Letters to the editor | Monday, May 18, 2020: Conspiring to destroy the middle class
Conspiracy to fracture middle class
After reading the paper, watching TV and the internet it seems more and more that the media is being portrayed as an agent for one class of people or the other. Could this be true, or is the media writing to its base of readers, which can be interpreted differently?
Or maybe the explanation could be as simple as splitting the middle class vote for political gain. How do you get a majority of the vote when the middle class was over 65% in 1950 and less than 48% today? Easily — redistribute the vote by fracturing family, friends, communities, states, and federal government by separating the middle class vote with issues like race relationships, poverty, income differences, gun control, abortion, and church.
Who’s the loser? The middle class.
Daniel Walker, Turlock
Alternative to Del Puerto Dam
Del Puerto Reservoir project has been run under the radar and will only benefit a few and ruin the canyon forever. Is it a travesty to desecrate this historical, geological canyon and change a county road? Has federal money been allocated to this ill-gotten proposal without taxpayer consent?
I went to a county Board of Supervisors meeting and was told the water district can do what they want. I can’t believe the county has no say in rerouting a county road while the county has no input.
Our taxpayer dollars would be better spent on the proposed Los Banos Grandes Reservoir (1.73 million acre feet). This project has been awaiting funding since 1990 and would have 20 times the capacity of Del Puerto Reservoir. It’s within the service area for local water districts. The location doesn’t back up to a town or businesses.
I have addressed this with Josh Harder with no response. Meetings with Del Puerto Water District are canceled.
Karen Willard, Patterson
He was crying out for help
Re “Police say man drank wine from tanker truck on Highway 99” (Page 3A, May 8-9): I am usually pleased with The Modesto Bee’s serious reporting about people with untreated mental illness. This article showed a terrible insensitivity toward a person obviously in need of psychiatric services, not jail.
Linda Mayo, Modesto
Modesto roads need repair
The streets of Modesto have been in disrepair for many years. State and local bills have been passed, and only small repairs have been completed. This is very frustrating. I used to call the city repair line, but I don’t even do that anymore. The bad streets cause cars to need repair and cause accidents.
I don’t care if there is a pandemic. Fix the streets!
David Shirk, Modesto
A salute to food safety workers
I commend some of the unsung essential workers behind the scene we may be unaware of.
Our daughter works at the Mérieux microbiology food safety lab in Salida, a critical partner in the global food industry. This lab and others like it safeguard food as it goes from farm to factory to fork, and is crucial to the health and well-being of people. They are testing food samples for safety, product stability and nutritional value daily, 365 days a year. They protect you, your family and friends from food-borne illnesses, coronavirus or not.
Laurey Smith, Modesto