We shouldn’t blame loss on Harris choice

Re: “Liberals need introspection to understand loss” (Page A7, Nov. 7).

Bret Stephen describes the many reasons that he thinks led to the Democrats’ defeat in last week’s election. While his description of worldview mistakes on the part of liberals is eye-opening, I disagree with placing the blame of the defeat on the choice of Kamala Harris’ or the lack of a primary.

Regardless, I don’t understand how the majority of the electorate can justify placing in the White House such a flawed, immoral candidate as Donald Trump rather than Harris.

— Roberto Barrandeguy San Jose

District must find alternatives to closures

Re: “Parents rally to protest Berryessa school closures” (Page B1, Oct. 10).

I was alarmed by the Berryessa Union School District’s consideration of school closures due to budget constraints. Closing schools not only disrupts families but also risks weakening the district by driving further enrollment declines. Sustainable financial management that protects our schools and community is crucial. Instead of closures, I urge BUSD to consider alternative solutions such as reassessing administrative expenses, exploring real estate sales and involving community input in budget planning. With these steps, BUSD can preserve these schools as community hubs and foster trust by including parents and residents in decision-making.

I hope BUSD will prioritize our community’s future by maintaining a community-driven approach. Please continue to keep the community informed on how we can continue to support our students.

— Karla Zermeno, San Jose

Coastal Commission sets agency example

Re: “Musk vs. Coastal Commission shows agency’s effectiveness” (Page A6, Nov. 8).

The Coastal Commission was described as “independent,” “no one entity controls it,” “not reflexively combative” and has “a willingness to say no to powerful people.” The article goes on to say that perhaps the commission should run the entire state. Sounds good to me — but maybe they could start by just running the Public Utilities Commission.

— Manny Morales, San Jose

Trump policies spell trouble for voters

I was listening to the radio this morning and a Republican politician was talking about illegal immigration. When asked if he would deport every illegal in the country, he said yes starting with criminals.

So I decided to save him some work. First, grab a couple of buses and travel to rural Wisconsin and California. Stop at every dairy farm and ask to see the papers of the people working there. Why? Because more than half of dairy workers are immigrant labor. That will provide quite the haul. As an added bonus, with nobody to milk the cows, farmers will sell off their herds resulting in lower beef costs — in the short term anyway. And so what if milk will double in price? Water is better for you anyway.

For those of you who voted for Donald Trump because of the high grocery prices: You have not seen anything yet.

— Harvey Tran, San Jose

Blame for Trump win rests with his voters

Re: “Biden gets blamed by Harris allies for VP’s loss to Trump” (Page A3, Nov. 8).

So, now we’re blaming Joe Biden for Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump? As Nicholas Saba so aptly stated in the article about the protests (“Anti-Trump protesters gather after race called,” Page B1, Oct. 8), “The people didn’t show up for Kamala and what President (Joe) Biden had done in the last four years.”

So, who’s to blame for her loss? Those who showed up and voted for Trump.

— Katie Dent, Sunnyvale

We must make effort to build affordable homes

Re: “Older home buyers, more cash, and (relatively) fewer first-timers: A national survey sheds light on the state of the housing market” (Nov. 8).

The recent article on the housing market clearly shows that housing in the Bay Area is unaffordable for most people. Families, teachers and workers are being priced out of their neighborhoods, which is creating serious inequality in our community. This issue is affecting everyone, not just those directly impacted, and it can’t be ignored any longer.

We need to take immediate action to fix this. One of the most important steps is to build more affordable housing. Local governments should prioritize developments that include homes for middle- and low-income families and fast-track the approval process for these projects. Zoning laws also need to be updated to allow for higher-density housing near job centers and transit.

Imagine a future where teachers and other essential workers can afford to live in the communities they serve, and where families don’t have to leave the Bay Area to find a place to call home.

— Rajat Sood, San Jose