‘Let’s be real’: Letters to the editor, March 6, 2019

Appreciates Newsom saying ‘Let’s be real’

Thanks to Gov. Gavin Newsom, we are finally incorporating a more realistic and less detrimental incorporation of high-speed rail. As Newsom stated, “Let’s be real.”

No one wants to collectively contribute $77.3 billion tax dollars (which would continue to increase over time) into an unpromising project that has constantly been delayed over the years, due to several overlooked problems and complications.

He advocates for a more practical use of the system, connecting Merced to Bakersfield, rather than San Francisco to Los Angeles. Newsom’s realism and transparency on the issue is more of what we need in our government, as it has made way for a more productive use of our public funding.

No budget? No pay for Congress

I have a very simple solution to the budget impasse problems Congress seems to create every year. If Congress fails to pass and the president refuses to sign into law a viable budget by the deadline date, then Congress and the president will be penalized double their salaries until they approve a new budget.

They would also lose their outrageous health and retirement benefit package amounts for every day they do not pass a budget, and be required to pay for it out of their “own” pockets. The government will not make it up for them.

Maybe, just maybe that will provide enough motivation for them to do their job in a timely manner. It might reduce or eliminate the ridiculous manipulation and game-playing our elected officials seem to relish. If you want to gamble, do it at your own risk, not at the risk of the American public. We pay your salary, not the other way around!

Hopes to see the end of PG&E

PG&E well deserves to be sued into oblivion. They have been oppressing and plundering customers with their tiered system for many, many decades.

All other commodities purchased in increasing quantities afford the buyer incremental savings. But PG&E punishes customers with punitive charges even for the smallest additional energy. The baseline cutoffs are ridiculously miniscule by design.

PG&E needs to be replaced by a far more capitalistic system that is user and buyer friendly, rather than the ruthless and greedy system now in place. According to The New York Times (2/8/19, page B3) PG&E’s current strategy is to, “cut power and raise rates.” Monopolies Like PG&E just do whatever they feel like doing with the PUC signing off with a smirk.

Hopefully the lawsuits will afford PG&E some cosmic justice. If the lawsuits prove fatal and leave PG&E lifeless in a back alley, then hopefully we will be spared from having to endure their deceitful commercials extolling their supposed virtues.