Font ResizeClarity needed on right amount of regulation
Regarding a recent letter about "too much regulation," I, too, would fewer people (i.e. our government) telling me what to do.
Although I do have to say if the local manufacturing plant is polluting the creek by my house and it's killing the value of my house, along with all the living plants and creatures in the surrounding area, I like the idea of a regulation that tells the company to put filters on their waste pipes. I don't believe it's fair for them to foist the cost of cleanup on others to improve their profitability.
What I'm saying is I believe some regulations are good, yet it's not clear to me which specific regulations are considered bad. It's like the letter writer was saying they all need to be eliminated. So what I'm wondering is, in which cases should we as a society just hope all businesses will conduct themselves fairly or clean up their messes or look out for the betterment of all?
Drew McAlister
San Ramon
Penn State's noble values will live on
Most people don't get it.
Penn State is not about football, although it has a famous program. Penn State is not about Jerry Sandusky, although he's what the media talks about. Penn State was often symbolized by Joe Paterno -- but it wasn't Paterno, the man, who was the heart of this symbolism.
The values? Quality education, working hard, paying your dues, good sportsmanship, teamwork, striving for high achievement, humility, perseverance, fairness and integrity, respect for elders and your opponent, obeying rules and other admirable values that many others, not just Penn Staters, believe in.
It is precisely because Penn Staters so firmly believe in these values and that some of these values were so violated that no one is more disturbed by Sandusky's actions and any cover-up than Penn Staters are. The media can try to crucify Penn State. The public can scorn Penn State. The NCAA can try to exterminate Penn State. But the set of values that Penn State represents cannot be crucified or exterminated. Those values continue to reside in Penn Staters and to be shared by many who have admired Penn State. Those values will not go away. And thank God for that.
Geoff Jacobs
San Ramon
Glass-Steagall Act should be reinstated
The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 (GS) kept Wall Street kleptocrats' mitts off Americans' bank accounts. It was replaced by the financial flesh-eating Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (GLB), thus inflicting on America the 2008 economic crisis, our worst since the Great Depression.
We've unhappily learned, courtesy of GLB, that not only are some banks too big to fail but that we're on the hook for future bailouts, which may include American banks' foreign subsidiaries and financially connected firms.
For 66 years, the 37 pages of GS formed an ironclad bulwark between American taxpayers and the possibility of a financial calamity like the Great Depression. Just eight years after the rathole-ridden GLB replaced the venerable GS, the American taxpayer found himself held hostage to not only American banking behemoths but also their "friendly" foreign competitors: Barclays of Britain, Societe Generale of France, Deutsche Bank of Germany, and UBS of Switzerland got billions in Fed guarantees through American International Group (AIG) in 2008.
During a July 25 CNBC appearance, even "Sandy" Weill, ex- CEO of Citigroup, argued for the return of Glass-Steagall. Scrap GLB. Throw away the nearly 2000 pages of that regulatory sieve, the Dodd-Frank Bill. Reinstate Glass-Steagall. Now!
Lynne L. Goodman
Danville
Atheist protest group guilty of intolerance
I just read that a Biblical monument was removed from the Oakland Zoo.
Apparently, some atheist groups had planned a weekend protest due to the fact that this "monument" was inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Wow, let me breath here. Was this actually hurting anyone? I thought that this was the United States, where we welcome people of different cultures. Well with different cultures comes different religious beliefs as well.
Do these atheist groups, in this case, plan protests at NFL games because Tim Tebow might actually acknowledge Jesus after a touchdown? I wonder how many atheists can't stand that NASCAR airs its prerace prayer on national TV? Why not protest the U.S. government since the money we use says "In God We Trust?"
Where is the tolerance in American society? I see things everyday that I don't agree with, but I also respect other people's opinion and right to believe what they choose, and I'm a Christian. Wow, a monument that was in the zoo since 1965 was removed because it had a religious symbol on it. Well, I can protest, too. I can protest by not going to the Oakland Zoo anymore. Anyone want to protest with me?
Todd Carnahan
Livermore
What about rights for the religious?
It's probably gone unnoticed to most visitors at the Oakland Zoo, myself included -- a plaque stating the Ten Commandments.
But apparently it greatly offends a few atheists who were going to protest unless it was taken down. I never understood this kind of thinking. There are lots of things I don't agree with or like to see in this world. I ignore them and go on my way. Now this plaque must have meant something to someone. What about their rights?
Mike Kujacich
Livermore
Gov. Brown's 'visionary' ideas a smoke-screen
The Times article, "Governor's impatience a defining moment," stroking Gov. Brown's intellect and vision was journalistic malfeasance.
California is a one-party state controlled internally and externally by Democrats aided and abetted by the media. Everyone knows their public utterances are superficial prattle; they don't have to communicate with the voter, and they don't. The Times has become a cheerleader for this dishonesty and arrogance.
California is bankrupt and has been for years, and everyone knows it. Brown's vision is nonsense, a script for a soap opera. Services have been cut and Californians are paying more and getting less, especially parents educating their children. What the Democrats have done to higher education verges on criminality. The infrastructure in the state has eroded, and state government is unaccountable and untouchable.
A high-speed-rail system that will only cost $70 billion -- and we all know that is a low figure -- $23 billion for two tunnels to send water to Southern California, and people call Brown a visionary. He calls the infidels "fearful men" and "declinists." And, "Oh, by the way, vote for my tax increase in November."
Brown is smart enough to know his vision is a smoke-screen, a diversion from the real issues facing the state and filled with hidden agendas. Why can't the media help the voter find out what it really is?
Jim Byrns
Danville
S.F. lucky in selection for its new archbishop
Your front-page article regarding the appointment of the new Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco was filled with negativity but revealed a meek, patient understanding of the archbishop.
His deep love for everyone is so necessary to be shepherd of the large archdiocese he has been sent to govern. What a great loss for Oakland but an equally great gain for San Francisco. We thank the Vatican for such a kind appointment as Archbishop Cordileone.
Ursula M. Edwards
Livermore
