Bee letters: This reader sees many conflicts for leaders of Community Medical Centers

Hospital board and many conflicts

While opinions may vary, the facts appear to be that (1) there were land deals between CRMC board members and Clovis Community leadership, (2) funds meant for Fresno Community were misdirected to Clovis Community that greatly benefited the for-profit medical school owned by CMC board chair Farid Assemi and CHSU President Flo Dunn.

As a provider in this community and having been a part of the health system in Fresno County for over 40 years I am saddened, dismayed and disgusted by the conflicts of interest CRMC has allowed to occur.

I wholeheartedly agree that all who had a hand in these dealing should immediately resign for the good of the hospital and for the restoration of trust within our community.

Get rid of the self-serving Fed

So the Fed (an unelected private body made up of bankers) continues to raise interest rates in an effort to “curb inflation,” which is absurd because the people who suffer the most from this are lower-income workers and retirees. This will (according economic experts) cause a recession, which causes further pain on the not wealthy. Why do we allow this insanity?

The housing market is now effectively dead until rates come down, people who struggle to get by and anyone who is forced to borrow money will never be able to get out of debt.

Yes, the banks will make trillions of dollars. Those same banks bailed out by taxpayer dollars whenever they mess up. Why is Washington so focused on rewarding those who prey on the innocent? Campaign donations. Money talks, and Wall Street has plenty of it. After all, when they run out, we just give them more. Again, they get to loan money at 12% and pay interest at still less than 2%.

It is beyond time to remove the Fed from monetary policy. They are a self-serving bunch of corrupt salesman who should never again be allowed to function as part of our society.

Clovis candidates and politics

I have always thought that the Clovis City Council was a nonpolitical body of persons elected to make decisions regarding the welfare and care of the city and its citizens, with no desire to put their political or business leanings into those decisions.

Yet we see the candidates running for City Council, one of them is heavily involved with the Republican party. Then we have a candidate who is into real estate, when one of our main problems in Clovis is sprawl and growth. Almost all the candidates are Republican. We do not know how much Republican they are or if they support Trump or his intents to decertify the national election. As voters we need to know how and if these political beliefs will affect the decisions regarding issues concerning the people of Clovis.

Running Clovis should not be a Democrat or Republican issue, but what is best for all of us who live here.

Only fair way to handle pregnancies

Bravo to Suzanne Butterfield’s letter to The Bee (Sept. 25) nailing Fresno’s mayor for his veto of the $1 million grant to Planned Parenthood. Religious dogma no doubt motivated his misogynistic move (unconstitutional in this secular country). Planned Parenthood provides a wide array of vital health care services to women and girls beyond the small percentage of abortions they perform.

I’d like to mention something that I don’t see discussed in the opinions voiced about who has rights and responsibilities regarding a pregnancy. Nothing is more demonstrative of the feminist goal of gender equality than that of conception; women don’t get pregnant without the participation of men. If the government is going to interfere in pregnancies, a pregnancy should include a prenatal identification of paternal DNA whenever possible.

If a live birth ensues, we’ll have shared responsibility for the care and feeding of the child for at least 18 years. Co-responsibility for the welfare of his child will remove this responsibility from the mother alone and the foisting of these costs from the taxpaying public if necessary. Should he be unwilling to meet his obligation, there must be appropriate accountability. It seems only fair.

Parents need to be taught gun skills

Referencing the Sept. 28 article about the teen bringing an unloaded gun to school, I wholeheatedly agree with the strict adherence to lawful actions taken against this teen. In a time when schools are practicing live shooter drills, it is necessary to demonstrate the seriousness of this teen's actions.

But, what of the parents? Will they be required to take gun-handling education? Will their home be inspected to determine that ammunition and guns are in line with child-safety practices? I think this should be the case.

She is voting yes on Proposition 28

I read your endorsement of Proposition 28 in your article “California Prop. 28 would dedicate funds for arts education” and I wholeheartedly agree — everyone should vote yes on Proposition 28.

As an arts education administrator, I see the impact an arts education has on our students and in our community. But the reality is that even in California, the creative capital of the world, arts and music education remain inequitable and out of reach for millions of public school students.

This is why we must act. By voting yes on Proposition 28, we can give millions access to the arts and music education they so desperately need. This measure would dedicate more than $900 million annually to arts and music for students in every Pre K-12 public school in California — all without raising taxes.

If Proposition 28 is passed, it will be the largest investment in arts and music education in the country. Our kids deserve the best and that’s why I’m voting yes on Proposition 28.

This story was originally published October 15, 2022 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Bee letters: This reader sees many conflicts for leaders of Community Medical Centers."