Author: Paul

The entire law enforcement leadership of Santa Cruz County signed on to an op ed the by Santa Cruz chief of police Andrew Mills, dated February 26, 2018, listing five specific steps they all feel would “make a difference” in the current gun violence situation. All the ideas were good and well-intended, but, unfortunately, not one would have any effect at all on the number of murder weapons already floating around America by the millions, or the number of crazies already running loose in our neighborhoods. Will no one ever say it? Until we get rid of the guns we will continue to experience the tragedies. We can’t round up all the crazies, (you can’t pick them out of a crowd) but we can outlaw the murder weapons, and provide serious jail time for anyone who flouts a law preventing their ownership or possession. Is there no one of influence in the United States who can get this done? We can debate and debate until we are all blue in the face, but it will not eliminate a single murder weapon.
Howard F. Sosbee 1400 Weston Ridge Road Scotts Valley CA, 95066 831, 335, 8401 hfs@sosbee.com <mailto:hfs@sosbee.com>

A recent writer to “ As You See It” made a statement that pretty well describes the gun-control situation, he wrote: “no symbolic anti-gun bill is going to protect our children, and it’s time we do something that does.” He is 100% right. As long as the country is awash in guns of all kinds, there will always be some crazy who will use one to kill people. If Congress could only gin up enough backbone to pass a simple law outlawing ALL guns designed specifically to kill people (hand guns and military style rifles) we could leave it to the individual states to devise their process for collecting and destroying them. Anyone caught hoarding a murder weapon should be liable for serious jail time. We can keep marching, talking, and debating background checks and pump stocks until the cows come home. But until we remove the guns, we’ll continue to suffer the misery of their use on people.
Howard F. Sosbee 1400 Weston Ridge Road Scotts Valley CA, 95066 831, 335, 8401 hfs@sosbee.com <mailto:hfs@sosbee.com>

All the talk about background checks and “bump stock” attachments is simply more political hot air. Mass murders will continue to bedevil America until and unless we outlaw all military style rifles of any kind, and limit handgun ownership to adults who can prove a legitimate need, and can secure an official permit from the local Sheriff. Congress should set a firm deadline after which anyone caught in possession of an assault rifle or bump stock modification, or an unlicensed handgun would face serious jail time. Until this is done, be ready for more mass murders, more merciless grief, more political hot air, and nothing changed. We have been through this so many times, we know exactly how it turns out.
Howard F. Sosbee 1400 Weston Ridge Road Scotts Valley CA, 95066 831, 335, 8401 hfs@sosbee.com <mailto:hfs@sosbee.com>

There is one thing common to all mass shootings, one salient fact, and it is not the mental condition of the shooter, not the circumstances, not the venue, not anything except the GUN! No gun, no unnecessary deaths; no body bags; no unmitigated grief; but only IF (and it is a big IF) there are no guns. What would it hurt, and how would America be disadvantaged if there were no assault rifles anywhere in the country except in the military? What do we need the murder weapons for, except to kill people? Why do we accept a culture that idolizes these guns? Why do we allow a small group of incredibly selfish individuals to control our legislature and hold the entire country hostage to their infatuation with murder weapons? What does ownership of an assault rifle gain for anyone? What would America lose if there were no Second Amendment?

Howard F. Sosbee 1400 Weston Ridge Road Scotts Valley CA, 95066 831, 335, 8401 hfs@sosbee.com <mailto:hfs@sosbee.com>

Much has been written on the subject of public transportation on the Union Pacific corridor. Here is another view.
What Santa Cruz has now is many, very large buses, running mostly empty, on circuitous routes, at infrequent intervals, throughout the County. We also have a railroad right-of-way lying idle through the middle of the most populous section of the County. That is what we have now. What we could have is a superb public transportation system featuring electric powered trolley cars running at frequent intervals on the rail line, with small electric powered shuttle buses running at frequent intervals on the principal cross streets that intersect the tracks, picking up riders and taking them to another cross street where they can catch another shuttle bus to their eventual destination: school, work, shopping, dining, or entertainment. The critical part of this vision is the rail line, itself. It is in place and usable immediately. It would take multiple millions of taxpayer dollars to replicate (as Los Angeles is discovering), but we have it already, like money in the bank. All we need is the rolling stock which can be procured through a leasing company (such as General Electric); working capital, which can be obtained through a small IPO; and drivers, who are probably plentiful right here in Santa Cruz. The only missing ingredient is the decision to move ahead and a capable person to bird-dog the whole program, including the formation of a public/private corporation capitalized to support the leasing contract and attorneys fees, and to provide working capital while ridership is building up. No additional taxpayer money should be needed. Also, no funds should be diverted from any other program.
Bear in mind that trolley cars are completely compatible with pedestrians and bicycles as demonstrated throughout the rest of the world,. Safety should be a primary concern where hikers are involved, and the trolley car is the safest public transit vehicle for mixed usage rights of way.
Howard F. Sosbee 1400 Weston Ridge Road Scotts Valley CA, 95066 831, 335, 8401 hfs@sosbee.com <mailto:hfs@sosbee.com>

Trump is not a racist. He said so himself. He just does not like people of color.
Howard F. Sosbee 1400 Weston Ridge Road Scotts Valley CA, 95066 831, 335, 8401 hfs@sosbee.com <mailto:hfs@sosbee.com>

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