Sunday’s Letters to the Editor (2025)

Climate superfund act

EDITOR: An important bill has been introduced in our state that would make the world’s biggest fossil fuel polluters pay their fair share for the climate damages they have caused in California.

The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025 — SB 684 and AB 1243 — would ensure that polluters pay to protect Californians and lower costs by funding critical climate solutions, including transitioning to clean energy, disaster resilience, sustainable infrastructure and support for workers and communities suffering climate harms.

This bill also would assess a fee on the largest greenhouse gas emitters so they pay their fair share for damage caused by their products, relieving taxpayers who otherwise bear these costs.

Californians shouldn’t be paying to clean up the mess these polluters made. The polluters pay act will protect Californians and help lower costs by directly supporting working families who have experienced harm from climate disasters and funding critical climate solutions.

Please reach out to your state senator and Assembly member and ask them to vote for and support this important legislation.

RON SADLER

Santa Rosa

Preserving history

EDITOR: I have an overall disenchantment with President Donald Trump. His direction to eliminate DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – programs targets values we have sought to foster and protect over the years. Of importance is that Trump’s directive has the effect of erasing American history. Events, wars and victories are accomplished by Americans of many backgrounds, races, religions, nationalities, ethnicities and social classes. Our fellow citizens learn of heroic events and extraordinary actions through our histories, stories and records passed down from one generation to the next.

Trump wishes to erase these histories and biographies. Citizens and the media need to advise him to preserve our history, knowledge of personalities and events, not erase them. As a 94-year-old citizen who grew up in San Francisco during World War II, served in the Navy during the Korean War and taught U.S. history and government for 23 years, I am deeply offended by the president’s actions. One among many is the erasure of our history and historic personalities. Please elaborate on the message: Protect U.S. history. Drop the anti-DEI policies.

TOM MARTIN

Sonoma

Informed discourse

EDITOR: The claim that violence against Tesla is “exploding” lacks evidence (“Attack of the left,” Letters, March 28). A few incidents have occurred, and they are being investigated. Suggesting a media conspiracy without proof undermines credibility. If the media were silent, we wouldn’t know about the violence.

What I see are citizens at many nonviolent rallies protesting Elon Musk’s actions — patriotic and legitimate protest is a long-standing right of American citizenship.

Judges blocking certain Donald Trump edicts are upholding the Constitution, not endangering citizens. Their role is to protect rights, not compromise safety.

Labeling Sen. Mark Kelly a hypocrite for selling his Tesla oversimplifies personal and political decisions. Climate change requires broader efforts, not reduction to a single action.

The suggestion that transgender athletes and unisex bathrooms are dangerous perpetuates harmful stereotypes. Inclusive policies foster respect without compromising safety. Numerous studies and real-world examples have shown that inclusive policies foster understanding and respect without compromising safety.

Concluding that the “left” threatens democracy is an overreach. Democracy thrives on diverse perspectives and constructive dialogue, not fearmongering.

I urge readers to approach such claims critically and seek reliable information. Democracy depends on informed discourse.

KATHLEEN MOORE

Santa Rosa

Trump’s tariffs

EDITOR: You have to admire the chutzpah of the theft. Donald Trump’s tariff move is nothing short of a brilliant way to con the American public into funding all of his crackpot notions without having to go through that pesky Congress. Just simply declare an “economic emergency” (no oversight), set the tariffs (again no oversight) and skim trillions from the American public without having to do a real tax bill. And his supporters will say, “Thank you sir. May we have another.”

STEVE HAEFFELE

Santa Rosa

Tocqueville’s observation

EDITOR: In 1840, Alexis de Tocqueville, writing in “Democracy in America,” Volume II, had it right when he opined that “If the Supreme Court is ever composed of imprudent or bad men, the Union may be plunged into anarchy or civil war.”

That sounds right for the country’s current situation; men or women.

JONATHAN M. RUTLEDGE

Santa Rosa

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.