101-580 interchange could be hot spot again

As Richmond-San Rafael Bridge officials consider next steps with the bike and pedestrian lane on the westbound upper deck, I urge planners to consider the impact it could have on the interchange between Highway 101 and Interstate 580 just south of downtown San Rafael.

Before the bike lane trial (when the lane was dedicated for emergencies and maintenance work) the traffic off the bridge backed up at the 580-101 interchange, effectively making a metered entrance to northbound 101. When that interchange was revamped, the backup cleared up. But, after that, I noticed a more significant backup on 101 at the central San Rafael exit. It created a risky situation with cars trying to avoid the backup for the exit while merging onto northbound 101 amid cars traveling at the speed limit (or faster). I suspect the addition of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train route nearby (which frequently holds back traffic) was no help. I admit that, when the central San Rafael exit was updated, the backup was lessened.

Intuitively, it seems that removing the bike lane would lead to a larger volume of traffic off the bridge. It could reintroduce a backup in San Rafael. There is no way around the issue of shifting congestion, but maybe adding some caution lights at the interchange reminding drivers of the 55 mph limit are in order.

Maybe reducing the speed limit on the approach to the interchange to 45 mph would give a little more time to adjust to the likely stopped traffic for nearby central San Rafel exit on 101.

— Eric Fransen, San Rafael

Money trumped cows in Pt. Reyes settlement

I don’t usually agree with IJ political columnist Dick Spotswood, but his recently published commentary was spot on (“Definite winners, losers after Pt. Reyes ranchers agree to leave,” Feb. 2).

From my perspective, I don’t think the “environmentalists” care that much about tule elk. I think getting rid of cows was always the primary goal. As always, “money talks” and the National Park Service listened.

— Mary Jane Baird, San Anselmo

Ranchers needed to be removed from the park

In a recently published article (“‘Environmental terrorism’: Point Reyes settlement roils agricultural community,” Jan. 18), lawyer Andrew Giacomini is quoted as saying the recent settlement (brokered by the Nature Conservancy) between the National Park Service and ranchers at Point Reyes National Seashore is a case of “environmental terrorism.”

That’s laughable. The owners of these ranches were reportedly paid millions to stop commercial agricultural operations on lands that were sold to the government decades ago.

I believe these ranchers have been degrading park lands for years in pursuit of private profit. They leave what I consider to be cow-burnt wastelands with a stack of cash and no apparent restoration requirement. As a taxpayer and citizen, I say they need to keep their cows off my land.

— Thomas Kucera, San Rafael

Attacks on immigrants are nonsensical, divisive

Racial, linguistic, gender and religious diversity in the United States is undeniable. It has enriched our nation for 250 years and continues to strengthen communities everywhere. In spite of ongoing resistance toward immigrants, some religious beliefs and nontraditional lifestyles, the United States is a healthier society due to our diversity.

The current administration’s clumsy efforts to turn back the clock — seemingly in an effort to promote the narrative that we are a White, Christian, heterosexual country — will fail. America’s diversity is immutable. Immigrants from countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are not deterred by racist threats and meaningless rhetoric. They continue to be attracted to the reality of a better life here.

Racist propaganda that scapegoats immigrants as criminals, rapists and “dirtbags” will not make the United States a less attractive destination. Those seeking economic opportunity, religious freedom and political asylum will continue to come.

This is not a “zero sum” game. Our country benefits from our immigrant neighbors, LGBTQ+ friends and multilingual citizens who pay taxes, do work that is challenging (and, at times, less desirable), disproportionately contribute value to society and make our communities safer because they obey the law.

Instead of childishly blaming diversity, equity and inclusion for imagined wrongs and tragic events, the current administration should discard its irrational fear of those who may not look or believe the way they do. Our leaders need to wake up and behave like adults, treat those who present differently with compassion rather than contempt and end the nonsensical and divisive attacks. We need to remember that it’s 2025, not 1925.

— Rick van Adelsberg, Novato

Trump’s move to oust FBI agents is a big misstep

I am finding it hard to choose from among the many egregiously ill-considered executive orders being issued in the White House since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. However, I think the purge of senior FBI agents around the country (“Trump administration fires prosecutors involved in Jan. 6 cases and moves toward ousting FBI agents,” Feb. 1) may well be the most destructive to national security on the global stage.

Trump does not seem to understand that there are other loyalties that transcend personal loyalty to him — or ought to, given those agents’ oaths of loyalty to the Constitution, as well as their personal professional ethics.

Among the FBI agents’ duties, as established by law, are the acquisition of and control of security information. Per his directive, the FBI will be losing the institutional memory that our allies depend upon to trust the operations of the FBI for the accuracy and confidentiality of information that might be shared.

Our national security apparatus will be gravely weakened, and you can be sure that our adversaries are taking close note and planning how to exploit this result. I worry that new Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is too much of a friend to Russia. She will be ready to help, all in the name of Trump’s revenge.

— David Hirzel, San Rafael

Further analysis of Carter policies is quite revealing

The eulogy for President Jimmy Carter given by his chief domestic adviser Stuart Eizenstat was the most factual and interesting of his memorial.

He recalled that Carter deregulated oil and gas, air traffic, shipping and trucking, while appointing Paul Volcker as Federal Reserve chairman. Volcker told him what he would do and that it would cause a steep recession, but Carter nonetheless believed it was necessary to cure inflation. Carter also started the three most important weapons projects that would influence the 1980s and the balance with the Soviet Union.

The mainstream media did not point out these accomplishments. If Nixon had deregulated oil and gas, allowing supply and demand to work, it is possible, maybe even likely that the second oil shock of 1979 would never have happened, with the explosion of drilling and the collapse in consumption that the high prices engendered. In this, Alfred Kahn was Carter’s “deregulation czar.”

He was my economics professor at Cornell University in 1967, and I keenly followed his classical economics policies to solve the problems of the day.

It has been written that Carter came to the presidency as an outsider and an engineer (his degree from the U.S. Naval Academy.) He was not concerned about making good relations with folks and never bridged the divide between his approach and the Washington way of politics. So the Iran hostages crisis, among other setbacks, left him without much support.

But he was in fact a very successful president in many ways, including also the first and most important peace agreement between Israel, Egypt and Syria. It’s also a shame that Ronald Reagan gets credit for deregulation when that was Carter’s legacy.

Today we need to study history more carefully and work together to do what is right without focusing so much on politics.

— Toby Marion, Tiburon