Impeach Trump: Letters to the editor, Feb. 20, 2019

Congress needs to impeach Trump

It’s past time to impeach Donald Trump. While Republicans resist and Democratic leaders drag their feet arguing that we should wait for the Mueller report, the president continues to run amok, e.g. disastrous 35-day shut down of our government, separating children from their parents and imprisoning them at the border, threatening our national security by not only disregarding the unanimous findings of the intelligence and national security leaders but ridiculing and belittling them, and profiting from the presidency.

Any one of these egregious behaviors, in and of itself, is grounds for impeachment. Yes, the Mueller investigation is vital and must be protected. We need to know the truth. But it is a criminal process housed in the Department of Justice and doesn’t let Congress off the hook for its constitutionally mandated obligation to oversee the functioning of the executive branch and hold it accountable.

We are currently hurtling towards disaster and simply cannot afford to wait for the Mueller report. Our elected representatives, both Republican and Democratic, have an absolute duty to rein in President Trump and hold him accountable and to bring the three co-equal branches of government carefully and wisely laid out in the Constitution back into balance.

Clean the air for better health

A recent article by Marek Warszawski regarding the air pollution in Fresno made me realize how bad our air quality has become. Are we just going to sit and let it get worse? We shouldn’t.

Residents of Fresno used to get so excited for the infrequent showers because they would cleanse the air. However, the showers do not have lasting effects for nearly as long as they used to in the past, and seeing “unhealthy air quality” has unfortunately become a normality.

The new plan proposed by the state air board may be expensive, but it is a great start to helping clean the air. If everyone believes that this proposition will make no difference and continues to feel helpless, there will be no difference.

What we should be doing is making an effort to stop burning fires, start driving more environmental friendly cars, carpool more, and help raise money to put forward to the plan. Dairy farms and agricultural burning may contribute the most to PM2.5s, but if we collectively put in the effort, we can still actively make a difference, not only in the Valley’s air quality, but in everyone’s health.

Supports Fresno’s plan for homeless

In response to the article published by Brianna Calix regarding Fresno’s solutions towards improving the homelessness issue, the funding provided to the community will have potential to help many families in need. However, my only concern with the low-barrier shelters is the minimal requirements for entering these facilities.

By not filtering those who suffer from addiction, mental health problems, and or sex offenders etc. with everyone else might cause more issues to arise. What is the Fresno City Council’s stance in regards to this? A program like this necessitates a monitoring system for the protection of all.

I appreciate the new implications the City Council is working towards solving this serious, complex issue involving homelessness and caring for the community. I especially agree with the resources they are planning on incorporating for “behavioral health, substance abuse and job readiness programs.” This is a great start to a brighter future for the families in Fresno by creating a more sustainable environment. Keeping the doors open to many of these people who are out on the streets allows them to open more doors of opportunities for themselves rather than being stuck in a never ending cycle.