What the framers would do about Libya; driving and drugs; a ‘do-nothing’ Congress

War and the founders

Re “Warring ambitions,” Opinion, July 3

In this season in which we reflect upon the founding of our country, I read with interest the article by UCLA historian Joyce Appleby. She makes the point that James Madison would have expected the current conflict between Congress and the president over whether the deployment of our troops in and above Libya requires congressional authorization.

In 1802, Thomas Jefferson sought and obtained congressional approval before deploying American naval forces to Libya. Though America did not formally declare war on the pirates based in Tripoli, Jefferson and a Congress composed of our founding generation decided that military action against the Barbary pirates was called for, and that congressional authorization should precede military action.

Rep. Brad Sherman

(D-Sherman Oaks)

Appleby writes that the War Powers Act, passed in 1973, “came at a time when the Vietnam War had been underway for years without any president asking for congressional approval.” This simply repeats a myth.

In August 1964, President Lyndon Johnson requested and Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the president “to take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist [South Vietnam]… in defense of its freedom.”

That some members of Congress later came to regret their votes does not undermine the legal force of the resolution.

And until 1973, Congress also funded the war and provided the president with the military forces and materiel needed to fight it.

Joseph M. Bessette

Upland

The writer is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College.

Zero tolerance behind the wheel

Re “Too high for the highway?,” July 3

The Times brings much-needed attention to the public health and public safety threat of drugged driving. In the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy, the Obama administration for the first time identified reducing drugged driving as a major national priority.

Zero-tolerance drugged driving laws are the most effective strategy. Under these laws, any detectable amount of an illegal controlled substance constitutes evidence of a violation.

This standard has been used successfully for all commercial drivers since 1988 and is widely used outside the U.S. Seventeen states have drugged driving laws. These laws are needed in all 50 states.

To accurately identify and enforce drugged driving laws, all impaired driving suspects and drivers in injury or fatal crashes must be drug tested.

Robert DuPont, MD

Rockville, Md.

The writer, president of the Institute for Behavior and Health, was the White House drug czar from 1973-78.

Publicly available data show that California’s medical marijuana program has had no negative impact on traffic safety.

According to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 1996 and 2008, California’s motor vehicle fatality rate fell from 1.43 deaths per 100 million miles driven to 1.05, a decline of 26.5%. During the same period, the national rate fell by 25%.

If medical marijuana users were indeed a traffic menace, as certain people claim, California would have the most dangerous roads in the country. In reality, California’s traffic fatality rate is far lower than the national average and steadily declining. Opponents of medical marijuana need to admit the truth.

Anders Froehlich

San Rafael, Calif.

Doing nothing is doing good

Re “Not quite a ‘do-nothing Congress,’ but it’s close,” July 4

If a productive Congress is one that produces more laws, then thank goodness for a “do-nothing” Congress. Law pollution is an unacknowledged threat to this country. We already live (or try to) under a million laws. Every time it creates a new law, Congress creates a new group of outlaws. We have been inundated with laws for more than 200 years.

If anyone with a grudge wants to drive you into bankruptcy, it’s easy for them to find a law you may have broken and take you to court. Whether you win or lose the case, your financial stability is threatened.

If lawmakers want to be productive, they can start by getting rid of a few thousand laws and regulations.

Wilma Bennett

West Hills

One hundred and fifty years after the outbreak of the Civil War, our elected officials don’t seem to realize that war is a very costly way to resolve differences.

What we need in our present crisis are real statesmen and women, people who are able and willing to lay aside their differences in the interest of the far more important issues that our country faces.

Such political fortitude, very unfortunately, is in short supply in Washington. “We the people” must suffer for our officials’ lack of maturity and sense of political responsibility.

Peter A. O’Reilly

Claremont

The debt-ceiling debate’s villains

Re “As the debt ceiling turns,” Opinion, July 3

President Obama and the Democrats are willing to accept tough spending cuts. House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) is a dealmaker. However, “as many as 90 Republicans in the House intend to vote no on an increase in the debt ceiling no matter what kind of deal is reached.” These are the “tea party” Republicans.

And yet Doyle McManus blames polarization in both houses of Congress and uncompromising members on both sides. He needs to make it clear: The blame for the coming financial meltdown belongs not to Democrats or traditional Republicans but to the tea party.

Ernesto Gomez

Crestline

Is the debt-ceiling debate for real? The Republicans say that Obama doesn’t get it; maybe the reverse is true.

If a deal that the president feels is fair to all is not obtained, what’s to prevent the administration from invoking the 14th Amendment? It states: “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law … shall not be questioned.” Obama could just ignore the whole issue.

Unfortunately, an opportunity to make some real progress on reducing the debt will have been lost, and the Republican politicos again will have been shown to be irrelevant.

Jack Wimberley

Malibu

Pitching in to save the country

Re “They felt it in their core,” Column One, July 4

Hundreds of Japan’s retired scientists have volunteered to work in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which would almost certainly result in cancer, to spare their young and serve their nation in its hour of need.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the unbelievably wealthy in the U.S., their fortunes made possible by the hard work of the average American employee, would be willing to give back to this great country in its hour of need?

We’re not asking for their lives, just an additional 1% or 2% of their obscene paychecks and corporate profits to provide food for unemployed families, to educate our children and to give basic medical care to those in need.

Helen Molles

Seal Beach

Your story of the scientists who offered to step in and help solve the problems of the nuclear power plant in Japan is both heartwarming and exhilarating. I hope that the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. can see a way through their inherent bureaucracies and accept the offer from the volunteers.

As a professional who is about to retire, I understand and appreciate the desire to step in and do what needs to be done no matter the consequences.

Eva Sloan

Orange

Fight or flight

Re “NATO feels Libya mission fatigue,” July 5

NATO has war fatigue after a record zero casualties. And in Syria, Bashar Assad quakes in fear that the West will put more pressure on him. Maybe he’ll read a few nasty editorials in U.S. newspapers.

The responsibility to protect doctrine is meaningless because it is not backed with the willingness to use the maximum force of an all-out war. It may be unpleasant, but otherwise the purveyors of murder and genocide will be undeterred.

As Napoleon said, “If you start to take Vienna—take Vienna.” Half-wars don’t work.

David Goodwin

Los Angeles

Good news

Re “Thrilled by this court gesture,” July 3

The article on Allan Guei, the high school student who gave his winnings to his competitors, made my day.

Amid the constant barrage of negative news, it was so refreshing and delightful to read about this act of kindness and generosity.

Cheryl Kohr

Redondo Beach