— Louis Richter, Reseda

Joe’s economy

Re “The economy is not fine under Joe Biden” (May 12):

I got such a laugh out of the reference to James Thurber’s autobiography regarding the football player who could not answer a simple question and the comparison to Biden’s unwillingness to admit that the economy has done terribly under his leadership. I am sure it is hard to admit failure, but to tell blatant lies to the American public is outrageous. This country has declined under Joe’s leadership. This nation is not regarded highly by our allies. And if the chair of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors, Jared Bernstein, has no economic expertise, as Susan Shelley indicates, then we are truly in worse shape than any of us would consider. Time to go, Joe.

— Ellie S. MacMullin, Pasadena

Student protesters

Re “Joe Biden risks the youth vote on Gaza” (May 12):

Bruce Fuller, professor at Berkeley, reveals the ugly truth about the protests on campus. He complains that Biden needs to comply with the demands of the students that have been brainwashed for decades by left-wing anti-Israel faculty like himself. He displays the need to flush our campuses of this lopsided radical philosophy. But in truth, if Biden does comply, he will earn the wrath of the rest of the country and go down in flames. Professor Fuller mentions his orange Volkswagen; an appropriate color for him.

— Dave Mootchnik, Huntington Beach

ɫ����̳om’s revised budget

Let’s get real! Responsible, accountable, and balance the budget? Well let’s just kick the can down the road for the umpteenth time. Who does he think he’s kidding? God help us if he ever gets elected president.

— Diana Calderwood, Laguna Niguel

His book as well as the writings of George Orwell and Ayn Rand have proven prescient as we see changes in economic thinking and political systems today.

His book as well as those by the others should be required reading for any study of Western civilization. Hayek uses the term liberal the same way as did our founders.

A liberal is one who embraces liberty and independence.

Today’s leftists who have taken over the word advocate the opposite in the name of democracy, which our founders knew was a threat to liberty. To better understand the path we are on, I strongly recommend reading “The Road to Serfdom,” “1984,” “Animal Farm” and “Atlas Shrugged.” With apologies to the progressives, we can learn from history.

— Stephen Smith, Eagle Rock

The idea of eliminating foreign aid and the IRS

Re “Why can’t we just abolish all foreign aid?” (May 12):

Just when I thought the columnists in the Sunday Opinion section could not get more out there, I read Jacob Hornberger’s screed.

He wants to abolish the IRS. And also stop all foreign aid.

Intelligent people can disagree about our government’s aid policies. But isn’t it in our country’s best interest to maintain strategic alliances?

And his rant about the “tyrannical and brutal collection of taxes”: Just more anti-government blather that we have been hearing from the far right for years.

— Janet Cerswell, Alta Loma

Democratic propaganda and the Biden economy

Your columnists were challenged by a reader in the letter “Bidenomics and American education” (May 12, Letters to the Editor.)

His two statements “prove it” were answered by Susan Shelley in her column “The economy is not fine under Joe Biden.” In addition there are two other interesting local data points. First, the average mortgage interest rate in 2019 was 4-5%. Now it is over 7%. In May of 2020 the average price of gas was $2.68 per gallon. Last month it was $4.64 per gallon (L.A. Almanac). Susan is correct.

— George A. Kuck, Westminster

Unless a majority of those to receive degrees vote to the contrary, the decision should not be made by a small group of protesters. How should the current iteration of protesters be compared to the anti-Vietnam War campus protests of the 1960s and ‘70s? No comparison. The United States was a major participant in Vietnam, college-age males were subject to the draft and many killed and wounded. Today’s protestors have no fear for their lives. Are today’s protesters well educated on the politics of the Middle East? No. I am 91 years old, received my BA 70 years ago and among the courses I recall is one in which the professor emphasized that “there will never be peace in the Middle East.” A fine teacher!

— James E. Dunlevey, Menifee

Graduation should be held

There has been major turmoil and protest over the war in Palestine, however it should not affect the students. College graduates again are having one of the most important days of their lives canceled over protest. We can see that the colleges are canceling with concerns for public safety. But there are certain measures that can be taken to ensure the graduates have their ceremony and have it safely. The students of the universities have decided to voice their opinions just like the anti-war protest in the ‘60s and ‘70s. America should be learning from the past protest and avoid making the same mistakes. The cancellation of graduation ceremonies is highly unfair to these students as they have worked hard looking forward to this day ever since their high school graduation was canceled.

— Kitzia Viramontes, Montclair

The schools’ graduation ceremonies should be on

Why do students protest outside? What led up to this mess?  Could it be that not many professors including the president and chancellor were ever trained to handle adversity? My goodness, if the administration  would open a dialog before dialing 911, all of this could have been mitigated. And for not protecting their wards the administration is wrong, wrong and wrong.

— John P. Laschober, Chino

Wherever and to whomever the money is going has been rewarded with more of it if the problem got worse. Anyone receiving money could look to less of it if they truly reduced the homeless numbers. We’re talking government and nonprofit employees putting themselves out of a job. Second, again on motivation. The report says as many as half the people say drug addiction is the reason.

Yet, we accept that they don’t want to quit, and fund programs like clean needle exchanges and “safe consumption sites” to make it easier to remain addicted and homeless.

How does that reduce the homeless numbers? We can fault California for not knowing where the money went, but the real issue is intent. What’s being done with it  makes the problem worse, leading to calls for more.

There’s an old saying, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” We are.

— M. J. Knudsen, Trabuco Canyon

Sacramento and the talk about new reparations

Re “Sacramento moves even closer to implementing reparations” (May 5):

If California creates a Genealogy Office to conduct “expert genealogical research” and “confirm reparations eligibility,” then it can also conduct research on current California citizens who have/had ancestors that originated from slave-owning states in the South.

Let them be second in line behind the current California citizens that volunteer to pay any reparations. This is just another way to buy votes. It is ridiculous and needs to be stopped.

— John A. Fowler, Burbank

Bidenomics and American education

I’m reeling from a directed assault of unfounded and uninformed opinions being passed off as “gospel” truth. Witness the battling headlines in the Opinion page on May 8: “Bidenomics has been a disaster” and “The decay in American education is a real threat.” Even a casual reading of these opinions can clearly see a decidedly rightward slant.

One has to remember that some opinions are truly more valuable than others.

The first article basically supports the Trump opinion that Biden is the worst president ever and that his socialist/communist/Marxist policies have ruined the country. Indeed. Prove it.

The second article lists commendable facts that educated citizens should know about our country and history.

However, the implied meaning to take away from this article is that students in general know nothing. Again, prove it.

As we travel headlong into the most consequential federal election in American history, surely your official opinions could be more moderate and centered. Educate your readers; don’t indoctrinate.

— Michael Rausin, Upland

California’s housing shortage

Re “Housing situation is a wild ride these days” (May 5):

I’ve been reading for several years about the housing shortage in Southern California.

Why are people so surprised?

Southern California is one of the loveliest places on Earth in which to live. Our year-round climate is warm (not humid), dry and sunny.

You can go skiing up in Big Bear in the morning, then come home, sit in your jacuzzi and enjoy a spectacular sunset in the afternoon and evening. It’s no wonder so many people want to live here and housing prices are so high.

— J. Elfmont, Redondo Beach

California’s whopping budget deficit

Re “OC legislators proposing nearly 700 bills” (May 7):

It is time to update your article on what it cost to introduce a bill in the Legislature.

California has a whopping deficit and yet 700 bills were introduced by Orange County legislators alone.

Is anyone in Sacramento capable of intelligent, logical thinking?

How about working to solve the real problems instead of creating new ones!

— Sandra Stubban, Stanton

— Amy Schneider, Northridge

California pension system

Steven Greenhut’s analysis (May 5) of the California Employees’ Pension system deficit problem is unassailable, however it doesn’t go to the core crux of the problem, which is the 2010 SCOTUS Citizens United ruling. That ruling allows both labor unions and corporations the right to spend unlimited funds as a form of free speech to make campaign contributions, hence, the governor and the Legislature are at the mercy of labor in California just as red state governments are controlled by business interests. Congress can legislate away this ill-advised ruling, but why would they as incumbents, both parties, owe their jobs to either labor or business.

— Ron Garber, Duarte

Student protests today and those of the past

The article “Student protests hark back to past” May 5 is convoluted. It omits basic facts.

As a Vietnam-era veteran and also a university student during those years, I know the difference.

The prior anti-war protests were supported by millions, students, citizens and veterans. America was at war, 2.7 million were sent, 58,220 died, many suffered life-changing disabilities, both physical and mental. The arrests in NYC at Columbia and City College NY numbered 282. The NYPD reports that 48% were not students or faculty.

One third of the non-students were over 30 years old.

Today’s protests are not organic; they are planned, orchestrated and funded by outsiders.

— Russell Patterson, Anaheim

Prime question is whether that is achievable or even practical, considering the Koran. Would be very informative to hear Islamic scholars living in the West/U.S. explain how some of its passages have been reconciled to enable peaceful coexistence.

Recent polls in Gaza indicate a majority still support Hamas and presumably their stated goal of destroying Israel. Would it be even possible to have a peaceful, integrated “Palestine” where entire generations of what would be close to a majority have reportedly been taught from infancy to hate Jews? With hatred presumably embedded in the Muslim population, and Muslims making up a far greater portion of an integrated Gaza/Israel population than exists here in the U.S., is it at all possible that hatred can be surmounted to achieve peaceful integration?

— John Mitchell, San Juan Capistrano

Utility rates

Re “CPUC’s plan for electricity bills seems flat footed” (May 6):

Teri Sforza’s article was a comprehensive research into about one third of utility costs. The elephant that was not discussed was the cost of electricity generation. The 1996 deregulation of electricity generation by the CPUC and the restrictions on fossil fuel generation by the CEC guaranteed the highest cost in the nation for electricity. The governor, legislators, regulators  and the press can hammer on utilities all they want, but it won’t change the fact that California policy is the reason why electricity costs so much.

The same can be said about gasoline prices. This was a planned disaster that was enabled by the voters who hired these idiots.

— Tom Gibbs, Upland

Protesting under umbrella branded with Champagne

Can anyone explain to me what Larry Wilson is talking about in his column on May 5? I realize he writes about the UCLA students and the protests that were going on, but what does he mean by the “Veuve Clicquot-branded umbrella”?

I have not swallowed his sarcastic words yet. Maybe I need some of the famous expensive bubbly to get the gist of his opinion.

— Christine Peterson, Woodland Hills

There are two questions here: Will the court’s decision end homelesness? No, homeless camping is just a symptom of the high housing costs in California. The fundamental solution to ending homelessness is to build more housing — housing for all income groups is needed. Housing construction is in a slump because of high interest rates, which will come down in time. More immediately, cities can stimulate housing construction by reducing the time needed for the permitting process; reducing permitting costs, as well as impact and dedication fees; cities can also change zoning to allow more compact units, ADUs, row houses, condominiums, etc.The second question: Should cities immediately break up all encampments? No, displacing so many individuals all at once would lead to civil unrest — not only among homeless, but in the wider community (imagine how college campuses would react to such draconian measures).

— James L. Mulvihill, San Bernardino

Probably not

We have a very liberal governor in California. If the situation were nearly as bad in or near the neighborhood in which ɫ����̳om resides, he wouldn’t be so welcoming. The reason there is no alternative for many homeless people is the fact that their families cannot handle the lifestyle these people follow. And if a shelter is found for many, they can’t cope with the discipline that follows, or follow the rules. Regardless of the ruling for Grants Pass, California should break up all of the homeless camps.

— Palma Espinosa, Highland

Compassion

Mass incarceration of the unhoused is simply cruel and solves absolutely nothing.The true solution to the housing crisis is compassion. There is a simple question everyone should be asking themselves: Do you deserve to be homeless? My fundamental belief is that certain commodities are human rights. Housing along with food and water are human rights. Criminalizing and belittling unhoused people is not a solution to the housing crisis. And sweeping the decay of modern society under the rug does not solve anything either.

— Helen Copo, Montclair

Palestinians under their new leadership, Hamas, continued to strike Israel and then on Oct. 7 committed a world condemned assault and criminal invasion of Israel. I have to assume they’ve never been taught that Israel has provided energy, drinking water, food, medical care, jobs and more to Palestinians over the long haul.

Has anyone noticed that a large percentage of these protesters are hiding behind face coverings like the cowards they really are? I have to assume that they are ashamed to show their face.

— Roy Reaser, Fullerton

Student protesters and the right to protest

Protesters have every right to peacefully and legally demonstrate. They are in violation of the law when they infringe on other people’s rights to attend their classes and engage in destruction of property. I question whether these demonstrators are indeed students.

They should be arrested, and if they are indeed students they should be expelled. I call on the governor and those university officials to take a stand against these unruly lawbreakers. I am angry that these people who are in the minority are allowed to disrupt the student’s graduations. Enough is enough. I stand with Israel and Jewish students! Remember, Hamas started it!

— Kathy Dudley, Northridge

College pro-Palestine, anti-Israel protests are misguided at best

The hubris of young adults to view the world in black and white is evident in the escalating protests to sanction Israel for its bloody revenge of the Hamas (Palestine) Oct. 7 massacre in Israel. Sadly, Netenyahu views the conflict as existential war.

What do the college kids view Hamas’s horrific actions as? Palestine addressing grievances over Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians and arrogance of Israeli settlers? Yes, tragically with much sorrow, civilian blood has been shed. War does that.

I would ask the college protesters, and Hamas (needs to repent and release the hostages), and Israel (cease fire) to reason together and seek a permanent peace via a one nation merger, not two. There is so much commonality amongst them: history, culture, same God, ethnicity. Why not?

— George Chung, Redlands

Protests and student loan forgiveness

After watching all these college student protests around the country and then listening to their uninformed, uneducated and uncivilized opinions:

I keep wondering if our president would explain why he wants to circumvent the law and force me, my fellow taxpayers and the next generations of taxpayers to pay for the education of these indoctrinated elitist idiots.

They clearly have the desire to learn only to burn down the country that has given them so much.

— Duke Dulgarian, Manhattan Beach

UCLA violence cancels classes last week

UCLA students might give considerable thought to completing this semester and next year considering a two year program at our city college; a bargain compared to UCLA tuition.

Think: two year program and working at a trade they never considered and earning money, moving on with life. Parents and grandparents, who might be paying thousands of dollars for their child’s or grandchild’s tuition, might give considerable thought to their gift and wonder if they are really doing the right thing about their desire to provide life-long learning for them.

Violence, canceled classes, safety concerns necessitating police and in my opinion loss of pride for UCLA are being compromised when education for life is available elsewhere.

However, as tax-paying citizens of Long Beach, I do not want any of these protesters applying at my Long Beach City College.

— Randa Pearson, Long Beach

Every day I wonder when the adults will emerge in these campus encampments. Walking around with protest signs supporting terrorists is fine. Self-identifying as fools is their free speech right. Living in tents on campus is violating the rights of students, employees, the university and the state that pays for them. These uninformed students read about other campuses and just need the social media “me too” credibility.

If this was a protest against the atrocities and murders by Hamas, a protest against Gazans that overwhelmingly support terrorism, a protest to release the 100-plus hostages still being held by these terrorists, these encampments would be quickly removed.

Without double standards, a leftist Democrat would have no standards at all.

— R. Steven Tungate, Trabuco Canyon

In the know

After reading several opinions of Rafael Perez, very recently introduced to the newspapers subscribers, I am of the opinion that Mr. Perez is in his own epistemic bubble (April 30). The logic given forth in his articles is very hard to follow, so I deemed it his own logic but gleaned from the academic bubble where he is confined. Frequently he replicates the one-party system in California that we have, the one  positioning its  philosophy of governance in every form  of media that is communicating to our citizenry. So, I am registering a dissenting opinion and hope that Mr. Perez is slightly convinced that what he writes can one day come out of his bubble, and everything he believes and writes about might not be true. I, for one, do not believe it is true.

— Janice Smalley, Castaic

Education and New Math

Steven Greenhut in “Equity grading is the latest destined-to-fail education fad” April 28 hits the nail on the head: Do we want 20% of the Hispanic kids to be proficient in math because of national origin? So if only 5% are, do we grade on a curve (that kids only dream of) so as to bring the percentage up to the proportion of Hispanics in the population? Of course not; we change the dynamics in the classroom. Math along with reading and comprehension skills are tools that increase the likelihood of success in life. Not the color of one’s skin, national origins or the latest “novel education theory” of academics looking to make a name for themselves.

— Jorge A. Velez, Long Beach

It isn’t just happening in Eagle Rock. Rent-subsidized buildings are being demolished to build affordable housing all over the city, including my neighbors in Sherman Oaks. Although the tenants are offered housing in the new buildings, the new units will be smaller, cost more and do not provide for pets or parking. And where will the displaced tenants live while the new housing is being built? The city fails to consider that certain self-employed, small-business people need vehicles with which to conduct their business. For example, a handyman needs a secure place to keep his tools — and his truck.  A musician cannot schlep his sound equipment to wedding gigs on the bus. And the new buildings do not provide for parking. So these tenants will lose not only their homes, but their means of employment.  This is not right.

— Nancy Martsch, Sherman Oaks

Problems with ballot titles and biased summaries for statewide initiatives

Re “Attorney general ditches fair dealing on ballot titles” (Arpil 28):

California is a progressive state. It’s so progressive that both houses of our Legislature have veto-proof majorities and that’s taking into consideration that we have a system of district design that makes gerrymandering impossible. Attorney General Bonta writes progressive-slanted ballot summaries, which I agree are terribly unfavorable to both business and conservative initiative backers, and that’s one of the key reasons why I and many other Democrats voted for him. The same practice happens in Texas, Florida and other red states that don’t have curbs on gerrymandering. Why should we have to tie our hands any more than they have to tie theirs?

— Ron Garber, Duarte

When USC finds its commencement canceled

The 2024 University of Southern California commencement ceremonies have been canceled. The stated reason is security issues. The city of Los Angeles is incapable of providing the resources necessary for the activities to occur. In just four years, 2028, the Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles. How is it that Los Angeles is incapable in 2024 of providing security for a commencement, but will be able to stage the 2028 Olympic games?

— Russell Patterson, Anaheim