The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony; assessing Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor; and L.A.’s parking woes

China’s lost face

Re “Peace Prize awarded in absentia,” Dec. 11

I find that the empty chair for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo at the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo speaks volumes.

Like the picture of a lone man standing in front of a row of tanks in Beijing in 1989, this image will also be forever ingrained in people’s minds.

China’s leaders may think they are strong enough now to flex their sizable economic muscles without having to answer to anyone. But in so doing, they have lost face, big time.

If China wants to be a global leader, it must exhibit worthy leadership traits. Jailing Liu for simply voicing his yearning for democracy is definitely not one of them.

Teresa C. Yu

Rancho Palos Verdes

Re “A noble Nobel winner,” Editorial, Dec. 10

The Times writes: “China’s Communist Party leadership does not represent the threat to world peace that the Nazis did.” I think history will make this determination.

Forced abortions; slave labor; suppression of free speech and a free press: The Chinese Communist Party leadership differs from the Nazis only in ethnicity. Its cozy relationship with the seemingly crazed leadership of North Korea ought to be the first concern when it comes to world peace.

Richard C. Sipan

Las Vegas

The governor, good and bad

Re “Schwarzenegger’s tragic governorship,” Business, Dec. 12

Michael Hiltzik is the one who needs to come to grips with the real issues of state government.

The year 1978 wasn’t notable just because of Proposition 13. That was also the year public employees gained a power Franklin D. Roosevelt had warned against: collective bargaining rights.

California hasn’t been the same since. Public workers have gained at the expense of private workers as government spending was redirected from infrastructure and education to higher salaries, pensions and other benefits.

Against all odds, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reversed this trend. Because of his landmark political reforms (the open primary and redistricting), pension reforms, tough bargaining stance and reinvestment in infrastructure, Californians are regaining control of their government. The key is to stay on this course.

David Crane

Sacramento

The writer is special advisor to Schwarzenegger for jobs and economic growth.

Upon taking office, Schwarzenegger immediately rescinded the increased vehicle registration fee and blew a hole in the budget, plunging the state into ever-deeper debt. Now we learn in Hiltzik’s column that the current budget gap of $25 billion-plus would have been covered entirely by that car tax. Even a Prius easily runs more than $20,000, not including various upgrades. A car tax of $300 seems inconsequential.

A competent, decent public citizen, Gray Davis, was replaced by a movie star. I wish he had made more movies and left California politics to a competent governor.

Joseph Wagner

Los Angeles

At last someone has said it in print: Our initiative process, which produced Proposition 13 and foolish term limits for elected officials, has created the incredible folly that is this once-great state.

People don’t listen. I tried to tell my friends and neighbors that we already have term limits: If an officeholder doesn’t do a good job, just don’t reelect him or her.

Rosella A. Alm-Ahearn

West Covina

Figuring out foreclosures

Re “Simple BofA refinance turns into foreclosure nightmare,” Column, Dec.10

Thank you for this article and for pointing out that despite what many of the talking heads claim, not everyone who gets into this mess is a deadbeat.

The banks really do misrepresent themselves, and honest people pay a heavy price.

Even in a case in which a borrower may have over-extended, there is no excuse for the banks to justify not adhering to the proper service and legal requirements when evicting people from their homes.

Valerie Ann Nemeth

Encinitas

Why did someone who was wise enough 25 years ago to invest in real estate end up at age 63 with a $3,100-a-month house payment?

Could it possibly be that rather than looking forward to the “mortgage burning” parties that our parents had when they made that last payment on a 30-year loan, the subject of your story chose to use her home as a piggy bank and spend the equity that accrued?

David Lazarus’ assertion that “quite simply, it could happen to any of us” is condescending; it would not happen to the majority of us who are current on our mortgages, no matter how hard it is sometimes to make those payments.

Steve Morton

Irvine

We can still ‘Imagine’

Re “A lasting hymn to controversy,” Opinion, Dec. 8

Remembering John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s vision is a wonderful holiday present; thank you, Jon Wiener!

I was just back from Vietnam when “Imagine” first came out, and I didn’t pay attention to it then. But now, with the perspective of age, perhaps, I see and hear anew its achingly clear and beautiful truth.

The grumpy “patriots” and “Christians” did not then, and do not now, see how childishly they limit their horizons of truth. True politics and true religion imagine the possible and reach out to make it happen.

Can you hear, children? Can you see? It’s up to you now.

John Phillips

Camarillo

Parking spot

Re “L.A. sees an opening to ease the parking crunch,” Dec. 10

Allowing residents to park in front of their driveways is another bad traffic idea. Instead, we should be discouraging more cars on the street.

I can see it now: Residents who like to hoard old jalopies would have another place to store multiple unused vehicles.

Not only is this idea bad for a neighborhood’s aesthetics, it would also block access for emergency vehicles and create an added hazard on already narrow streets.

If you need to park in front of your driveway, you have too many cars.

Manny Rodriguez

West Hollywood

Tough love

Re “He’s gruff, but he wins,” Column One, Dec. 10

Coach Robert Garrett communicates what many adults seem to miss: Life is full of opportunities and possibilities, and it’s up to the individual to do what it takes to achieve.

I went to Thomas Jefferson High School, where I also played football. My coach didn’t have a left hand; he had a nub, wore high-top leather football cleats and canvas football pants.

When we slacked off in practice, he put us in a three-point stance and made us pay. I carried a gun in high school; now I have a college degree and a good job, have been married for 30 years and own my home.

Life is sometimes hard; use it to make yourself better. Our children need more Garretts.

Robert Miller

Inglewood

Light up!

Re “Obama cigarette-free for 9 months,” Dec. 10

Is that what it is? Lack of nicotine?

Is that why President Obama has so consistently caved to the Republicans and betrayed his base, the once and former middle class, in a vain pursuit of so-called bipartisanship?

If so, as much as I personally hate smoking, please have a cigarette, Mr. President.

Suzanne Schechter

Oxnard