Enough Blame To Go Around ...

RE "Feinstein Resigns" (News&Views, April 4): If Feinstein did not recuse herself from voting on matters that would directly enrich her husband's companies at taxpayer expense, in my opinion she should not just quit the subcommittee, she should be censured by the ethics committee, and resign from Congress.

However, Peter Byrne has a short memory. The article says Feinstein for six years was chair and ranking member of the subcommittee. However, the Republicans were in control of Congress from 1994 through 2006--there was a period of a little more than a year when the demos had a one vote majority in the Senate during all that time (this would be the only time Feinstein could have been chair).

When the Republicans ran Congress, Democrat committee and subcommittee members were effectively shut out of the decision-making process to a degree unprecedented in modern history--this is a widely reported and incontrovertible fact. It was the Republicans, including Bush, not the Democrats, not Feinstein, that controlled and cut budgets for veterans' health and other benefits while beating the drums for war. To blame Feinstein for this is ... oh well.

Ed Chaney, Eagle, Idaho

... IncludIng UC Regents

I REALLY don't get it. Why hasn't this Feinstein treason or crime been in the news, on TV, talked about in editorials? There has been some kind of news blackout, it seems. This is a crime or treason and is reprehensible. Investigative journalism is the only salvation we have within our imperfect system. But, when nothing is done, after a shocking story is reported, what then? When no one is punished, the balance of powers goes unchecked. Richard Blum is a trustee for the University of California. Are they going to let him remain a trustee? You bet.

Emile Lawrence, San Francisco

Who Stole Earth Day?

SATURDAY and Sunday, April 21-22, my husband and I opened up the newspaper to look for local Earth Day events and discovered that in the Bay Area, there really wasn't much being offered. He had just moved here from Chicago and back there, a big Earth Day Convention was being held. Surely in "green friendly" Northern California, there would be plenty of activities for us to participate in. However, that wasn't the case. There were a few on Saturday, which included a computer e-waste recycling activity at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. That really wasn't much of an activity to drive up, drop off and then leave. I insisted that Sunday would be better because that was actually Earth Day. Alas, Sunday wasn't any better. We had tried to get into a beach cleaning at Natural Bridges State Park, but it was only accepting 50 volunteers and was already full two weeks in advance. If only each of the cities were doing an activity. We take it for granted in Northern California that we're already recycling. We already know about being "green." But do we really? Yes, we try to make Earth Day every day, but on a special day such as April 22, why didn't we do something even bigger? What a waste it was that we didn't make more of a priority to celebrate the day as the beginning of living a more earth-friendly life. I'm hoping next year more cities in Northern California will take the torch and lead the way to being "green."

Ann A. Santos, San Jose

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