The wealthy have a hole that can’t be filled

Some of the world’s wealthiest individuals — Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg — seem perpetually unsatisfied, living in constant anxiety about losing power, influence or relevance. Their relentless pursuit of more often overshadows the original purpose, raising the question: at what cost?

Despite unimaginable fortunes, these titans appear vulnerable, haunted by fears of loss and the opinions of others, including powerful figures like President Donald Trump. Ironically, those who have everything can still feel insecure.

In stark contrast, people like John Bogle, founder of Vanguard, embody a different mindset. Bogle, in 2007 speech, quoted author Joseph Heller: In response to Kurt Vonnegut telling Heller that their billionaire party host had made more in a single day than Heller’s most famous novel, “Catch-22,” would ever make, Heller said, “Yes, but I have something he will never have — enough.”

His contentment highlights a truth that money cannot buy. It profits a man nothing to sell his soul for the whole world, but for a bit more.

— John Rowles, Cupertino

Politicians dodge state’s role in insurance mess

Re: “Insurance companies should sue Big Oil for harm to climate” (Page A6, July 9).

In their recent column, California Sen. Jerry McNerney and U.S. Rep. John Garamendi dodge accountability for state mismanagement of its insurance industry.

Chevron believes affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy is essential to human progress, but California policymakers have chased many energy producers out of the state. More than 17% of today’s gasoline refining capacity will shut down by early next year, once Valero and Phillips 66 shut down important California refineries.

California policymakers have similarly chased much of the insurance industry out of the state, including State Farm and Allstate. As a former insurance commissioner, Garamendi knows the systemic challenges facing the state’s insurance market are the result of regulatory failures.

Over-regulation has hobbled the insurance industry. Anything else would require accountability for the state’s bad policies, something California regulators and politicians are anxious to dodge.

— Andy Walz, president, Chevron Downstream, Midstream & Chemicals, San Ramon

Trump’s spending bill shreds health care

Re: “Tax, spending bill worries execs” (Page B1, July 13).

Thank you for your coverage of the devastating impact of HR 1 on health care.

Rather than the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” HR 1 should have been titled the “One bad bigoted, brutal abomination.”

This would more accurately describe the bill’s impact on the most vulnerable Americans, including but not limited to disabled, chronically ill or low-income residents.

— Julien Pierre, San Jose

Assembly must stop effort to end landlines

Here we go again. California Assembly Bill 470 wants to allow AT&T to squirm away from providing landlines to people who need them.

In our house, we have both a landline and cell phones, but because our cell towers are unreliable, we have a lot of dropped calls. So when my husband fell and was unconscious, I called 911 on our landline, not a cell phone.

Please call your state Assembly member and urge them to block this bill. Those of us in rural communities need our landlines.

— Linda Omaley, Morgan Hill

Gaza’s dead are victims, not collateral damage

Re: “Israeli strikes kill at least 31 in Gaza as UN agencies warn of fuel crisis” (Page A4, July 15).

As you report, 58,000 people in Gaza have reportedly died. Many of these slain are women and children simply trying to sustain their lives.

Plain and simple, this is a massacre. These Israeli shootings, ostensibly to attack Hamas, are entirely reprehensible and avoidable. These innocent people cannot be considered “collateral damage.”

Moreover, the limitation on food and other supplies entering Gaza adds to the specter of famine and death. It is a challenge not to conclude that this is a plan for genocide.

— Rosemary Everett, Campbell