“Figuring out facts”

 Carmel Pine Cone—April 12, 2024

Your editorial last week, “The real Cesar Chavez,” inspired a response. Fifty years ago, as a student at UC Davis, I remember boycotting grapes.

During the Covid lockdown, I made time to read an old journal from a farming relative—including the perspective of a citrus producer and his employees about an encounter with Chavez’s union organizer.

While the workers had housing, a nearby market, and opportunities for advancement for their children, union advocates were dissatisfied when employees said they did not want to join the union. Shortly after, one of the housing units was set on fire and ended up killing an employee’s elderly father.

In my 50 years of reviewing changes in our media, I cannot believe the loss of journalism and trust in the reporting by the legacy media and liberal sources. All Democrats in the editorial unit of NPR and no apparent diversity of opinion. The president saying inflation is better than at the time he took office, but all you have to do is check Bureau of Labor statistics. Gov. Gavin Newsom in March said debt is “lower” than the legislative analyst’s office is projecting, but, like last year, he has to concede debt is closer to $70 billion.

In addition, our new (non-partisan) state auditor reports that after five years and $25 billion in spending on homelessness, there was no accountability or measurement of progress. I guess California has to hit bottom before the voters can figure out the facts and vote for hope and change.

Papenhausen, Pebble Beach