12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com TAKE THE LEAD We are living in dangerous and uncertain times and we deserve a representative that understands the moment and is willing and able to meet it (“Your leaders in Washington, D.C. want to hear from you,” posted Feb. 12). Constituents are seeking assurances from their representatives that they understand we are in unchartered territory and that this moment requires bold action—not platitudes and paternalistic responses. Unfortunately for California’s 19th District, platitudes and paternalistic responses are all we got at Wednesday’s town hall. One constituent asked Rep. Jimmy Panetta whether he would commit to withholding any and all support during budget and debt ceiling negotiations until the Democrats receive tangible deliverables that allow for meaningful oversight and accountability with respect to all actions being taken by Elon Musk and DOGE. Panetta’s answer was a resounding NO, though he assured this constituent that he understood such an “emotional” request. He implied that she was asking him to shut down the government. She was not. She was seeking his assurance that he would stand up for the Constitution and not give away the little power he does have in the false spirit of “bipartisanship” and “responsible government.” Rep. Panetta still has time to reconsider his position and stand up for the Constitution. If he doesn’t, he may find his path to 2026 is more fraught than he expects it to be. Lisel Scannell | Monterey SYSTEM PREFERENCES We broke it, we own it. We made our bed, now we must sleep in it. We are reaping what we sowed (“The court system is not enough to stop the Donald Trump-Elon Musk coup,” Feb. 13-19). Pandora is out of the box. And the kraken has been released. So, batten down the hatches, and pass the Dramamine! Helen Ogden | Pacific Grove All Americans who love democracy must meet the moment. We are witnessing a coup in progress. With the continuous roll out of executive orders, President Trump’s plan to shred the Constitution becomes obvious. His goal is to acquire unrestrained power. For Trump, democratic ideals, Christian ethics and human empathy are meaningless. They play no part in his life. This soulless man even rejects objective truths. No wonder he can so easily lie, blame others and exploit racial hatred. His “tear it down” governance will be corrupt, lawless and terrorize Americans. Nazario Martinez | Prunedale WATER WEIGHT If you think the Pure Water Monterey expansion is going to happen and solve our water problems, then you haven’t seen the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District meeting from Jan. 27, 2025 (“The perceived divide between the Salinas Valley and Monterey Peninsula is on display in the most unlikely of places,” posted Feb. 10). I do not know how it could be said clearer, “You do not have water for the expansion.” When the general manager was asked to explain he was not able to do so and ended up saying essentially, we think we have the source waters because [Monterey One Water] says we do. Some of us have for years warned M1W to prove they have source waters before they spend public funds on the expansion. Time for some sincere honesty from MPWMD and M1W about where we are with future water supplies. John Tilley | Pacific Grove LEADING BY EXAMPLE Butch, you are missed by the entire community (“Butch Kronlund, a longtime force in Big Sur, dies at 70,” posted Feb. 10). I am grateful for the time spent working with you to work through issues. I considered you a mentor via your “get it done” attitude. Thank you! Aengus Jeffers | Monterey LOVE IS LOVE Thanks for elevating Lori Long’s continuing plight, especially on the holiday set aside to celebrate love (“Happy Valentine’s Day to a local woman who’s been fighting for years for the right to get married,” posted Feb. 14). We can’t pierce and constructively resolve the obvious unfairness of denying benefits to disabled persons when they marry? If family values really matter, why not? These days, there are more indignities on the way, as we seem to be condemned to living in an epidemic of intentionally forced chaos and rank cruelty. The need to press for rational and compassionate changes has never been more urgent. Rick Applegate | Tucson, Ariz. SPEEDING UP Cheers and applause for Dwight Stump for his persistent work to keep roadway roundabouts off of Highway 68 (“The Buzz: Good Week,” Feb. 6-12). They would have been very unsightly and taken up a lot of land, especially with so many of them. Now we will have a far simpler and straightforward solution with adaptive traffic signals. Thank you to [Transportation Agency for Monterey County] and Caltrans for agreeing to give them a try. Gail Bower | Carmel MILITARY HISTORY The military—U.S., Spanish and Mexican—has historically had a significant impact on Monterey (“A report measuring the local economic impact of the military shows it’s bigger than you think,” posted Feb. 4). The area surrounding the Cathedral was the original military presence in Monterey, 1770, until it moved to the current Presidio of Monterey. The U.S. Army took it over in 1846 but abandoned it after the Civil War. In 1903, the Presidio was reactivated in the wake of the Spanish-American War and was a large presence until Fort Ord was built in the build-up to World War II. The military history of Monterey is available for free at the Lower Presidio Museum in Monterey. It is operated by the City of Monterey and staffed by volunteers. It is worth a visit. Jim Tarhalla | Las Palmas LETTERS • COMMENTSOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@montereycountynow.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
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