Editor:
The latest neoliberal complaint in attempts to try to dislodge Bernie from the top is that he was thinking about going to run against Obama in 2012 primary.
Apparently Sanders went to New Hampshire at voting time and gave a few speeches.
Well, there were reasons Sanders might have thought to give Obama a run.
* Obama did next to nothing against the Wall Street perpetrators after the 2008 financial crisis.
* He supported the U.S. war machine and expanded a drone assassinations campaign.
* He opposed Medicare for All.
* He went aggressively after journalists and whistle-blowers.
* Obama refused to prosecute the practitioners of torture at Guantanamo.
* And Obama, known as the “deporter in chief”, was responsible for expelling millions of people from the U.S.
Why shouldn’t Bernie have offered a challenge and run against Obama then in 2011?
Andrew Liberman
Santa Monica
Editor:
Thank you for your “election primer” in which you endorse Congressman Ted Lieu. I am writing to remind your readers of his strong commitment toward protecting the environment. He has repeatedly stated that this was the driving force behind his decision to run for the House seat.
Just recently, he introduced a bill to commission the National Parks Service to conduct a “Special Resource Study” aimed at expanding the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. In addition, he led the successful effort to ban offshore drilling in California waters.
Congressman Lieu sits on the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change. Last year, he co-authored The Climate Solutions Act of 2019 (HR 330) and also co-sponsored the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR763). The latter bill, now has 80 Congressional cosponsors and would place a fee at the source on all fossil fuels that would be refunded to consumers.
We need more climate champions like Ted Lieu in the House!
Barry Engelman
Santa Monica
