Dueling columists, starving Mexico, carbon emissions | The Sacramento Bee

Boychuk vs. Krauthammer

Re “Trump is the last straw for GOP” (Viewpoints, Feb. 26): Ben Boychuk displays the same objectivity that has made him a better read than Charles Krauthammer.

Given the current GOP, which specializes in bullying, I can’t blame Boychuk for threatening to change his political affiliation. I hope he chooses independent, not Democrat. His thinking is a testament to independent thought.

When President Barack Obama’s term ends what is Krauthammer going to write? Given that his take is that Obama is to blame for everything and that our problems began seven years ago, The Sacramento Bee should dispense with Krauthammer’s services.

Krauthammer’s correct about this

Re “Obama fiddles, world falls apart.” (Viewpoints, Feb. 26): Charles Krauthammer does a good job of describing the world as it is today after nearly eight years of the greatest nation being misled by President Barack Obama. The president has put the world and America in the toilet, and if Hillary Clinton succeeds him, she will simply pull the handle.

Trade agreement hurts Mexicans

Re “Ex-Mexican leaders worry, seethe over Trump’s rhetoric” (Page 13A, Feb. 26): Would Donald Trump rewrite our trade agreements with Mexico so Mexicans can make a living?

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement, heavily subsidized U.S. corn and other food staples poured into Mexico, lowering prices, and small Mexican farmers were unable to make a living. Many were forced to leave their farms, millions of Mexicans are impoverished and one-fifth of their children suffer from malnutrition.

Don’t rig the marketplace

Re: “Don’t be fooled by Big Oil’s kinder, gentler rhetoric” (Viewpoints, Feb. 21): The California Chamber of Commerce lawsuit on the cap-and-trade auction disputes the legality of the state’s tax-raising scheme, but endorses the cap-and-trade market mechanism as the most cost-effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

If the goal is to reduce carbon, as explicitly stated in AB 32, then cap-and-trade is the best pathway. But the Union of Concerned Scientists is apparently moving the goalposts, seeking to rig the marketplace to make gasoline less competitive than Midwest ethanol. Experts say this scheme will not reduce a single gram of additional carbon, but instead will increase the cost of compliance and artificially suppress the cost of carbon allowances.

The chamber seeks implementation of AB 32 in the most cost-effective manner. The concerned scientists would artificially reconstruct California’s fuel market, increasing costs without reducing carbon emissions.

Trade deal helps regional business

Re “Bera pays price for breaking his trade promise” (Viewpoints, Feb. 24): International trade helps regional businesses like mine. When my company started 25 years ago, we were a small therapeutic footwear retail store. Today we design and manufacture therapeutic footwear and plan on exporting to customers around the world, including in the Asia Pacific.

As a small business, we face significant challenges with selling our shoes and services in other countries. Small businesses have fewer resources to handle these challenges and are often scared of even beginning on the path to trading internationally. The Trans-Pacific Partnership would reduce the barriers for small businesses selling abroad. International trade agreements help small businesses like mine live up to our full potential. When small businesses grow, we create new jobs, making the U.S. economy stronger overall.

Single standard on removals

Re “Justices skeptical of challenges to state teacher protections” (Page A8, Feb. 26): I taught for 26 years and believe school districts should remove bad teachers. The same should apply to bad principals.