Reaction to the State of the Union speech; Iranian doctors help Mississippians; another view on Malibu

Presidential politics

Re “Rhetoric and reality,” Editorial, Jan. 28

Your grudging praise of President Obama’s courageous, ambitious and inspiring State of the Union speech ignores what might have been.

A President McCain, who has admitted he is fuzzy on economics, would have led us to a real crash. There would be no end in sight to the Iraq war, no efforts to democratize access to healthcare -- the nightmare list goes on, but isn’t that enough?

You should support Obama’s efforts, not merely wish him luck.

Jo Perry
Studio City

On April 14, 1865, the day of his assassination, Abraham Lincoln leaned out a White House window and said, “Now let the band play ‘Dixie.’ It belongs neither to the South, nor to the North, but to us all.”

That great emancipator sought to reach out to the other side and bring us together. In the same way, our great current president continues to overlook many flaws and reach out to the other side.

Are these the actions of weak men? I think not.

Bob Wetzel
Murphys, Calif.

Your editorial board writes: “The Times endorsed Obama, and we’ve been generally happy with his performance to date. We don’t think it’s his fault (exactly) that he lost his 60th vote or that Republicans have been implacably partisan.”

Well, that’s an interesting take -- but not entirely accurate. The reality is that Obama had 60 senators and a big majority in the House, yet he has been unable to pass any legislation of substance.

The issue is not the Republicans. The Democratic Party has not demonstrated that it can govern. It, the president and The Times blame the Republicans for its failures and inability to reach across the aisle. The Democratic Party must demonstrate that it is more than an opposition party and that it can actually lead. This starts right with the president.

Frank DePasquale
Charlotte, N.C.

One more speech with a lot of political claptrap. Americans want real reform. We need leadership that will lead to honest and intelligent government. We need laws to eliminate earmarks, not publish them on the Internet. We need a constitutional amendment to legalize and implement the line-item veto. We need leadership that does not vote itself raises and perks. It is apparent that the present government is not capable of this leadership.

Lead on, Massachusetts! May the rest of America follow your thrust to a leadership that is not buried in putting self first and country second. It is obvious that only a totally new set of faces can get us there.

Bob Corzine
Ridgecrest

With the exception of help for community colleges, Obama’s State of the Union address made no mention of the plight of our cities and states.

He stressed the need to increase jobs, to make healthcare available to all and to ease the burden on education. Yet all three of these goals are being undermined by the reduction in city and state workforces, and by cutbacks in essential services.

Financial aid to cities and states would do more to further the president’s goals than any other use of federal money.

Michael Horstein
Los Angeles

Tell me I wasn’t seeing things: Obama dared the Republicans to not join him. And he called out the Democrats as well for “running to the hills” when they have the largest majority in decades.

No prisoners at last? Amazing speech, and all that comes to mind is David and Goliath. This is the Obama I voted for, only more tested. Pretty exciting.

I didn’t expect this. I believe him. Will Goliath? It has only been one year.

D. Grossman
Woodland Hills

A good speaker or communicator is judged by his ability to have the listener change his behavior. Beyond a rich vocabulary and clever examples and well-turned phrases, he must inspire the listener to act -- to make the speaker’s ideas and solutions his own.

Is Obama a good speaker or communicator? Not yet.

Randolph Logan
Chatsworth

Other priorities

Re “Obama to seek freeze on spending,” Jan. 26

Mr. President:

Though I support the same ideas you do, I must disagree on your present budget ideas: Freezing discretionary spending, but not military spending, will accomplish nothing. We spend billions on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Surely some of that could be used in this country to help our people.

Cutting the domestic budget means cutting funds for education, health, housing, the environment, transportation, jobs, medical research and many other programs vital to our people’s welfare.

I urge you to rethink your priorities.

Elaine Budin
Los Angeles

In praise of Iranian doctors

Re “Illness is their common enemy,” Column One, Jan. 25

The mean-spirited battle over healthcare reform continues in Washington. Billions are being wasted on senseless wars, but what should be a given in this great country -- adequate healthcare for all people -- remains elusive. The haves do not want to share with the have-nots; the Republicans spar with the Democrats; the medical and insurance industries lobby seek to ensure that maximum profits are achieved.

Meanwhile, a doctor in a tiny Mississippi Delta town, frustrated at seeing his patients needlessly suffer and die due to lack of care, turns to another country for help.

Thank you to the government and doctors of Iran, who put politics, religion and other differences aside to help with this humanitarian effort. Politicians fighting healthcare reform could learn from these good Samaritans, who gained nothing other than the knowledge that they have done the humane thing for their fellow man.

Terrie McKinley
Aliso Viejo

Problems at Challenger

Re “Locked up and locked out,” Op-Ed, Jan. 25

The writers mislead the public about the quality of education provided by my agency at the Challenger Memorial Youth Center.

Given the educational background of youths detained at Challenger, it is no surprise that they score low on standardized tests. Moreover, these results do not reflect on the quality of instruction we provide.

Students enter the camp at various points in their secondary education and having had spotty attendance in regular schools at best. About 40% are functionally illiterate when they enroll, and at least one-third have learning and other disabilities (often previously undiagnosed) and need special education services. Unfortunately, we have only a short time -- three to six months, on average -- to get these young people back on track.

I have directed an aggressive investigation into allegations made about our school at Challenger. Should any prove to be true, I am committed to making whatever changes or improvements may be necessary.

In the meantime, let’s put in perspective what is being done to educate students in the juvenile justice system, and give credit to the teachers and other staff who choose to work in the most difficult of learning environments with young people whom other schools -- and society -- have long forgotten about.

Darline P. Robles
Downey
The writer is superintendent of the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

Step up, Times!

Re “The NIMBYs of Malibu,” Editorial, Jan. 22

I understand you have lots of vacant space in The Times building due to layoffs. Maybe you could set up a reentry center downtown to house the prison inmates county officials proposed sending to Malibu. The bonus: You have the police just next door.

Many of the empty condominium buildings in your area could also be used to house the homeless.

This state needs answers to our problems, not criticism of communities exercising their property rights. Malibu is not the place to relocate the conservation camp.

Jonathan Kaye
Malibu