Making schools more competitive
Regarding “Why we need immigration — and immigration reform” (Insight, Feb. 4): If our country truly wants to remain economically competitive, American companies and schools must do more so that fewer businesses use H-1B visas to fill critical skills gaps. Why aren’t high schools and colleges partnering with tech companies to create student apprenticeships? And shouldn’t academic advisers be steering teenagers toward more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and degrees?
It’s sadly ironic that the Trump’s “America first” administration has eliminated the deduction of student loan interest payments in its tax reform and done nothing to help make college more affordable for all U.S. students.
Luisa Westbrook, San Francisco
Respect our system
Regarding “State of our union is polarized, but we can find common ground” (Insight, Feb. 4): Nowhere in her analysis of President Trump’s recent State of the Union address does “moderate conservative” Allison Lee Pillinger Choi mention what this 45th president failed to discuss: respect for the American government and constitutional freedoms.
Trump, more than any of his predecessors, has diminished the independence of the judicial branch by openly criticizing judges and expecting loyalty pledges from heads of federal agencies such as the FBI.
He has also sought to undermine First Amendment rights like freedom of the press, repeatedly demeaning journalists and calling information that criticizes him “fake news.” If moderate Republicans really want to seek “common ground” with their Democratic counterparts, they will call on Trump to respect our three-branch system of government, its series of checks and balances, and the U.S. Constitution.
Richard Fairchild, Walnut Creek
Shortsighted gains
In response to “Trump restoration ‘rule’ is ruse to increase logging” (Open Forum, Feb. 1): To say President Trump’s decisions valuing economic gain over the environment are shortsighted would be insulting to those with visual impairments. At the very least, they would be able to see that attacks on forests would be detrimental to the environment.
Forests provide endless benefits to humans and other living things, benefits necessary to life: oxygen, shelter, stable ground. To cut them down would mean denying these services to those dependent on them, to ourselves. But who cares if the world is dying around you when you have millions, right?
Cynthia Chung, San Jose
Commercialized King
Regarding “Exploiting King’s legacy” (Last Word, Feb. 7): Thank you, Spencer Whitney, for your piece about the Martin Luther King Jr. speech used in the Dodge Ram commercial. I usually mute all commercials on TV, but I think I saw an image of King in the ad, or something, and wondered what that could possibly have to do with a Dodge, so I unmuted. I was so dumbstruck by this usage of one of his speeches that I think I just blanked it out.
Thanks for reminding me. I’ve heard insanely inappropriate uses of songs in ads, usually along the lines of the company totally missing what the song’s actual message is (most notably for me was an investment company using “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida” for its background music). But this really seemed to cross a line I thought no one would cross. Commercializing a King speech was a perfect example of how truly nothing is sacred anymore.
Erik Walker, San Francisco
Rezone spaces in city
I write as a small business owner who had a lot of difficulty renting a commercial space. Can the San Francisco Board of Supervisors not see the big picture where online shopping is taking over?
Why not rezone some of these spaces? After all, I believe we have a housing crisis.
Denis Casey, San Francisco