Rep. Bilbray is too tied to Bush policies

Logan Jenkins stated in his column, "Bilbray's strategy is to blur party lines" (San Diego Union-Tribune, May 18), "If Bilbray is going to win re-election, it won't be as a party-line right-winger, but as an aromatic blend of fiscal conservative, environmental warrior and principled immigration hard-liner." I suppose this statement sums up why, on repeated occasions, Mr. Jenkins believes this election will be very competitive.

A few facts went unchallenged in this column. First, Congressman Bilbray's record has been as a Republican right-winger, married to President Bush on nearly every issue (if he hasn't been more extreme than the president) from the Iraq war to record deficits. Second, the idea of Brian Bilbray as environmental warrior is a sham. Mr. Bilbray voted to allow oil drilling off the coast of California, voted against the clean water act, voted against the investment in alternative fuels and voted against higher MPG standards.

Lastly, his principles as an immigration hard-liner are way outside the mainstream. His first bill to combat illegal immigration was to make all 12 million undocumented residents felons, subject to two years in prison. … He continues to pander to the right wing by wanting to use precious law enforcement resources to imprison all illegal immigrants. … Brian Bilbray is a right-wing Republican, tied to President Bush, and his re-election should be based on his record, not on his spin.

Merrill Edelstein

Encinitas

Gays can, and do, make great parents

Bud Aaron (Letters, May 20) wants us to know he is troubled about the gay-marriage headlines. So, in order to set the record straight: Gay adults can and do make wonderful parents and models for their children. Many are well-educated and have the economic means to provide well for their children. Loving, nurturing parents are not limited to heterosexual couples. If the children of gay parents are traumatized, it is certainly not because of the parents. Virtually all documented cases of child abuse are at the hands of adults who identify as heterosexual.

Children may be asked why they do not have a mommy or daddy, but this is no different from any heterosexual relationship. In many straight homes, children have only one parent. So much for the sanctity of marriage!

As to what gay parents will tell the children, I will take an educated guess that children will be told that they are loved very much, and will be given age-appropriate dialogue and guidance. These are real families, with real parents, and it is OK to be gay or straight or somewhere in between. It is neither devastating, nor is it a travesty.

David Spruill

Vista

Pity whoever cleans up Bush's mess

Does George W. Bush even know what direction the sun comes up in the morning? He and his henchman Dick Cheney are so bent on filling up their pockets with oil money and money they are making from the Iraq war that there will be no change in gas prices or change in the war in the Middle East until they are finally booted out of office in 2009. And I pity the poor soul who will inherit this mess next year.

Jack Allen

Escondido

How ridiculous can you get?

In a recent letter to the North County Times (May 7), Raoul Contreras stated that, "Illegals commit far fewer murders and other violent crimes than native-born Americans, and far fewer than could be expected by the demographics of mostly young men." Does that absolve all the rest of the illegals from breaking the law? … Nobody knows how many murders and other violent crimes are committed by illegals, but there would be that many less if they weren't here.

And Tina Jillings is another defender of illegal aliens. In a recent letter to the North County Times (March 14), she stated, "It is not a felony to cross the border with or without documents." It may not be a felony to sneak across the border without documentation, but it is against the law. Those who do it are lawbreakers.

Tina ends her letter, which is an attack on Jeff Schwilk, with, "I certainly hope the powers that be intervene to preserve law and order." Here is a woman who wants to "preserve law and order," but passionately defends lawbreakers, some of whom commit murders and other violent crimes. How ridiculous can you get?

Martin Giavelli

Escondido

The Breeze bus service needs to reconsider

I thank God for Jennifer Knapic's letter about drastic bus cuts reducing service for the mentally challenged workers at Rex's Industries (May 10). I, like Jennifer, can see the seriousness of taking their two buses from them â€"â€" it's like when the Sprinter train came along. It's like taking from Paul to feed Peter.

If the Breeze service is taken from the mentally challenged workers, they would be in serious danger of any accidents that may occur crossing railroad tracks, and if you do not keep their services, you would feel responsible if any of the mentally challenged get hit by a train.

So, before you make your final decisions, focus on the consequences of the seriousness of the mentally challenged safety.

Iola King

San Marcos

Amnesty attached to war funding bill

The illegal alien amnesty bill, which is being attached to the Iraq War Funding Bill, would allow 400,000 unskilled guest workers annually by 2011. This is an increase by 334,000 unskilled migrant workers. If this bill, in its present form, is passed, it will displace hundreds of thousands of American agricultural workers from their jobs. It must not pass. This is a treacherous, dishonest way for Congress to pass a bill, which would grant amnesty to illegal alien immigrants!

Terry Kennedy

Escondido

Carlsbad taxes should stay in Carlsbad

Regarding "Carlsbad should not be charter city," May 21, by John Philip Bowen: What our City Council did in 2005 by giving away Carlsbad city funds to groups outside of the city instead of benefiting the citizens of Carlsbad would not have been affected either way since, at the time, Carlsbad was not a charter city.

However, giving away city tax funds to causes not directly benefiting Carlsbad citizens was wrong. We pay taxes to take care of our police, fire, street and other vital needs of the city, not to pass tax money around because some friends of an official think it would be a good idea. That said, I'm pleased that our generous mayor won't be seeking re-election.

Michael Kapnas

La Costa

Losing his head

The letter by Andrew Crane (May 22) suggests that he believes he is intelligent and anyone who has differing opinions is not. Suggested reading for him are the op-eds by George F. Will and Michelle Malkin in the same paper.

As to global warming, I am reminded of Kipling's statement, "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, then you're a man, my son."

Glen Holzhausen

Fallbrook

Angels came through for her

On May 19, my 2-year-old Toyota was hit by a red pickup truck that went through a red light. Damage to my car was extensive. However, I only had a gash on my leg and I'm grateful for that.

The reason I'm writing is to say thanks to the wonderful people who helped me. Mike Stafford, a concerned citizen who witnessed the accident, was a great help. He called the Carlsbad police, who, in turn, called the Carlsbad Fire Department. The AAA was notified, and my car was towed away by another kind man. Isn't it wonderful we have such caring people here in Carlsbad?

It makes me angry that the truck did not come back to check on me! He's off free, and I'm stuck with a huge bill. Anyway, thanks to all these men who were my angels that day.

Marie Pike

Carlsbad

Court shouldn't subvert our democracy

While I personally support gay marriage, I also strongly oppose the California Supreme Court's recent overturning of the same-sex marriage ban. This issue should be decided by the voters of California. As Justice Marvin Baxter wrote in his dissent: "Undeterred by the strong weight of state and federal law and authority, the majority invents a new constitutional right, immune from the ordinary process of legislative consideration."

The court, despite its good intentions, has subverted the democratic process and disempowered the voters of California. As Abraham Lincoln said once: "If the policy of the government upon vital questions affecting the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court, the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having to that extent practically resigned their government into the hands of that eminent tribunal."

Jack Davis

Carlsbad

Landlords want a decent return on investment

In response to Gordon Olsen's plea to vote against Proposition 98 (Letters, May 19): I am in sympathy with Mr. Olsen. However, he can rent an apartment for little more than he pays for the space rent, so he has a choice to make where he lives.

He stated that the rent on his space would double the day that the proposition passes. If he had read the proposition, he would have known that the rent he is now paying will remain the same for as long as he lives there. The rent will only be adjusted when he leaves.

I have been a rental property owner for more than 40 years. #( I value my tenants and provide a safe and clean environment for them. They are good people for the most part. #( Most [landlords] are like me; they just want to have a decent return for their investment and tenants who respect their property.

Rent control is a huge bureaucracy that adds millions of dollars to the cost of administrating the tangled laws. The property owner pays for that, along with health permits, licenses, inspection fees, plus relocation fees to tenants who are evicted for any reason. #( Eminent domain and rent control laws, as they are now, hurt everyone. Vote yes on Prop. 98.

Pauline StewarT

Oceanside