Opinion: In today’s pages: Obama, ballot measures and the piano man

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President Obama does not fare well on today’s Op-Ed page. James Kirchick, assistant editor of the New Republic, says his ‘feckless’ apologies for past U.S. behavior in international forums is ‘paving the way for America’s decline.’ And columnist Jonah Goldberg says Obama has ‘helped set the tone for the unfolding riot of liberal hubris.’

Former state treasurer and 2006 gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides weighs in on a closer-to-home issue, Proposition 1A, which will appear on the May 19 state ballot. Angelides believes it would do nothing to solve the structural budget deficit, and would actually worsen the state’s budget woes by forcing destructive spending cuts.

The May 19 election is also top of mind for the Times editorial board, which says voters might just as well pull the lever for Proposition 1F -- it may not help much, but at least it won’t hurt. The measure would bar members of the Legislature and statewide officials from receiving pay raises when the state is experiencing a budget shortfall. That won’t stop the commission that sets pay levels from giving people a raise the following year, or even doubling raises to make up for lost time. But if it helps assuage some voter anger by appearing to impose discipline on unruly lawmakers, so be it.

We also tweak L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa over his plan to seek a vote of property owners to quadruple their storm water cleanup fees. And we’re saddened over the furor created by Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman, who infuriated many by announcing during a concert at Disney Hall that it would be his last performance in the United States because of the country’s military policies overseas.