Corporations don’t have monopoly on corruption

Re: “Citizens United is republic’s greatest threat” (Dec. 22).

In his letter, Bill Wallace ignores the fact that Democrats were able to outspend Republicans by a wide margin in the recent election. The attack on corporate influence should be extended to unions. A greater threat to republican government comes from the egalitarian hate-the-rich crowd who want Citizens United overturned by constitutional amendment or a new ruling involving loose construction of the First Amendment. The second method, favored by liberals, would enable the government to define free speech.

While a corporation is a legal fiction, workers and stockholders are “people” who deserve constitutional preservation of property rights. Corporations do a much better job of wealth distribution than government. Opposition to the Citizens United ruling, as well as to Donald Trump’s appointees, is based on the delusion that government and unions are less corrupt than corporations.

— Fred Gutmann, Cupertino

Let’s leave property management to pros

Re: “Homeless providers under scrutiny” (Dec. 19).

In the Dec. 19 Mercury News, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan points out that “property management” of housing for the homeless is a specialty that perhaps should be contracted out rather than left to nonprofit homeless providers.

I know of an apartment complex built on church property in partnership with a nonprofit provider in which problems have ensued due to a lack of professional management.

Since one hopes that more of these affordable housing complexes will be built, the experience of this church (in my neighborhood) indicates that there is a need for specialized property management experienced with the homeless population to ensure the safety and habitability of such housing.

The city should start thinking about effective training and planning for this kind of property management.

— Susan Price, San Jose

Trump tax cut is wrong solution for debt

Re: “House rejects Trump-backed plan to avert government shutdown” (Dec. 20).

Donald Trump is not sworn in. Still, he wanted to wade in to stop the deal that Speaker Mike Johnson made with Democrats to provide FEMA funds for hurricane victims.

In addition, the SBA is out of funds and farmers need help to deal with climate change.

Trump wants to give a massive tax cut to the wealthy and lower the corporate tax rate to 15% which will cost trillions. Knowing this, he also wanted to take away the debt ceiling.

Trump won with the support from the working poor voters who bought into his promise of lowering grocery, electricity, gas and car prices.

We have $36 trillion in debt and interest alone is not sustainable. A tax cut is not the way to lower the debt and keep his campaign promise.

— Mohan Raj, San Jose