Gaza: Trump enjoys ‘blowing things up’

The art of the deal. If Trump is so good at this why is his first move to pick up the sledgehammer to effect diplomacy? Did it occur to him to sit down with Mexico and Canada and try to address differences? He complained about the USMCA trade treaty between Canada and Mexico as being awful. He is the one who negotiated it. Did he think about talking to Panama and Greenland before threatening to take them over?

He is perfecting the art of the steal and now has Gaza in his sights. Funny how his plan for rebuilding Gaza requires removing the Palestinians and turning it into the Riviera of the Middle East. Rebuild it for the Palestinians? Why do that when Trump hotels and resorts can be built? Hmm. I didn’t see any talk about the U.S. taking in any Palestinians but I did see talk about sending troops to take Gaza.

Quiet diplomacy doesn’t generate flashy headlines, which is his opium and is not nearly as much fun and blowing up things up.

— Christine DeLapp, Aptos

Removing criminals could protect the innocent

Regarding the Feb. 5 Editorial, “Santa Cruz County can lead the way to protect our undocumented neighbors”:

There is an argument to be made that sanctuary city policies actually put more undocumented neighbors at risk of deportation. According to ICE, they are targeting people with criminal records but will also arrest anyone with them at the time merely for being undocumented. But if local law enforcement agencies would cooperate with ICE to remove known criminals from our communities, there would be less chance of innocent undocumented people being arrested.

— Sandra Baron, Watsonville

Trump correct how DEI has made flying less safe

Re the Feb. 4 Commentary by Dana Milbank: His reference to Kamala’s being for They/Them and Trump’s I/Me/ Mine is at best laughable. What the left seems to miss or deny is that Trump is a patriot and loves this country. Why else would he subject himself and his family to grief?

Milbank called Trump voicing his concerns about the traffic controllers a “political vendetta” against Democrats, civil servants and DEI programs. The fact is there were only 19 controllers on duty the night the airliner and military helicopter collided. There should have been 30. The DEI program instituted by the Biden administration allows for deaf, blind, mentally challenged, missing appendages, or substance abuse to name a few as “nondisqualifiers.”

Recently there were a thousand applicants for the position of traffic controller. They were completely qualified, but deemed to be white. They weren’t hired.

MLK’s speech dreamt of a time when people would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

— Chet Burum, Bonny Doon