Withdrawing support for Tesla and Musk

To the employees of Tesla, I apologize.

You have made an amazing car. I believed in Tesla and waited in line to put my deposit down on a Model 3 before it was even in production. I believed in the vision of Elon Musk to change the gas-emitting auto industry to electric.

I drove my two Model 3’s for 100,000 miles and loved the car, but I was duped by Musk. I believed he cared for the environment, but now I know he only cared about power and wealth.

He is actively dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency and stands by while Donald Trump cuts federal funding for electric vehicles and infrastructure.

Goodbye, Tesla. I sold my Model 3 and bought another wonderful electric vehicle at another dealer.

I cannot stand by and show any kind of support for Elon Musk.

— Mike Brandy Walnut Creek

DOGE should turn its sights on itself

Re: “Trump, DOGE will soon end wasteful spending” (Page A8, Feb. 9).

DOGE, an entity that destroys the most beneficial elements of our government, needs to go.

This purely transactional disaster tries to justify eliminating health care programs, educational support for poor children, and government programs that protect our environment, workplaces and hard-earned benefit programs. The letter writer celebrates actions that are frankly illegal and unconstitutional.

It appears that the conservative element of our society has become cruel and favorable to criminals that sacked our Capitol, and will promote the rich over the average citizen who depends on traditional government programs to protect their well-being, provide food to struggling families and keep them healthy.

These programs are not free; they’re funded with the taxes paid by the average citizen. Elon Musk does none of that with his billions. His “wood chipper” is best used on himself and his minions.

— Scott and Christina Loeliger Benicia

DOGE’s indiscriminate cuts costly to the U.S.

Letter writers have expressed a belief that DOGE will wave a “magic wand” and eliminate all wasteful government spending.

This simplistic thinking might very well remove funding for research that protects our food sources (NIH funding that ensures E. coli is not a part of our lettuce and other food crops), monies to pay U.S. farmers for the corn and grain crops they’ve produced that are sent around the world to feed starving people (USAID), or cutting NOAA (weather) or FAA (air traffic control) funds and personnel with unpredictable, unsafe outcomes.

These kinds of reckless and ill-conceived actions should be halted until Congress — our representatives — are able to weigh in.

— Michele Brynjulson Pleasanton