mark Fernwood

Danville

Here are some more ideas to fix health care

I totally agree with the Supreme Court's ruling and ObamaCare -- as far as it goes!

Our health care in the U.S. is so uneven and expensive that it doesn't work now. I have Medicare and a supplement and am very satisfied with the care I received. My only complaint is "the doughnut hole" on meds. The pharmaceuticals were left off the hook when President Bush helped us seniors. President Bush didn't negotiate a lower price because he didn't want to upset them. Wrong -- drugs are too expensive. The whole country should have a Medicare plan that everyone pays into and that is regulated from fraud and any mismanagement. Then Grandma or anyone else couldn't be thrown "under the bus!" The way it is now one-third or more of the people can't even "get on or near the bus!"

Specialists should be paid less, and more general practitioners should be let into medical school at government cost and should pay back for the education by working in the new all-inclusive system! Those crazy "Tea Party folks" don't want their Medicare touched -- pretty soon the whole country would be saying that -- in spades.

Barbara Alarab

Danville

Responsibility cuts both ways, Mr. President

President Obama finally got something right. In regards to Bain Capital, he said on WJLA-TV in Northern Virginia that, "I think most Americans figure if you are the chairman, CEO and president of a company that you are responsible for what that company does."

He also said, "ultimately, Mr. Romney, I think is going to have to answer those questions." This is another classic example of leftist-liberal hypocrisy. With this reasoning, Obama fails to see the analogy that he is the chairman, CEO and president of the largest and greatest company (country) in the world. President Obama, you are responsible for all that goes on in your company (the Fast and Furious and General Services Administration scandals, to mention a couple). So, President Obama, "we the people" want answers to these questions and others about all of your broken promises and failure in leadership.

Gordon West

San Ramon

Southern border security is plentiful

A recent letter headlined "Obama has not Secured Borders" indicates that the writer has not been to the Arizona border recently.

I was at the Arizona/Mexico border on April 14. There were surveillance blimps in the sky. There were drones on patrol. The Border Patrol had about 75 new vehicles on the ground. We were stopped twice by polite Border Patrol agents. The border is secure.

Tony B. de Bellis

Danville

Corporate welfare dwarfs social welfare

I get so sick of seeing the vicious attacks on ordinary people made by people outraged that any of our tax dollars go back to the people.

What's wrong with that? I don't understand why they're in a lather over that. It seems to me that we spend way too much money on the military industrial complex, butting into the affairs of other countries on behalf of corporate interests, bailing out too many corporations and giving too many of the obscenely wealthy a break when the rest of us are struggling to make ends meet.

So why all the vitriol toward ordinary people just trying to get by? Honestly, most people do the best they can with what little God, genetics or their place in the social order gave them. Some people excel, while others don't get the breaks, aren't smart enough, are maybe ill or mentally incapable or maybe just plain missed the boat. So is that any reason to blame our citizens for every little thing that goes wrong? No, but the one percent would like it if you did. You're doing all the work for them so they don't have any " 'splaining to do, Lucy."

Paulette Kenyon

Pleasanton

Letter's facts, logic left much to be desired

A recent letter stating that "Republicans betraying duty to uphold laws" demonstrates the writer's lack of memory and understanding of the Constitution.

As the leader of the government's executive branch, President Obama swore to uphold the laws. Whether you agree or disagree with the policy, it is he who failed to do so by refusing to enforce the immigration laws that are on the books and Constitutional.

I doubt the letter-writer has read the entire 983-page document, but Obamacare has provisions that allow state governments certain options. Republicans are urging the states to exercise those options according to what is allowed under the law.

Finally, the judicial branch of the government does not make laws, they only interpret the laws or determine Constitutionality. The legislative branch of the government has the power to make new laws, repeal old laws and even begin the process of amending the Constitution.

Justice Roberts stated that it was not the court's position to alter or change laws, but to interpret them. He went on to basically say that if the public does not like the law, they can take steps to change it at the next election. How is supporting the repeal of Obamacare disrespectful to the judicial branch?

The letter-writer needs to take a course on the Constitution again.

Ken Koenen, LLM-Taxation

Pleasanton