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Ilya Shlyakhter (notestaff) - letters to editors
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Below are the 6 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Ilya Shlyakhter (notestaff) - letters to editors" journal:
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08:44 am
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executive priviledge
Chief executive and his privilege
Re "Bush refuses to cooperate in probe of attorney firings," July 10
In asserting executive privilege, President Bush claims to be protecting future presidents — that is, people like himself. How characteristic of him, to spare no effort for the sake of his own. His concern for his ilk is matched only by his deafness toward everyone else. Now that he has addressed the concerns of presidents, perhaps he can spare a minute for the rest of us?
Tags: latimes, politics
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08:37 am
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haditha as microcosm of iraq war
Haditha screams a message
Re "The warrior's way," Opinion, June 6
David. J. Danelo cautions against "placing too close an association on the Haditha massacre with the war's politics," but the connection is too important to ignore. Haditha is a perfect microcosm of the entire Iraq war. Some Iraqis killed a Marine, and his mates allegedly took revenge not on the killers but on the nearest defenseless Iraqis.
On 9/11 some Arabs killed our citizens, and we took revenge not on the killers but on the nearest defenseless Arabs. The Marines at Haditha took their cue from their commander in chief. President Bush's condemnations of their acts therefore sound hypocritical.
Tags: hypocrisy, iraq, latimes, war_on_terror
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08:12 am
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letting the FBI snoop on what people read
Throwing the Book at Gelernter
Re "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover, but We May Find a Terrorist by What He Reads," Commentary, June 24: Citizens can't participate in government without educating themselves on "sensitive" subjects. To know whether the government's course in the war on terrorism is sane, we must understand the roots of terrorism.
That requires reading up on subjects such as jihad. But if buying a book on jihad can mean a visit from the newly powerful FBI, many won't dare. If you're branded a terrorist and sent to Guantanamo, what recourse would you have these days?
Thus, letting the FBI snoop on what people read will keep citizens from demanding needed changes to the government's course. That will materially hurt the war on terrorism.
Tags: hidden_costs, latimes, privacy, self-censorship, war_on_terror
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08:49 am
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reducing malpractice costs
Voluntary Caps
Re "In Defense of Courtroom Advocates," Commentary, July 26: Bashing trial lawyers won't reduce medical costs, and capping jury awards looks politically difficult. Instead, give cheaper health insurance to people who voluntarily agree to caps on any future malpractice award.
Doctors who treat such patients can pay less for malpractice insurance and pass on the savings. People who want the right to unlimited jury awards can continue to play the lottery, but on their own nickel.
Tags: fairness, health_policy, latimes, malpractice_reform, policy_ideas
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08:58 am
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israeli settlements
Israeli Settlements' Role in Mideast Conflict
Re "Burdens on Peace: Fences and Arafat's Empty Words," letters, Nov. 24: Bruce Friedman asks, "What will Israel receive in return [for removing the settlements]?" First, Israeli soldiers won't have to guard the settlements anymore and will be able to focus on protecting Israel proper. Second, Israel will rid itself of a huge moral liability when it stops controlling the lives of the Palestinians. Third, Israel will rob Yasser Arafat of his ability to blame Israel for all Palestinian woes; this will encourage the Palestinians to find better leaders. Fourth, separation from the Palestinians will silence calls for a "unified state" that would destroy Israel's Jewish character. Clearly, evacuating the settlements is in Israel's interest even without reciprocal gestures from Arafat.
Tags: israel, latimes, policy_ideas
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08:59 am
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reducing prison costs
Spend on Defenders
One way to reduce prison costs is to spend more money on indigent defense (Opinion, Jan. 5). Defendants represented by overworked and underpaid public defenders are likely to get longer prison terms, costing taxpayers more than was saved on defense. Closer scrutiny by better-paid public defenders would ensure that long sentences go to truly dangerous criminals, not just those poorly represented. This is a rare chance to increase fairness and public safety while cutting costs.
Tags: fairness, hidden_costs, latimes, policy_ideas, poverty
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