Letters to the Editor

Wasteful Spending

At last week’s city library meeting, the city manager said this city will be $60+ million unfunded in five years (aka in debt), yet this stupid city still spends millions on loser stuff: color $75K to $100K crosswalks & lifeguard towers; losing money water pit aquarium with $100 million city bonds; sinking/leaking Queen Mary $100 millions+; always seeking the next sucker suitor; free parade fees for some but charge the veterans parade (out of business); North Long Beach drug recovering and homeless site with existing marijuana grow tenant and more; and we cannot expect the city to balance its budget.

Why? Two weeks ago, the council allocated $1.5 million for illegal entrant’s (Rex says “our community residents”) to fight ICE and tenant’s unpaid landlords. Long Beach is paying for illegal person’s legal defense to fight lawful evictions for unpaid rent and to remain in Long Beach for how long?

This city uses taxpayers’ money to fight us property owners who fund all this crap. Our money gets stuffed up rental housing providers noses for “undocumented” residents. Why would anyone want to own rental property if the city is paying attorneys with our money for those that don’t pay rent?

The city manager attempted to defend this plan at the library while seven homeless tents were camped outside to catch the beautiful Broadway west sunset view. Attendees at the catered free dinner meeting walked past homeless and their urine odors to hear Mr. Modica’s delirious diatribe presented with a straight overpaid face.

This city just keeps getting more disgusting.

Frank W. Lloyd

Cost of Permits

Citizens who lose their homes by fire, floods or any disaster should not have to pay the government one cent to obtain permits to rebuild. In addition, building requirements should be reduced since – in most cases – these homes were built before bureaucratic red tape.

Where are the leaders and innovators who can come up with new rules and ideas like our current president? It is time to revolutionize all governments, including local, state and federal. While citizens suffer with taxes, fines, permits and more, the bureaucrats gain and the citizen gets the shaft, making life more difficult.

Rules and regulations have gone too far. Biden showed us how to crush the citizens of our nation. With hampering energy, regulations on our automobiles, gas stoves, opening our borders and spending our hard-earned money in so many ways until we were broke.

Look at your life. Are you better off [than] your children or grandchildren? Can your children afford to buy a home [or pay] rent, let alone utilities?

Our choices, especially here in California, have destroyed our way of life and our ability to survive. All that wasted money spent on illegals could have been used to help the veterans who fought for us. It could have helped get homeless off the streets. In California they are cramming us into cans like sardines.

Why are people leaving states like California? Isn’t it obvious? Let me know if you agree.

Tracy Johnston Kittinger

Scream with Delight

In response to the Aug. 22, letter ‘Or Just Scream,’ submitted by Merry Colvin:

Why it is okay in the USA, land of immigrants, to be rounded up by federal agents/ICE and taken to detention centers? Because they have entered our country illegally by sneaking across our borders (Texas and California). They didn’t bother to enter with due process, but they are now getting due process to be deported. Keep in mind that our immigration laws were first enacted in 1929 during (R) Hoover’s administration, updated during (D) Truman’s administration, supported during (D) Obama’s administration (when he spoke in his 1994 Address on Immigration saying, “If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up”.

In 2014 Obama had detention facilities opened and expanded to house illegals during processing. Deportation was also supported in 1996 by (D) Bill Clinton. We sure didn’t hear any backlash during those decades.

Why it’s okay in the Land of the Free, for armed troops patrolling our cities? It’s because of citizens seem to have forgotten there are laws that were put in place for a reason, citizens who err on the side of those who don’t care to obey our laws, who didn’t care to enter our country the legal way, who are more in favor of crimes some have committed instead of for the victims, who have blocked traffic, participated in loud protests in daytime and late at night and have generally disrupted order.

Liberal city mayors do nothing, so the President had to step-in and have peace restored on the federal level. When misbehaving people straighten-up, things will get back to normal. It’s simple: Keep acting-out, keep getting arrested.

Why it’s okay in the Home of the Brave that a President have a ballroom built in the White House while children in foreign countries are starving from a U.S.-sponsored war? That statement is as ridiculous as, “How dare you buy a new car when children are starving around the world?”. Fact is, there will ‘always’ be starving children in the world. “Every” Incoming President/First Lady is afforded the redecorating of the White House if they choose to do so. One thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other.

Why it’s okay, in the land of equality, that the president’s impossing of tariffs has raised the cost of products? It’s a good trade-off because our country is operated mainly by income taxes and tariffs. The U.S. gave foreign countries a bargain for decades with low tariffs and some no tariffs at all. Don’t forget that the wealthy pay the most income taxes of all, and they always have.

Why it’s okay in the land of free and fair elections? The ‘invented’ election collusion was just one of many lawsuits (one after another, after another) brought on by Democrat politicians that were, and continue to be, terrified because President Trump is not a “career politician”....he doesn’t play the game. He is doing exactly what he promised he’d do during each campaign. Well known Democrat personality, Bill Mahar, said it best, “The craziness of the Left handed the presidency to Trump.”.And they did.

What President Trump is doing is not only okay, it’s stupendous. Here are just a few. Anyone who is against the following is sorely lacking common sense:

No federal funding to schools/universities who allow trans men to compete in girls/women’s sports, the confiscation of sports medal won by trans men in a female sport and the return of those medals to be given those medals to the biological women, no more forced sharing of women/girls locker rooms and restrooms with trans men, the continued building of the border wall, ICE round-up, detention and deportation of illegal immigrants, funding stopped for school districts whose elementary school libraries make available gender switching books to children, removal of gay pride flags in classrooms, etc.

Lastly, what can we do? We can sit back and be assured that we have a president who is taking care of business, as it should have been done by his predecessors.

Or just scream with delight.

Patricia Kelly

Fight On

Fight On Lisa Cook.

I highly support your efforts in suing Donald Trump to block his efforts to remove you as a Federal Reserve governor. I think you are highly qualified to be on the board.

More importantly, though, if you win, it will thwart not only this president but all future presidents from interfering with the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The Federal Reserve Must be free from political control. That is how it was set up. Fight on and win.

Sanford Kahn

War Mongering

The Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN), devoted to peace and justice since 2003, strongly opposes any more military action against the majority of the Middle East and urges all those who read this to do so as well.

We believe that the only way to peace is through negotiation and diplomacy; and either direct military action or providing arms through Israel will lead to death for many innocent people. The attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Iraq were instigated by the Israeli government–perhaps to distract from the genocide in Gaza and the attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank; perhaps to distract from Netanyahu’s decreasing support from Israelis. No matter the reason, bombing cities hurts the most vulnerable, those who have no say and nothing to gain from the wars and is unlikely to lead to a just and lasting peace. Tragically, the ones being hurt and killed are the people who don’t want these wars. The leaders making these decisions and the rich who urge them on and gain from these actions rarely suffer the devastating losses.

If we’ve learned anything from history, it is that starting or escalating wars in the Middle East, such as in the aggressive actions taken recently in Lebanon, Syria, Iran and of course Palestine, is a quagmire that harms our troops, creates greater antipathy to the US, and kills civilians without accomplishing any positive outcome.

LBAPN stands with all those around the world who are struggling for justice. We believe that war is not the answer to the issues that confront us. We urge all Representatives and Senators assert their Constitutional and legal authority (reinforced by the War Powers Act) to prevent sending our troops, using our ships and airplanes, and arming Israel in its rush to decimate and subjugate the Middle East.

Karen S. Harper
Marlene Alvarado

People Speak Out

On Labor Day, a demonstration occurred on Ocean Boulevard and Temple. About 50 protesters responded to protest Donald Trump’s actions and in support of labor.

The protest went on for two hours and was very spirited with many people chanting and asking cars to honk in support.

I was able to talk to a few people and took some pictures.

Sarah Curry, a teacher living in Long Beach said “I am pissed. I care about the young people and I can see that our president cares nothing about their future.”

Francisco Zamudio is a Long Beach resident who works with children. “I’m really upset about what’s happening. I’m worried about the children I work with and my neighbors, some of whom are undocumented people. I’m here to support those people that are at risk.”

Paula Petrotta from Ranch Palos Verdes was out here supporting undocumented people who are being rounded up and she said, “I am fighting for our democracy.”

Dennis Rockway, a Long Beach retired attorney who has a long history of fighting for civil rights said, “Our president is bringing fascism to America masquerading as patriotism.”

Benny Arciaga has just moved back to Long Beach. “I am supporting people who have been swept off the streets, separated from their families and deported without any due process. The only crime is they want to work and make a better life for their family. I’m here to support them.”

Marshall Blesofsky