After series of appalling Supreme Court rulings, there is little to celebrate this July 4 | Opinion
Little to celebrate
“Can presidents be prosecuted? How the Supreme Court ruled in Trump immunity case,” (sacbee.com, July 1)
I have voted in every presidential election and off-year election since 1971, save one.
I am a first-generation American. My mother, of blessed memory, was a German-Jewish Holocaust survivor from Konigsberg who, with her immediate family, was miraculously able to set foot on this soil in December, 1942, when it was virtually impossible to do so. My father came to this country five years later on his own accord, after serving as a civilian electrician in County Down, Northern Ireland, keeping the lights functioning on a Royal Air Force base runway, while the British and the allies were bombing Hitler.
Supreme Court decisions regarding presidential immunity, the Chevron Doctrine, the homeless and abortion, among others, are appalling. I miss my parents, but I am glad they are not alive to see this debacle.
SCOTUS is no longer a co-equal branch of government. It has trashed the good civics lessons I received as a fifth-grader in Fair Oaks, California, from my teacher, who was also an immigrant.
I pray and hope the good citizens of this country elect Democrats this fall, from dog catcher to the presidency, by uncontested margins. There is little to celebrate this Fourth of July.
Sean Boyd
Fresno
Opinion
The new America
“Can presidents be prosecuted? How the Supreme Court ruled in Trump immunity case,” (sacbee.com, July 1)
Welcome to America, where one man is now above the law. Here, one Senator can manipulate the rules to disallow a rival party’s Supreme Court nominee, then reverse course to allow his party’s nominee to prevail. And a desire to piggyback to power can create undeserved and unrelenting fealty to a single man.
Welcome to the new America, just 24 months short of 250 years into our unique democratic experiment.
Let’s keep the democracy momentum alive. Please vote.
Beth Carver
Kingsburg
The complete picture
“Fresno CA crime rate declined, chief says. Down nationally,” (fresnobee.com, Jan. 3)
I have received two flyers from the city of Clovis recently lamenting increases in crime, indirectly blaming the increases on Fresno.
But I’ve been reading for several years now about how violent crime nationally and locally has been falling. A Bee story on Fresno’s falling crime rates for 2023 reported that “crime has declined nationally with major cities reporting declines among the highest on record, according to nationally recognized analyst and independent criminologist Jeff Asher. Homicides were down 13% nationally. Seven of the eight crimes tracked by the FBI in the Uniform Crime Report trended down this year nationally. Only car theft was up.”
In Fresno, in 2023, homicides were down 43.3%; shootings down 20%; rape down 18.8%; robbery down 8.3%; commercial burglaries down 44.2%; and residential burglaries down 25.1% according to The Bee story. I’m willing to bet the pattern is similar in Clovis in recent years.
In the 2022 Report to the Community, Clovis reported homicides down 60%; arson down 75%; and declines in robbery and burglary. Rape was up 14%; car theft up 4%; and other theft up 3%.
If the chief wants to make a case for more police officers, I’m listening. But I want a complete picture.
Michael Reddin
Clovis
Importance of live music
“What are the most iconic concert performances in Fresno?” (fresnobee.com, June 20)
I strongly believe that live music should stay important in Fresno — a city with a long history of supporting musicians and fostering a lively music scene in the ’70s and ’80s. Live music adds a lot to our community’s energy and identity. Lately, however, challenges such as sound rules at places like the Big Fresno Fair threaten to quiet down this important part of our culture.
To keep live music thriving in Fresno, we can do a few things: First, community leaders should work together to change rules. We should encourage places to hold live music events, which will give both experienced musicians and new talents a chance to perform. Restaurants and bars can help by making more lively environments and attracting young people who love live music experiences.
This will make life better for both people who live here and those who visit. I play in a band, and it is important for the live music culture not to fade away.
David Rodriguez
Fresno
Challenging debt forgiveness narrative
“Biden just erased my student loan debt. If it’s a campaign ploy, I’m all for it | Opinion,” (fresnobee.com, June 22)
At face value, I can imagine the joy of having your debt “erased,” but I have to admit, the author simply sounds like someone who never learned the law of matter which states that “mass cannot be destroyed, it can only be distributed elsewhere.”
I understand we live in a time where we simply don’t want it to be our problem anymore, and that whatever means make that true is worthy of a vote. However, just because you’re not paying for your student loans anymore doesn’t mean they aren’t being paid.
It has been stated by the Supreme Court that President Joe Biden far overreached his authority in this decision. It has been clear that he failed to consult congress in his fulfillment of this promise and made the decision to disperse student loan debt amongst taxpayers. Your student loan debt wasn’t “erased,” it was dispersed among American taxpayers.
K. Garbarino
Fresno
Biden must step aside
“After debate disaster, Biden can’t continue presidential run,” (fresnobee.com, June 28)
After watching the debate, we saw Donald Trump clearly demonstrate that he is a liar and we saw President Joe Biden, a brilliant statesman for peace, aging out.
We are asking Biden to step aside and allow another Democratic candidate to come forward. This ask of Biden to leave the presidential race is not a reflection of his achievements during his term in office. It is a clear recognition that there is a moment when seniors need to step aside and allow younger, more vital members of society to move up and take over.
Michael Levine
Fresno
