College costs
Re “Parents pinched by cost of state’s colleges,” Jan. 24
Can someone please explain to me what’s the shame in attending affordable, high-quality, local community colleges before completing your four-year degree at a UC or state university?
I never met anyone who said “I have a degree from UCLA but the first two years were spent at community college.’’
Even if you have a GPA of 4.66 or 5, what’s wrong with saving your family over $60,000 when you’re going to end up in the same place as someone who was able to afford the full four years?
Ron Garber
Duarte
I’m not sure that I’d be a professor today, mentoring thousands of students, if it were not for my free education (no-cost undergraduate and fellowships at graduate level).
I’m not sure that the thousands of students I mentor would achieve such great success if it weren’t for my free education.
I certainly would not be the recipient of a U.S. Presidential Award for mentoring if the government had not invested in me.
Free college tuition should be a high priority for this nation if we want to remain a great country. As in the 1950s and ’60s when I was a student, we need America to be great again by investing in our future.
Working full time while a college student is the sure way to demolish the quality of our future workforce.
Steve Oppenheimer
Northridge
I think Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to phase out the middle-class scholarship program is a quintessential example of why millions of people around the country voted for Donald Trump.
It is not only uneducated white males who feel left behind, but hard-working middle-class families whose voices have gone unheard.
If we don’t start addressing these issues, then the election of men like Trump will be become a familiar affair rather than the anomaly that we hope it is.
Shari O’Connell
Santa Monica
Not good for the ‘little guy’ Re “Pai puts business before people,” Column, Jan. 24 and “Trump names Republican as new FCC chief,” Business, Jan. 24
I see where Trump named conservative Ajit Pai to be the new FCC chairman. Pai believes that rules and regulations on the communications industry should be removed “with a weed whacker.”
For the average consumer, I think it means cable TV rates will go up dramatically in the next few months.
Once again, Donald Trump is looking out for the little guy.
Ralph S. Brax
Lancaster
Not as advertised Re “Trump sets his priorities,” Jan. 24
I thought Trump ran as a job producer. When he directed a hiring freeze on the federal government, he immediately “lost” several thousand jobs. Across the country, workers are retiring and leaving government jobs every day.
An across-the-board hiring freeze is the worst way to save money; it often ends up costing more.
When government needs to be cut, you need to do it program by program so you get the fat out — but don’t destroy the mission.
Mary L. Adler
Ridgecrest
With executive orders coming fast and furiously, we are learning what Trump can undo. Now let’s see what he can actually do.
Marshall Barth
Encino
True to form, Trump struck back at women on his first full day in office. We marched on Saturday for women’s rights all across the country.
Then on Monday, he makes a major move restricting those rights world wide. Without services for birth control, there will be an increase in abortions, an increase in illegal ones and a rise in women’s deaths.
This petty little man responded to our march by insinuating that we didn’t vote.
But we did vote. Hillary Clinton won the vote. But then, that’s an “alternative fact.”
Patricia Lo Verme
South Pasadena
A pro-choice Republican, I voted Democrat for the first time. I’m terrified advances in civil, gender and women’s rights made in my lifetime will be eroded with a revamped Supreme Court and partisan legislation; that those with healthcare now (however flawed the Affordable Care Act might be) will lose those benefits; and that the world will perceive the president as a bullying, groping, unapologetic reality TV star.
Yes, we know corporate tax rates need revision, government spending is unchecked and full of special interest earmarks, creating jobs in the U.S. is vital, and over-regulation stifles business. That’s nothing new.
The market and my 401(k) have rallied since the election — but at what price? It’s not worth my freedom of choice, a restricted press and issues that I will fight for.
That’s why there were marches; we’ve set our priorities too.
Sheila Maynes
Beverly Hills
There’s a bigger game going on Re “The trouble with how crowd size is calculated,” Back Story, Jan. 24
This is another example of President Trump playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.
Guess who is wasting resources on something that is meaningless? It’s not the president.
Stop underestimating this man.
Steve Stillman
Redondo Beach
Your paper has spent a lot of time reporting about Trump’s temper tantrums and his false statements.
What should be addressed is the new statement by Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway that Trump’s tax returns will never be released because we “litigated this all through the election ... people didn’t care.” During his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to release his tax returns.
I can assure you, the millions of Saturday’s marchers care very much.
This information could explain his bromance with Putin. If he has nothing to hide, why the secrecy?
Carolyn Birnbaum
Laguna Beach
I don’t know why Trump’s staff is so defensive about the crowds attending the inauguration. I don’t know why the media are intent on comparing the size of the crowds from inauguration to inauguration.
Trump’s win came from voters in the rural areas — far from urban transportation hubs. These people are not inclined, or perhaps not able, to easily flock to Washington, D.C., for the weekend.
And because many have been only marginally employed for the last 10 years, they are probably not able to afford such a trip.
It doesn’t really matter. They voted on election day. He won. Case closed until 2018.
Andrew Tilles
Studio City
Our new president tried to divert attention away from his tax returns by saying no one cares about them anymore. That is another of his “alternative truths.”
Many of us care a lot more about his returns than whether his crowds were bigger than President Obama’s crowds, or how often he has appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
No, we haven’t forgotten, and we do care. And now we are becoming highly suspicious.
Please show us your tax returns. Now.
Gloria Thompson
Rowland Heights
Take time on police measure Re “Why rush the police measure?” Editorial, Jan. 24
For more than 20 years, I have served as a hearing officer for the LAPD Board of Rights. During hearings, I am the single civilian on a three-person board.
Despite having been a member of the Board of Police Commissioners from 1991-93, I do not feel that I am fully aware of recent changes in department philosophy or procedures. Having at least one uniformed officer on the board can provide that information.
This proposed ballot measure was moved out of a City Council committee without advising current civilian hearing officers that this major change was under consideration.
I agree with The Times. What’s the hurry?
The system has served the city, the department and even the rank and file officers without scandal and very little complaint. No need to fix a system that isn’t broken.
Ann Reiss Lane
Los Angeles