The view from Laguna

It's been quite a week, hasn't it?

From the Speaker’s mess in DC to a painful misstep locally, and from another mass shooting to Mike Pence, I’ve tried to keep up. As always, feel free to comment.

New York Post, Oct. 20

"GOP’s speaker chaos"

At this point, I don’t care which House Republican member becomes speaker.

There are major funding issues that need immediate attention, but can’t be voted on until a speaker is duly elected: These are a government spending bill and spending to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia and Israel’s fight against Hamas.

These issues are critical to America’s future. After this funding is approved, then Republicans can decide to vacate the newly elected speaker or stick with him or her.

Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Stu News Laguna, Oct. 27

For those of you who don't live nearby, Tom is the publisher of Stu News Laguna and Stu News Newport.

"Just leave your clubs in the car"

So sorry to read about your fall in Tuesday's Stu News. Like you, I am in my 70s and know a bit about traversing concrete steps. More than once, I have stumbled on my stairs; but unlike you, I never have done a face plant. Just writing those words makes me cringe.

Going forward, here's a tip: Leave your clubs in your car. I like golf as much as anyone, but you'll never catch me lugging them up or down my stairs. As you unfortunately have discovered, when your bag is slung over your shoulder just about anything can happen when you least expect it.

Take good care, Tom, and don't forget to watch your step.

Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach

Thoughts about the horrific mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine

The following was written two days before the shooter was found dead.

You knew another mass shooting was bound to happen. The only unanswered questions were when, where and how many fatalities would there be? Wednesday, we found out. At least 18 persons were shot and killed and 13 injured in Lewiston, Maine. Not surprisingly, law enforcement authorities believe the suspect used a high-powered, assault style weapon during the killing spree.

My Laguna Beach friends and I may live 3,000 miles from Lewiston, but we share that community's grief and anguish. This past summer, 50 of us signed an open letter to Joe Biden urging the president to convene a Camp David gun summit with leaders of the National Rifle Association, 2nd Amendment proponents, law enforcement officials and families of victims in attendance. A week ago, we contacted the new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention with a request to forward our plan, now endorsed by more than 1,000 people coast to coast, to the Oval Office.

For too long, the parties on both sides of the gun safety debate have talked "past" each other instead of "with" each other. My friends and I believe a Camp David summit is the best way to change that dynamic. We feel the sooner the relevant parties sit down and break bread together, the sooner they will be able to agree on new, commonsense gun laws.

The number of innocents killed and wounded in Lewiston is a national tragedy. Please, Mr. President, convene a gun summit at Camp David as soon as possible.

Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Mike Pence ended his campaign for president yesterday

So former vice president Mike Pence has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.  After hearing him tell a crowd in Nevada, "It's not my time," I muttered to myself, "Mike, it never was going to be your time."  Just sayin ... 

On the lighter side, look who I ran into Friday in town. It’s Michael, the Greeter. He says there’s a big announcement coming Nov. 7th.