Five letters: High-speed rail a huge mistake; elect John Laird;
why many Americans embrace the Tea Party; All Tea Party members are
racists, bigots and hypocrites; How to solve the airport X-ray
concerns
California High-speed rail: ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’
Dear Editor,
The continuing saga of the California High Speed Rail project in our area has raised many questions (none of which have been answered) and many concerns (none of which have been alleviated), and just seems to be snowballing into a hungry monster. We have all been overtly lied to (there will be no Altamont Route) and covertly lied to (denial of knowledge about things) by the HSR representatives.
For example, we found out that HSR has identified that for 1/2 mile on either side of the tracks there will be a “debris field.” When another citizen spoke about it, Dave (the grey-haired gentleman) interrupted her and said he had never heard of that term. She told him it was in HSR documentation and she would be happy to provide him with a copy. This occurred at the Morgan Hill meeting.
We know that there will be two tracks for the entire length of the system, except when approaching and leaving a station, where it will be increased to four tracks. There will be a train coming through every three minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There will be a 1/2 mile debris field on each side of the tracks. HSR said no businesses will be displaced east of U.S. 101, and yet we found three immediately in the area they indicated. The East 101 route runs several hundred feet behind Saint Louise Hospital, which is a base for Calstar. How will the wind created by 220 mph express trains affect take-off and landing of life-saving flights?
Also, in our area, there may be a four-track situation due to the stop at Leavesley. That becomes extremely wide! And not only will we have trains slowing and stopping, but also others blasting through at 220 mph on the express tracks. Lovely. U.S. 101 is within the 1/2 mile “debris field” and would need protection from flying debris which could cause accidents. People will be living within the debris field and they will be affected not only by noise and vibration, but possible flying debris, at the very least – dirt.
I think Gilroy and Morgan Hill got excited about the HSR at first, thinking it could bring in some additional income from people stopping in Gilroy to shop, etc. However, most riders will be going to the Los Angeles area for business meetings, and the chance that business riders will get off at the Outlets to buy a shirt for the meeting are slim to none. What will most likely happen will be the opposite. People who wish to ride the train from Morgan Hill, San Benito County, North Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties will drive here to park. So we will have to not only pay for a parking structure, but maintain it, possibly change some road configurations in the Leavesley area, and pay for increased road maintenance and police traffic enforcement. And everyone will have to deal with increased road congestion. This project will be a severe economic blow to our local economy. There are so many negative impacts and basically no positive impacts.
Now that we see there WILL be a route from San Jose across Altamont into the Central Valley, why not eliminate the San Jose to Merced route? We can certainly take Cal-Train up to San Jose (which would be good for Cal-Train, too), if we want to take the train to LA. Not only are people in the Morgan Hill/Gilroy area upset about HSR’s plans, but so are people in the Merced area, whose dairy farms and farmland will be destroyed. By eliminating San Jose-Merced, HSR would also save a great deal of money by eliminating redundant tracking. This route can and should be eliminated, and Gilroy and Morgan Hill should rescind their requests to have the route go through this area.
Elaine Jelsema, Gilroy, unincorporated Santa Clara County
Move Democrat John Laird from the state Assembly to the Senate
Dear Editor,
On Tuesday June 22, we vote for a replacement for Able Maldonado in Senate District 15 in a “special election.”The two front-running Candidates are: John Laird (D), former, and very popular AD 27 Assemblyman and budget chair in the state Assembly. The other candidate is: Sam Blakeslee (R) a former Exxon Oil Executive during the Valdez Alaska Spill Disaster. The Blakeslee campaign along with the governor think that this election date will favor the GOP because even though the Democrats have more registered voters in this district, Democrats historically don’t vote in special elections. Democrats need to prove the GOP is WRONG!
Today, an area newspaper endorsed John Laird, for his stance on the environment, his popularity, and his top ratings from youth advocates, seniors and conservationists. John has a 100 percent rating from the major environmental groups in California. Blakeslee claims he is anti off-shore drilling now, but since the 1980’s he has voted with the oil companies for off-shore drilling proposals while taking campaign donations from them.
I know John as an incredibly nice man, but a relentless fighter for the environment and human rights. Please vote Tuesday. This is a very special election. I, for one, will vote for John Laird!
Swanee Edwards, Morgan Hill
Keep electing Democrats to make sure the state, nation go broke
Dear Editor,
I second the June 14 letter by J. G. McCormack. During Bush II (8 years), the government overspent by $4 trillion; $1.5 trillion of that was in the two years that the Democrats ran Congress.Â
Two years of Obama put us $4.5 trillion deeper in the red; he is deficit-spending at over four times that of the previous administration!  Like the Tax Foundation says, it’s an unpaid tab. The deceit on the part of columnist Lisa Pampuch that he references stated, “taxes are the lowest in 60 years” (California’s are the highest ever), resembles the lies coming out of the Jerry Brown campaign. He claims during his previous, miserable stint as governor he cut taxes and had a surplus.Â
I remember people getting taxed out of their homes; he gave them a $70 refund and called it a tax cut. That’s why we passed Prop. 13. Wealth is created by producing raw materials, not by hiring more worthless government employees (who make with benefits and pension 70 percent more than the private sector) to lord over us. And by the way, this TEA Party member waves the Stars And Bars!Â
Alan Viarengo, Gilroy
Tea Partiers: Bigoted racists all
Dear Editor,
It always saddens me to read the vitriolic letters from the Tea Partiers and others of their ilk. Where were these people when ex-President Bush declared war on a country which had done nothing to us? Where were they when the costs of that war and the one he started in Afghanistan almost bankrupted our country? Why is it that only now that we have a half African-American president do these people come out to protest?
Those of us on the myopic left (their term) feel that they are not only dishonest, but disingenuous. It appears their protesting is not against taxes and it is not patriotism; the only rational conclusion that can be reached is that they are racists, bigots, and hypocrites.
Since they are all white and mostly older, I see no other possible explanation for their specious arguments about taxes, deficits, etc. Perhaps if they gave up their Medicare and Social Security it might be possible to take them seriously. Or if they stopped standing around on street corners waving huge flags and signs and instead gave that time to volunteering to help at some local charity. In the meantime, I must agree with Ms. Pampuch.
M. Apel, Gilroy
The solution to airport X-ray worries
Dear Editor,
Here’s a solution to all the controversy over full-body scanners at airports. Have a booth that you can step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device. It would be a win-win for everyone, and there would be none of this concern about racial profiling. Justice would be quick and swift. I can imagine it now: you’re in the airport terminal and you hear a muffled explosion. Shortly thereafter an announcement comes over the PA system … “Attention standby passengers, we now have a seat available on flight number …” Don’t you love it?
Phil Eads, Gilroy
