Recently a number of young future leaders met with Sen. Dianne Feinstein to urge her to support Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey’s Joint Resolution for a Green New Deal.
Feinstein attempted a head fake, advocating a watered-down bill that would fall far short of what is needed to avoid what scientists overwhelmingly agree is a looming planetary catastrophe.
The 2013 Sierra Club v. Lehigh consent decree requires the Lehigh Hanson Cement Plant to perform a multimillion dollar project to restore over three miles of Permanente Creek extensively damaged by the company’s mining operations, including the dumping of thousands of cubic yards of mine waste and overburden into the creek.
To date, not a single shovel-full of that waste has been removed from the creek. In fact, due to the procrastination of the Santa Clara County Planning Department, the environmental review process for the project has not even begun.
The media and their audiences are all excited because of the increased number of young people, women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, gays and transgenders who are entering politics. Clearly missing are short people, tall people, fat people, skinny people, bald people, and don’t forget hairy people.
But the most important qualification of all is never, ever mentioned verbally or in writing. That qualification is competency. The focus of all the new and past candidates applying for a political job is telling you what’s wrong, and what they will do. Not difficult. Match that with a pleasant personality and an articulate ability to speak and you have an elected politician. By the way, those are the same requirements for a successful used-car salesperson.
The Town Crier welcomes letters to the editor on current events pertinent to Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View. Write to us at 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, Attn: Editor, or email editor Bruce Barton at bruceb@latc.com. Because editorial space is limited, please confine letters to no more than 200 words. Include a phone number for verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be printed.
You can also have your say right here at losaltosonline.com – scroll to the bottom of any story to add a comment.
