Dear Sirs,

I feel myself compelled to make note of the inaccuracies and untrue statements made by Mr. Gustafson –  “The GOP is San Diego’s affordable Party – Corey Gustafson” – July 26, 2024, La Mesa Courier

First he states our county is “outright unaffordable”. 

Well, that was brought about by real estate speculators, flippers and Corporate Hedge fund speculators. He mentions inflation, but fails to mention “greedflation” being thrust upon American families by multi-national corporations with record high profits, failing to mention CEO wages are over 400 times what hourly wage earners make. Right now, corporate ownership has forced San Diego deeper into this position, turning affordable apartments into short term rentals, where the monthly actuals are much higher.

“Irresponsible spending”, a term he uses to describe what he calls the Democratic Party of doing! Hmm, strange, since 1980, we were told by those whom still praise Ronald Reagan, as the darling of the GOP, that a “trickle down” economy will benefit all of us! Well has anybody seen anything trickling down? Nope, higher prices and more inflation. Not to mention the ridiculous tax breaks given by George W. Bush and Trump! These tax breaks benefitted the highest wage earners in the US and added more to the National Debt with no mention how to cover that debt. In addition every CEO now knows not to actually take a wage, but take incentives, stock options and other perks that guess what, ARE NOT TAXED!

The Public Utilities Commission, sets electricity prices. The members of the PUC are mostly selected due to their connections with SDG&E, PG&E, So. Cal Edison. They are not interested in the price you pay, but the profits they might gain! Remember ENRON? Yes, Enron was rife with fraud. 

Gas prices are set by who? The oil and gas companies, Exxon, Chevron, Shell and don’t forget the San Diego Pipeline. Every ounce of gas you buy in San Diego County passes through the San Diego Pipeline, the guarantor of high gas prices! A choke hold on competitive pricing in our county set by them. Remember not one ounce does not pass through to San Diego, without going through the San Diego Pipeline.

Homelessness and poverty? Just as he says this, there are efforts to assist those suffering homelessness. Each and every time a plan is brought to this current House of Representatives, it is voted down! Employment since the Biden Administration took over in 2021, has dropped to 50 year lows! College loan debt, was cancelled by an Executive order to assist those who in many cases have paid twice and three times the original debt! What has been proposed by the GOP? Nothing, but maybe burn some books and deny a woman the right to make her own healthcare decisions.

Crime statistics actually have dropped to an all-time low, another true fact. Decreased Public Safety, is also very misleading and mostly a delusion by the GOP. The Border sewage problem will take a massive effort. So where was Trump on this issue? Building a stupid wall that is a huge waste of taxpayers dollars and totally ineffective. Not one cent for this from Trump!

The Biden Administration presented the GOP controlled House, the “GOP Border Plan”. But, since that bill was presented by Biden, Mike Johnson trotted to see Trump, who wanted a “Border Issue” for the 2024 Election. Yes, you heard that right, the GOP voted down their own Border Plan!

Apparently Mr. Gustafson does not understand where the mileage tax issue comes from. First off, road taxes come from the tires, gas and oil you put in your car. As we transition to more and more electric cars, that do not use gasoline or oil, there must be a method to get those desperately needed funds to maintain our streets and roads. The actual plan is designed to tax those cars an amount equal to what one might pay when driving a gasoline or diesel powered vehicle, same roads, same use, same repairs needed. The scare tactic has been to cover the actual purpose of the mileage tax is their only way to push their false agenda.

He states that Mike Levin voted with Biden 100% of the time on the Biden agenda. Great! This economy across our country is the healthiest in over 50 years! Yes, we have inflation, but we have the lowest unemployment, highest wages and the most productive work force in over 50 years! Inflation felt by most of middle income Americans is due to price gouging.

In addition to the free flow of false statements, Mr. Gustafson adds the “deficit”, he doesn’t mention that the Biden Agenda, called for adding over 1200 IRS agents to the IRS. By adding these agents, an $80 billion proposal, following up on Tax Cheats who haven’t paid taxes in years! The GOP controlled House voted this down! Debt, the Reagan, Bush, Trump tax cuts have added $trillions to our National Debt.  The Clinton Administration had a Budget Surplus at the end of his term, the Bush Administration spent it. Obama had a Budget Surplus, Trump spent it! Which is it, who did it?

Problem is, with all that I have seen with the GOP over the past eight years, is hateful, derisive, name calling, pitting American against American. Not to mention the criminal at the top of the GOP ticket! Trump has perfected the act of litigation. He told us on January 6th, the election was fraud, he won, it was stolen. Not one Court found this to be true. Every single GOP Representative and Senator, all but 3-4, have aligned and are in an all out fight to get this criminal elected once again!

But, the best is yet to come. Trump and the Heritage Foundation have drafted “Project 2025”. It is a dictators wish book. Sending America back to the 19th Century, clearing off rights in wholesale manner, and taking our American Democratic Republic away from us and giving these to Trump, yes, the convicted criminal.  Now, some may say, Trump did not write “Project 2025”, but he has “Agenda 47” on his website, which is “Project 2025”

Oh, almost forgot, the GOP dominated Supreme Court has turned our highest court into a mockery. Graft, political agendas has placed our Justice system at risk of a Constitutional Crisis. Obama should have had one pick, Biden should have had one pick, Trump should have had one pick. But since Mitch McConnell, Trump got three! An absolute disgrace with no ethics at all! The Roberts Court will go down in history as absolutely the most corrupt.

Well it comes as no surprise to hear Mr. Gustafson speak in such GOP glowing terms about the shams, lies and deceit. To him, it’s all he has ever known.

Vote Blue! Vote Kamala Harris!

Randall James

La Mesa

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