Letters

leaves a bad hand

Editor,

While I have no objection to Bush replacing Andrew Card, his chief of staff, this action does little to address the significant shortcomings of his leadership team, nor does it even begin to bring about accountability for the massive failures of his administration. ("Budget director Bolten to replace Andrew Card” in the March 29 edition of the Daily Journal).

Replacing Card does nothing about the unbelievably poor planning for the Iraq war that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld oversaw, nor does it address the intentional misleading of the public about the causes for the war that was brought about by Vice President Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Stephen Hadley, and Karl Rove, among many others, including the president. This change doesn’t account for the role that Attorney General Gonzales and Secretary Rumsfeld played in creating the conditions that would lead to the torture and abuse at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and elsewhere.

Replacing Card still leaves Karl Rove holding a position with a top secret security clearance, despite his reckless abuse of this privilege by disclosing the identity of an undercover CIA agent. Dumping Bush’s chief of staff doesn’t recognize Michael Chertoff’s role in the disastrous handling of Hurricane Katrina, nor does it recognize Joshua Bolten’s role at the Office of Management and Budget in overseeing the most massive deficit spending our nation has ever seen.

In a perverse twist, Bolten’s part in this orgy of financial irresponsibility was good enough to get him promoted to chief of staff. Replacing Card is probably the right thing to do, but it still leaves Bush with an awfully bad hand.

Rob Dickinson

Redwood City

We need some action

Editor,

Governments all over the country have been addressing the eminent domain issues which have arisen since the Supreme Court’s Kelo decision. The potential, since that decision, of properties being take from private individuals for sale to other private individuals and/or commercial organizations has aroused widespread concern everywhere, including California.

Where do you stand on this critical issue? The California Legislature has talked about the issue, has turned down proposed constitutional changes, has tabled further action on bills submitted and, finally, done nothing. Will we ever get any action or are all your heads buried in the sands of your political game-playing and quest for campaign donations from major developers? This is a classic example of the continued need for government by initiative in California.

Arthur G. Weiner

San Mateo

More affordable

housing needed

Editor,

The Foster City Council and Planning Commission meet on Tuesday to hear public comment on the 15-acre property near the North Peninsula Jewish Campus that will be redeveloped by the city.

Representing our 100 organizational and 70 individual members, the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County would like to encourage the city to include housing as a significant component of whatever redevelopment project occurs. The lack of housing choices in San Mateo County has placed a great strain on the county's families, whose children cannot afford to live here, as well as on teachers, civil servants, and many other members of the community.

With median home prices reaching $739,000 in February and the median family income for a family of four remaining around $115,000, the residents who make our community great are finding life in San Mateo County increasingly difficult. With an affordable housing crisis such as this, it is important to provide housing choices to all residents, from retail workers to teachers to public safety officers.

Please join HLC in encouraging Foster City to include housing in this area.

Moira Birss

South San Francisco

The letter writer is the program organizer for the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County.<