Chargers shine spotlight on San Diego

Intangibles come with keeping the Chargers

Chargers fan Johnny Abundez came to Thursday’s press conference at Qualcomm Stadium to show his support for keeping the Chargers in San Diego. — Nelvin C. Cepeda / U-T San Diego

(Nelvin C. Cepeda)

Regarding “Stadium hope: Wait till next year” (June 28): Those who oppose the city’s contribution of about $300 million or any tax revenue to build a stadium to keep the Chargers here overlook the enormous name recognition value the city gets from having San Diego as the geographical prefix to the name of an NFL team.

Each day the words “San Diego Chargers” or just “San Diego” are heard countless times on radio and TV, and appear countless times in publications around the world.

The Fortune 1,000 pay handsomely for the privilege of naming sporting events and venues. $300 million to have San Diego linked to the Chargers for the next 20 years seems like a pretty good deal.

Christopher E. McAteer
San Diego

People have learned to wait for handouts

I agree with Kelly Ferreira (“A free school lunch comes with a price,” June 19). I grew up in the ’50s and ’60s. My mother was divorced with four children to feed and clothe with no help from my father.

There is no way, even if it were offered, that my mother would have sent her children to school during the summer to get a meal.

She worked at Norton AFB and probably made 75 cents an hour, but she and only she took care of us and she received nothing from the government.

Why are taxpayers responsible for feeding children in school during the summer, winter or fall? I thought that was what parents did.

Jody Follis
Fallbrook

Supreme Court now makes applesauce

New interns run with a decision across the plaza of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday June 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The Associated Press

(The Associated Press)

Well, we just witnessed the most scandalous decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court (“High court upholds Affordable Care Act,” June 26) in my very long lifetime.

They just took a very straightforward clause and turned it into an “interpretable” clause in order to satisfy the Obama administration.

Now, civics teachers will have to teach that we no longer have three branches of government.

The judicial branch is now a lackey of Obama and the legislature is nonfunctional.

That leaves the executive branch to make, pass and interpret laws. Justice Scalia described it as “applesauce.” A more apt description would be “disgraceful.”

Robert V. Tate
Carlsbad

GOP must start to offer some solutions

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., right, followed by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., leaves a GOP luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen) The Associated Press

(The Associated Press)

Headlines in the U-T (“Republicans show outrage, but feel relief,” June 26) describe how the Republican Party is outraged over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act but at the same time relieved.

What an apt description of today’s party, a party stuck in an alternate universe between ideology and reality, between saying no to anything Obama and posing solutions of its own.

Headlines about the court’s ruling on same-sex marriage will expose another rift in the party’s personality: one between a love of democracy and a desire for a theocracy.

Ken Ramsdell
San Diego

Nobody has killed anyone with that flag

In this June 19, 2015, photo, a Confederate flag flies near the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, S.C. Whether South Carolina should continue to fly the Confederate flag on its statehouse grounds is the latest in a series of issues to arise this summer challenging the GOP’s effort to build the young and diverse coalition of voters it likely needs to win the White House. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt) The Associated Press

(The Associated Press)

Regarding the shootings in South Carolina (“S. Carolina will debate flag removal,” June 24): I find myself both amused and disgusted by all the hypocritical, self-promoting politicians falling all over themselves trying to ban the Confederate flag and some long-dead Confederate generals all the while ignoring the real problem.

Guns are the real problem here. Always have been, always will be. How many more days before the next massacre occurs in this country?

Ask the NRA.

Shawn Chambers
La Mesa

Utilities must evolve or face extinction

Excuse me if I don’t shed a tear for utility executives who could face “obsolescence” and a “cycle of doom” (“Time to change power billing rules,” June 24) with the rise of clean energy use.

As a “relatively light user,” I am not discouraged to conserve and have installed solar, contrary to the “pretzel logic” of the Picker plan.

As far as large groups of ratepayers subsidizing other groups, I’ve long considered SDG&E/SCE forms of a legally sanctioned crime group, extorting increasing rates for less usage, paying for their engineering screw-ups and speculative projects as well as management malfeasance, all to guarantee an increasing rate of return to shareholders.

Perhaps it’s time for utility executives and their desired business model to go the way of the dodo.

Mike Loflen
Clairemont

There’s nothing new about contract work

Regarding “Sharing economy gets wake-up call with ruling” (June 28): Silicon Valley has not created a new kind of American worker.

The real estate industry did that a long time ago. The description of these “sharing” workers is definitely that of independent contractor.

They work when they please, the companies cannot require them to work a specific number of hours, or to attend meetings, or to work at specific locations. That is more independent than many other independent contractors (ie: the person who cuts your grass).

It isn’t broken, so don’t fix it.

Dee Bratspies
San Diego

Opinions vary on gay marriage decision

I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision making marriage a possibility for gay couples across our great country.

Contrary to what detractors claim, marriage has not been a fixed and unchangeable institution across the centuries. Arranged marriages, dowries and polygamy are no longer common marriage practices in our culture and, as the Supreme Court said in its majority opinion, “These new insights have strengthened, not weakened, the institution.”

Studies show that married people benefit from better health, stronger finances and longer lives. Laws and policies that support loving relationships and stable homes benefit all of us, gay and straight.

Kim Rivero Frink
Imperial Beach

They came into power and destroyed lives. Relationships were ruined. Historic monuments were destroyed. History had to be rewritten.

The American left has, running through it, the same totalitarian streak that ran through the communists, their kissing-cousins the Nazis, and the Islamic State.

The left, always in search of a utopia, decides to force utopia on the world. Friday, June 26, will come to be a day the nation will rue. Every society in history that embraced homosexuality or rejected traditional marriage has imploded. We did both on Friday.

I expect while the mockers are still celebrating about September or October, there will be a financial/Wall Street collapse or even a military attack. God is not mocked.

Rolla Rich
Spring Valley

Everyone has his own personal god who agrees with everything he wishes were true.

Officially, our nation is not a Christian or religious nation. It is a secular nation.

Now, leaving God, Jesus, the Bible, Allah, Vishnu, Thor, Apollo or any other god you choose to worship out of it, why are you opposed to gay marriage?

What you think your personal invisible friend in the sky is telling you has nothing to do with the law or national policy. Your religious beliefs are irrelevant.

I’m not necessarily in favor of gay marriage, but generally “live and let live” is good policy. I just can’t think of any valid reason to be opposed.

Charlie Ballbach
Santee

Get to work fixing ACA instead of just fighting

Your editorial about Obamacare (“Obamacare upheld but still needs fixes,” June 26) is good but a bit late.

The fixes to the ACA should have been done when the law was first enacted. Instead, Republicans chose to criticize, oppose, fight and vote 50 times to repeal it.

Yes, it still needs fixing (what law is perfect?) so, as you said, let’s work together to make it better. It’s the law, Congress, so “get over it” and get going on it.

Yolanda Emery
La Mesa

Leave the name of the school unchanged

Regarding “Gonzalez: Robert E. Lee school needs new name” (June 24): I suggest that Lorena Gonzalez needs a history lesson. Not everyone connected with the Confederate Army is associated with intolerance, racism and hate. Gen. Robert E. Lee was respected, honored and honorable.

Abraham Lincoln thought so highly of Lee he offered him command of the federal forces in 1861. When Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Gen. Grant and other Union officers present saluted Lee as he rode away. Members of both armies lined the road to pay their respects.

As for slavery, all of Lee’s servants were set free 10 years before the Civil War.

This letter is not about the Confederate flag, but the movement to cherry-pick history and discard certain parts – or people – deemed offensive. Next, large parts of our history will be erased.

Anne Terhune
El Cajon

While all decent people are horrified by yet another senseless slaughter in Charleston, we should be careful not to react in an unproductive way.

I was disturbed to read Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez wants to rename Robert E. Lee Elementary School. She says the school is named “after a guy who fought his own country to protect slavery.”

Anyone who has studied history knows that this is untrue. Only after Virginia seceded did Lee resign from the Union to fight for his home, Virginia. The Civil War decided that issue.

I suggest that Assemblywoman Gonzalez should refocus her efforts on trying to get meaningful gun control legislation implemented.

Ken Blalack
La Mesa

Gonzalez should address her own glass house

I nearly choked when I read the letter by Lorena Gonzalez (“Keeping an eye on those execs,” June 25) because I actually agreed with her.

However, I’d like Ms. Gonzalez to apply the same words for herself, legislators and governor when it comes to their actions. First thing that comes to mind is the boondoggle bullet train that has become a morphed monster of what voters approved.

She should insert the words “state officials” for “executives” in her quotes. I see words like “failures, transparency, accountability, huge financial impact and it’s absurd.”

So Ms. Gonzalez, you say you stand by ratepayers on utility execs. Tell us where you stand on this massive assault on California taxpayers.

Jim Stingl
Chula Vista

Don’t take away our favorite comic strips

Regarding “Vote for your favorite comics” (June 20): I can’t choose just 10 comics. I want them all – and that’s why I still get your newspaper.

Just compare that list to those published in the L.A. Times and eliminate some duplicates from your newspaper. Well – maybe you can get rid of Mary Worth, which takes a long, long, long time to get to the point.

Or get real and find a way to print the North County ones in your newspaper.

Crystal Clearwater
El Cajon

Newspaper’s finest slogan should be returned

I miss the “America’s Finest City” slogan that appeared under the U-T banner on the front page. Please put it back.

Miriam Accorsi
El Cajon