In today's pages: Carmaker CEOs, Brewer Bush and the limits of terror
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen good-bye! The board shows the door to a handful of overpaid and incompetent executives. First up are the head honchos of the Big Three automakers, writing:
Today, the biggest challenges for the Big Three are their top executives' insularity and sense of self-importance, the public's perception that their products are inferior and the recession that's sapping demand for cars. The first two could be addressed by sweeping out the current management...
Next to get the hook is Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. David L. Brewer. In an earlier editorial the board asked him to resign. Now it's begging. His supporters, the board says, should put aside racial politics and the retired admiral should give back some of the $381,000 he's paid even though Senior Deputy Supt. Ramon C. Cortines is the one really in command. Lastly, the board chides George Bush for coming whisper close to an admission on ABC News that the invasion of Iraq was a mistake but then dodged making an apology. Looks like he'll leave office with those words unspoken.
Over in Op-Ed territory, Patt Morrison flirts with the idea of balancing the California budget by taxing marijuana until the folks at Rand rain on that parade by predicting all sorts of unpleasant social costs of legalizing the nation's biggest cash crop. Robert Epstein, a visiting scholar at UC San Diego, struggles to explain to his horrified wife (and everybody else) that he's not really against gay marriage, per se, but in favor of legitimizing all sorts of consentual, "non-exploitative" relationships. And columnist Rosa Brooks bids goodbye to the worst of all Bushisms, the "war on terror,"
Terror is an emotion, and terrorism is a tactic. You can't make "war" against it. Even if meant as a mere metaphor, "the war on terror" foolishly enhanced the terrorist's status as prime boogeyman...."
Also, have a look at letters to the editor, in which readers weigh in on the effort to oust Brewer, gun rights and the healthcare debate.
Cartoon: Jim Margulies
As a teacher for LAUSD I have to agree that Supt. Brewer must go. We could pay for seven teacher's salaries with his and actually make a difference - not a disaster. Suggestions of putting 5 more students in my already overcroweded classroom for the next school year, or cutting my pathetic health benefits are all he can come up with to get himself out of his budget hole. Why did the district office downtown need a multimillion dollar security system? Are there children there, trying to learn there? I'd like to know what the fire department would say, or the county licensing department about the actual square footage of my classroom and the amount of human bodies Supt. Brewer would like to shove in there. I've done my research and measured my classroom, if I were a private institution, I'd be out of compliance and shut down. This man has done nothing but waste money and compromise the students of the Los Angeles Unified School District's education. What experience does he have with education until now? I'm a teacher, not a general, and it seems no one in the district office on Beaudry cares about the beautiful children with whom I spend my days. Thank you LA Times for always keeping education exposed!
Posted by: teacher | December 06, 2008 at 07:52 AM
The LA Times has seen fit to lambaste David Brewer unfairly and then flees from the obvious fact that this is a very accomplish, professional black man. The protocol for Ms. Garcia's rush to dump Mr. Brewer is highly suspicious. The rancor I see displayed on the televised board meetings is is generated by the Latino coalitions; their clout, the deference, huge patience and priority of Spanish speakers is a sight to behold; while others are summarily cut off or not properly heard-if at all.
Steve Lopez' petty column on Brewer's expensive taste in lunch and his own humble taste....the bias and disdain was really narrow and seemed unfair. I listened to Brewer's list of accomplishments to-date and found that within two years he had much admirable success. Could it be he is not from the correct ethnic heritage for the job... suddenly? I do not think that he was met in a true spirit of what he brought to the Board. He states this himself. What responsibility is the Board willing to bear themselves?
Shame on the L A Times for horrible subjectivity on this matter. The Mayor's ambitious fingerprints are ALL over this ouster. Ms Garcia is doing his bidding, mark my words...she and her Latina minion are overeager pawns in this unseemly, ugly matter. It will come back to haunt them and ultimately damage their own careers eventually.
I would not be eager to take advise from the Trib owned LA Times on these important civic events regarding running a fiscally successful organization or operation.
Posted by: dudeabides | December 08, 2008 at 09:45 PM