Editor:
I’m responding to two letters, first from Hunter Cobb (“Vote for Mindy; End the drug culture,” Sept. 1; https://alamedasun.com/letters/16030), then Jeffrey R Smith (Democracy in America,” Sept. 1; https://alamedasun.com/letters/16043).

Cobb cheers the demise of Senate Bill (SB) 57, which would have enabled a pilot drug overdose prevention program in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He acknowledges that drug-related deaths have reached deplorable levels and wonders why “people are not sounding alarms from the rooftops.” Cobb fails to realize that SB57 is a result of people sounding alarms. Overdose prevention programs have been shown to help in other US cities and nations. If Cobb knew how much effort it took to get SB57 passed in the legislature, he wouldn’t complain about “complacency.”

Cobb points to a half-century of “liberalized drug policies,” forgetting our failed Drug War that continues today. A minor exception is a majority of liberals and conservatives that favor legalization of marijuana. Cobb would do well to mention that alcohol has been the bigger problem. Alcohol has been the bane of America’s “drug culture” since before the US was founded. Moreover, even today, getting drunk is often depicted in TV shows and movies as a great way for young and old to have fun.

Cobb endorses a Republican candidate for State Assembly, Mindy Pechenuk (who got on the ballot with a mere 31 votes in the primary). Pechenuk opposed SB57. Perhaps Cobb also knows that Pechenuk is a Trump supporter and believes that Biden won due to a lack of election integrity. At least Pechenuk doesn’t use the F-word (election fraud).

As for Smith, or should I say Mr. R Smith, about 20% of liberals feel dismayed about the student loan cancellation program. I’d wager $40,000 (Smith’s annual IRS tax bill) that I can’t find even one conservative college student who, as a matter of conservative financial principles and personal responsibility, is willing to forego his student loan cancellation. Even Ayn Rand was happy to receive Social Security and Medicare, while hiding it from the public. If only Smith was just as vigilant and verbose about Republican fiscal shenanigans.