Xi has upper hand
Xi Jinping comes to this week’s meeting with a stronger hand. First, Xi knows that our President admires him for the authority and control over China that Xi possesses. Also, Xi is very aware that our president longs to be recognized for leadership and achievements on the world stage. These features give Xi the opportunity to manipulate our president on policies that could negatively impact America’s future.
For example, weakening our support for our independent and democratic ally, Taiwan, or by advancing policies moving America closer to Russia on critical topics, i.e. the Ukraine conflict, among others. As our president has made clear, every relationship is “transactional,” and not founded on established principles.
Xi is thus enabled to successfully advance his own international agenda because of our president’s very real personal characteristics.
— James L. Mulvihill, San Bernardino
More spending isn’t everything
Spending more money is not necessarily going to cause the quality of education to increase. However, it probably will cause salaries to increase. Consider mowing a lawn. We could use a lawn mower, which would do a fairly good job, or we could spend more money and cut each individual blade of grass separately. The latter might cut the grass more accurately, but it would be money wasted. The money must be spent correctly. More is not necessarily better. In education we need to concentrate on the basics and let the parents worry about the extras about which people may have different opinions. When considering how the students should be educated, we need to be cognizant that different cultures learn differently. For example, engagement or lecture, in some culture’s engagement works best while in others lecture is preferred. Herein, is the problem with the Federal Department of Education. One size does not fit all students.
— Robert Jinkens, Newport Beach
Single-party rule
California’s 16-year experiment with single-party rule has reached a breaking point. With virtually no opposition to check Sacramento’s impulses, the results speak for themselves: we lead the nation in unemployment, poverty, welfare recipients and homelessness, while our gas taxes remain the highest in the country. Our schools and business climate have cratered to the bottom of the barrel. One party has had nearly two decades to solve these problems; instead, they’ve institutionalized them. It is time for a new direction and new leadership in Sacramento.
— Jack Groendal, Mission Viejo