New face on bills; the pope knows his science

Some options to consider on new bills

Regarding “Andrew Jackson more deserved demotion” (June 20): I agree on this one.

What lovely symmetry ($20 in the year 2020) and, more importantly, what delicious irony to “remove” Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill and replace him with Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation, which Jackson so brutally treated.

Deborah Attwood
Kensington

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy.

• E-mail letters@sduniontribune.com
• Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor
  San Diego Union-Tribune
  P.O. Box 120191
  San Diego, CA 92112-0191.

Rather than have so much controversy over changing the face on either the $10 or $20 bills, why not make a $15 bill and put a female picture on it?

No one will be upset about a change on familiar bills and the new bill will be a sensation as the first $15 bill, and with a female’s picture. Everyone wins.

Charles B. Caldwell
Alpine

Pope no slacker when it comes to science

Regarding the letter “Pope enters climate change debate” (June 22) suggesting the pope stick to an easier science: When I was working on a degree in biology, I found environmental science pretty straightforward, so I got a degree in that, too.

However, I found chemistry challenging and didn’t get that degree. Somehow the pope didn’t have the same challenge, and worked in technical chemistry. I wonder what field of science challenged the letter writer?

Robin Weaver
San Diego

Keeping an eye on those utility execs

Regarding “Utilities: Exec pay doesn’t drive rates” (June 20): Ratepayers shouldn’t pay for executive bonuses when utilities violate our safety.

Trying to minimize millions in executive bonuses isn’t just out of touch, it’s bad misdirection. We shouldn’t be rewarding executives for passing the cost of their safety failures to ratepayers, which is why we’re pushing for transparency and accountability on ratepayer-funded executive bonuses.

For example, the deal struck last year to shutter San Onofre following safety failures put ratepayers on the hook for $3.3 billion. That’s a huge financial impact and it’s absurd, no matter what utility executives say. I’m proud to stand with ratepayers by authoring AB 1266, which insists, if these executives pass the buck on to customers, it should be done in broad daylight.

Lorena Gonzalez
Assembly member
San Diego

Opposing views on stadium negotiations

In regard to the article in the local section of the newspaper “City feeling frustrated by Chargers” (June 23), how about turning that around to “Chargers feeling frustrated by city for 14 years”?

What goes around, comes around.

Rita Kallett
El Cajon

It has become apparent that the Chargers only want a downtown stadium. The problems they see regarding the California Environmental Quality Act are only a smoke screen, as CEQA would double the problems downtown.

It will take Mayor Kevin Faulconer and company to cave in to Mark Fabiani and Dean Spanos in regard to the downtown site to get the Chargers back to the barging table. Taking the city’s case to the NFL will be fruitless.

Enough is enough, the Chargers have been taking San Diego to the cleaners for too many years.

Jim Alt
San Carlos

President should avoid such language

President Obama’s use of the “N” word (“Obama says US racism ‘not cured,’ makes point with epithet,” June 22) for its shock value was immature, shocking, unprofessional and an insult to the American people, especially black Americans. In addition, it was an insult to world leaders who know how to conduct themselves in public. If one uses gutter talk, one lowers oneself to the level of street people.

Harold Cohn
Santee

Our lawmakers also should be drug tested

Whether you support medical cannabis or not, the Nevada Supreme Court decision (“Court: Workers can be fired for marijuana use,” June 16) allowing companies to fire workers who legally use it while off work should be very disturbing.

If we are to have drug testing, why aren’t the people creating such laws the first to be tested? We test customer service representative, children and the push to means-test welfare recipients is a common GOP theme.

Why aren’t all politicians tested, and all lawyers and everyone who tries to influence public opinion? After all, what have they to hide?

David Kennedy
Clairemont

One idea to repair convention center

It looks like our beautiful but aging convention center needs some help totaling more than $32 million (“Convention center to seek state loan for repairs,” June 18).

It was suggested that a possible revenue source would be naming rights, similar to those found in sports venues like Petco Park. New York City has its Jacob K. Javits center, one of the largest convention centers in the country.

The Irwin M. Jacobs Convention Center has a nice ring to it.

Herman Ackerman
San Diego

Glad to have Trump in for comic relief

The entrance of The Donald into the three-ring circus that is the Republican Party’s quest for the presidency adds a comic touch to the whole proceedings.

If being rich is the main qualification, than “I’m your man,” says The Donald with a straight face.

I can’t wait for the free-for-all of the debates. It will be the funniest show in prime time.

Peter Jarman
San Diego

Time for change by state’s utility regulators, utilities

Regarding “CPUC rate plan is an indecent proposal” (June 20): While the governor and the state Legislature are admirably pushing ahead with climate legislation, the California Public Utilities Commission has yet to get the message. We must act now to conserve energy and transition the energy we do need to renewables in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change.

You’d think the terrible, relentless drought we’re facing and last week’s wildfires would serve as a reminder, but the CPUC apparently needs more than reminders — it needs a “do over” with a crystal-clear mandate to implement energy policies that are just and result in climate solutions, and commissioners who are there to serve the public, not the for-profit monopoly utilities.

Yes, Mike Florio’s proposal is better than the utility-sponsored version, but we could be doing so much better.

Masada Disenhouse
La Mesa

SDG&E argues (“Paying for power,” June 21) electricity rate tiers should be “flattened” to lessen the current penalty for higher power use, offering equity as the primary reason.

The Sierra Club counters that higher costs for higher users should be maintained to encourage conservation.

Why, though, is SDG&E involved in this debate at all? Could it be its primary concern is not equity but rather that conservation threatens its profits?

B. Chris Brewster
Pacific Beach

Too many agencies in charge of our water

How many government fingers (water districts, municipalities, regulatory agencies, etc.) are entwined in our water consumption, from its source to our faucet?

I am thinking many, because San Diego County is at the end of the hose.

How many middle agencies could be eliminated through consolidation? These consolidations would save multiple overheads, much like when the California municipal and superior courts were unified in the late 1990s.

In addition to smart water conservation, prudent fiscal dieting upstream could save taxpayers and ratepayers considerably. Maybe this drought should also be approached with fiscal prudence.

Chuck Miller
La Mesa

We must start being honest about race

After the Dylann Roof shootings in a church in South Carolina and the racial confusion over Rachel Dolezal of the Spokane NAACP, here is a message meant for both of them from Bill Nye:

“Researchers have proven scientifically, that humans are all one people. The color of our skin is a consequence of ultraviolet light, of latitude and climate. Despite our recent sad conflicts here in the U.S., there really is no such thing, scientifically, as race! We are one species. Each of us is much more alike than we are different. We all came from Africa. We’re all made of the same star dust. We’re all going to live and die on the same planet — a pale blue dot in the vastness of space. We have to work together!”

M. Laurel Gray
El Cajon

High time for Confederate flag to be mothballed

One hundred and fifty years after the end of the insurrection by 11 states against their lawful federal government, there should be no discussion about the appropriateness of displaying this loathsome banner (“Take down that flag,” June 23) on any public land.

This flag represents two things: one, treason against our nascent country; and two, the perpetuation of slavery (section nine, clause four of the CSA Constitution: “Congress shall pass no law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves”).

There will be a chorus of voices from both lay and professional folks (e.g. Shelby Foote, the noted author and Mississippi historian) claiming “foul.”

However, ask this question: If there had never been slavery in the New World, would the Civil War have occurred?”

Jim Bartlett
Alpine

The removal of the Confederate flag is not only timely but appropriate.

Anyone who thinks racism does not exist is in total denial. What do we do? We get courageous and make sure it is put down hard in this community.

Rodgers T. Smith
El Cajon

City and county must stand up to the Chargers

The Chargers are leading the city and county around on a leash and I say it’s time to get off.

Mayor Faulconer and Supervisor Roberts should be embarrassed and ashamed at their behavior in this matter. The Chargers have shown no indication they are “all in” on finding a solution for a new stadium in San Diego.

The Chargers need to hear the truth — that voters will never approve taxpayer money for a new stadium. Build your own venue, Dean Spanos.

If they want to play hardball, then by all means let’s play hardball. This from a native San Diegan and lifelong Chargers fan.

Jim Clark
El Cajon

I believe the Chargers’ constant sniveling about “trying for 14 years to get a new stadium” has hurt, rather than helped their effort.

The Chargers may “deserve” a new stadium today, but they certainly didn’t 14 years ago. That was only four to five years after they had requested and received an expansion of Qualcomm Stadium, after which, Alex Spanos declared they were “good until 2020.”

So what changed their minds? The answer is Petco Park was built.

Hank Bonham
City Heights

Why so much concern over the death penalty?

I admit it, I don’t get it about putting the worst murders to death by lethal injection.

My girlfriend helped her daughter put down her cat last week. She said the cat was calm and it happened quickly. Many areas have end-of-life assisted injectable drugs.

So we can use these drugs on our loved ones or our favorite pets. But if we try to use them on someone who used a hammer to kill a whole family, it’s cruel and unusual punishment?

Kevin Hippensteel
Santee

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy.

• E-mail letters@sduniontribune.com
• Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor
  San Diego Union-Tribune
  P.O. Box 120191
  San Diego, CA 92112-0191.