Also: Muddled plans | Red herring | Futile run | Childish debates | Yes on D. Mercury News reader letters to the editor for May 12, 2026.
The infant death linked to Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children’s Services has sparked understandable grief and outrage. Accountability matters, but so does perspective.
Social workers responding to abuse and neglect face complex, high-stakes decisions with limited information, heavy caseloads and intense scrutiny. They confront domestic violence, sexual abuse and severe neglect daily; their work is essential, but not widely sought. So I ask: Who do we expect to take on this responsibility? There is no long line of people ready to step into these roles.
Without adequate support, those who care deeply about children and families burn out and leave, creating a dangerous void in an already strained system. If we want better outcomes, we must invest in those doing the work, through manageable caseloads, training and mental health support, while holding systems accountable. Behind every title is a human being doing difficult work our community depends on.
To preserve world peace, letter writer Ed Kahl asserts that President Trump is justified in checking Iran over its nuclear ambitions and for killing protesters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard both said that Iran was not enriching uranium when the war began in February, contradicting assertions by the White House that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States.
North Korea, arguably the most repressive regime on the planet and just as vitriolic as Iran toward the United States, claimed to have detonated a hydrogen bomb in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Trump’s response was to write self-described love letters to its leader, Kim Jong Un. At least then, Americans and the world were spared high oil and food prices caused by a war of choice, without a clear exit strategy and an outcome that is at best uncertain.
How is it that gas costs are so high, since the U.S. is completely energy independent? We produce more oil than Saudi Arabia, Russia and Venezuela combined. And we are the leading exporter of oil in the world. Further, our oil production equals the total U.S. oil consumption.
So we don’t need to buy any oil from anyone. Notwithstanding the cost of gas in California, which is more than $1.50 above the national average, it should all be half of what it is now. I wish Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and President Trump could explain it to me. The war in Iran or the Strait of Hormuz should have nothing to do with our cost of gas.
Even if every voter in San Jose voted for Matt Mahan for governor, he still would not have even a tiny chance of winning. If he cares more about the public good than his own ambition, he would urge his rich tech donors to give to the city of San Jose.
Matt Mahan has an impressive history of his youth, early adult years and current success as mayor; perhaps he intends to use that history in future campaigns, and this year’s effort is only a practice run. I have not been able to watch a full televised debate for California governor.
They are all acting like 4-year-olds; instead of speaking honestly and clearly to the issues, they are interrupting each other, talking over each other, being bullies, calling each other names.to support the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority was placed on the ballot by initiative and 42,000 residents. It deserves our support.
Preservation of the environment has been proven to benefit the economy as people prefer to live — and spend — in clean, nonpolluted areas with open space a key attraction. The authority now protects 30,000 acres, more than double the protected area of 10 years ago, although revenue to manage and steward the area has remained essentially flat.
Revenue from this measure will be used to protect drinking water sources, reduce wildfire risks and prevent overdevelopment of our remaining open space, including the scenic Coyote Valley with its important agricultural areas and wildlife corridors. The measure mandates annual audits and taxpayer oversight. The authority has a record of responsible management and has raised $3 in outside funding for every dollar of local tax revenue.
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