AnnotatedOpinions.com

PUTTING COLD hard cash in the hands of students as an incentive to stay in school could go a long way toward solving . . . chronic dropout problem. . .  

. . . many middle class youths already operate on a rewards system that is linked to school attendance and performance. It’s called allowance. And those young people who don’t receive a regular stipend at least have a decent chance of hitting up their parents for the price of a movie and McDonald’s. . .   

[AO: Although the Boston Globe makes a strong argument, there are two problems that it fails to address. The first problem is that often the reasons kids don’t stay in school are complex and go well beyond simply not wanting to be in the classroom. As long as those reasons exist, the program is unlikely to be successful.   

Secondly, even assuming providing financial payments to kids can make them stay in school, there are alternatives to just handing out checks. The globe identifies one: creation of after-school jobs that help potential dropouts to develop “self-awareness’’ and “aspirations.’’ However, the Globe suggests that this is not a viable alternative because Neil Sullivan and Boston Private Industry Council, the nonprofit that Sullivan heads, can only find jobs for about a quarter of the kids. But this is where the “alternatives” come in. At the very least, rather than paying kids to show up to class, why not partner with private companies who are willing to hire the kids with the agreement that communities will subsidize their employment. This will enable communities to help even more kids as the total amount available will be increased by the portion of their salaries contributed by employers. Employers will also be more interested in participating in such programs because they can hire employees at lower cost.  

These two issues should be considered seriously before major investment in the types of programs the Globe seem to endorse.]

President Obama in China: President Obama needs to encourage China to play an even stronger international role — but also curb some of its darker instincts. [New York Times]

Great Firewall of China [USA Today]

Iran issue is key to Obama’s other foreign policy goals: His administration hopes to improve U.S. relations with the Muslim world and achieve global nuclear disarmament. [LA Times]

Study says drug does little, proving need for more testing: Congress should expand programs on effectiveness studies [Boston Globe]

One nation, insured: Some states, such as Arizona, are considering ways to opt out of a national plan. That’s foolish. [LA Times]

Bitter pill to swallow: The health-insurance reform bill passed by the House contains an unnecessary new restriction on abortion that the Senate should eliminate from the legislation. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

The flaws of lethal injection: It’s a preferred method of executing inmates, but so much can — and has — gone wrong that states need to take a hard look at their procedures. [LA Times]

The limits of juvenile sentencing: Locking up young offenders for life without parole is inherently unjust. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Faith is no defense: When a child dies, why do courts give believers a pass? [Washington Post]

Order in the court [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Don’t blame God for terrorism: After the Fort Hood massacre and others, some people — often atheist stalwarts — like to point at the corrosive influence of religion. But a closer look suggests that the most notorious killers usually act on secular motives. [USA Today]

Arlington, Obama, and the Afghan decision: Arlington National Cemetery is a beautiful place, as it should be, but its grandeur can deceive. [Boston Globe]

Minding our manners in increasingly rude U.S. [Chicago Tribune]

Economic lessons from the playground: The basic rules of the playground are sometimes given a more sophisticated, adult name: socialism. [Boston Globe]

Under the chamber’s cyber-skin: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is overreacting to a parody tweaking its stance on global warming. [LA Times]

Treat. Don’t repeat: Help repeat offenders kick their addictions [Houston Chronicle]

ROTC for civilians: Imagine a time when government work was exciting, admired, and sought-after. [Washington Post]

Dr. No and the Wounded Veterans: Senator Tom Coburn should not have obstructed urgently needed legislation that consolidates more than a dozen improvements in veterans’ health care. [New York Times]

The American way: Smile if you’re insecure: We hide our fear of failure with a positive outlook. [LA Times]

Citizen, heal thyself: Get the swine flu vaccine [Boston Globe]

Bypassing the Karzai problem: Avoiding the top leader for local leaders may be a more effective way to face the many problems in Afghanistan. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Hope in Afghanistan: A much better approach to building the Afghan police force. [Washington Post]

Politics of plate: Quit eating meat and dismantle the global food apparatus. [Washington Post]

Give teenagers a second chance: A former U.S. Senator recounts his gun toting days and explains why kids are dumber than adults. [Washington Post] 

The Obama administration is using its competitive Race to the Top fund to push states to embrace real education reform. [New York Times]  

The injustice of Death Row [Chicago Tribune]  

Cameron Todd Willingham: executed but innocent? He died in Texas’ death chamber in 2001, even though the governor was aware of exculpatory evidence and is now apparently working to keep the truth from coming out. [LA  Times]  

Mr. Obama, be tough on climate change: Global warming is different from almost every other problem we face. [Boston Globe]  

Can we still afford to save the planet? An already heroic target turned mindboggling. [Washington Post]

Dollar’s daze: Weakened U.S. currency is confusing and worrying, especially as it relates to oil [Houston Chronicle]  

The Chinese Disconnect: Something should be done about China’s weak-currency policy, which poses a growing threat to the rest of the world economy. [New York Times]  

Sideshow on Wall Street: Capping salaries and bonuses is like arresting a jaywalker. [Washington Post]  

Compassion Deficit: As the recession swells the ranks of those in need of food and shelter, localities and states should opt for charity over criminalizing homelessness. [New York Times]  

Stop dawdling on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’: The president is the commander in chief. He shouldn’t count on Congress to take the lead on the issue, and he shouldn’t wait for broad consensus to emerge before taking action. [Boston Globe]  

Lost civil liberties oversight: Obama and Congress appear to have dropped the ball. [Washington Post]  

While Latinas gain, Latino boys languish [USA Today]  

Credit Card Chicanery: Credit card companies have intensified their exploitation of consumers, and Congress should respond by moving up the date when its credit card law becomes effective. [New York Times]  

Tainted games? Human rights abuses tied to the Olympics have gone unchecked for too long [Washington Post]  

TV loses its best World Series bet [USA Today]  

A Level Field: The Justice Department should take a hard look at potentially anticompetitive behavior in agriculture, starting with Monsanto. [New York Times]  

My name is not ‘Mom’ [Chicago Tribune]   

Counting Backward: Iraq’s political leaders need a strong shove ahead on elections if there is to be any hope of withdrawing American troops on time and ensuring the country doesn’t unravel. [New York Times]  

The Khalid Shaikh Mohammed case would put America on trial: If the alleged 9/11 planner faces a jury, it would test our judicial system, the media and the nation as a whole. [LA Times]  

Cameron

Miliband on Cameron: A rightward Tory lurch in Europe troubles David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, and President Obama. [New York Times]   

Left, right and wrong in Honduras: Thanks to both liberal and conservative interventionists, the Central American nation has again become a sore point in U.S. foreign policy. [LA Times]  

A labor of love – and low pay: The overwhelmingly female army of home care workers answers to a bewildering array of titles — home health aide, personal care attendant, homemaker, custodial care giver — with different regulations in each state. The one thing they have in common is their pay. [Boston Globe]  

A free, fair Afghan vote key to stability: What people are saying about Afghanistan [USA Today]   

Just Don’t Call It a Jobs Stimulus [Washington Post]

Let Congress Go Without Insurance: What better way to attune our leaders to the needs of their constituents without health insurance than to put them in the same position? [New York Times]

GOP Rift With Allies: On health reform, Republicans and the business community are on different pages. [Washington Post]

Patriot Act Excesses: The expiration of USA Patriot Act provisions should be a chance for Congress to curtail some of the excessive powers it granted to the executive branch. [New York Times]

Writing an end to the policy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’? [LA Times]

The march to end a century of persecution: Gay-rights advocacy must shift to the national stage. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

The Tanker Saga, Continued: After two bungled attempts, Washington  must ensure that the Pentagon runs a fair and open competition for a new Air Force midair refueling tanker. [New York Times]

Arne Duncan: Taking responsibility for our young people [Chicago Tribune]

President Obama, talk is cheap when it comes to curbing youth violence [New York Daily News]

When children with illegal firearms rule [Chicago Tribune]

Working for Their Clients: Congress should lift sweeping and unwarranted restrictions that hamper the work of local legal services offices. [New York Times]

An Underconsidered Benefit: One significant collateral cost of not acting on health reform: maintaining the world’s highest rate of incarceration. [Washington Post]

A Better Health Reform: We can fix the biggest problems without excessive government meddling. [Washington Post]

Facing disaster: Earthquakes, tsunamis: We know they’re coming; why won’t we prepare? [LA Times]

The Letterman lesson: Use the truth as a weapon – It is now a week since Lettermangate burst onto TV screens, front pages and BlackBerrys nationwide, and the media remain in unapologetic full-throttle. [USA Today]

Establishing Security in Afghanistan: Biden’s backing of Karzi is a distant memory, but did he turn on Afghanistan’s president too soon? [Washington Post]

Ardi, Humans and Primates: The discovery of a 4.4-million-year-old skeleton, called Ardi, demonstrates how quickly early hominids moved down a separate path of evolution from primates. [New York Times]

Where were the doctors? It’s fair to ask if doctors who care for ballplayers share culpability in the steroid era. [Boston Globe]

A new Winnie-the-Pooh? Oh bother: A sequel adds little to be desired to A.A. Milne’s classic tales. [LA Times]

Woodstock at 40: We gave peace a chance [Chicago Tribune]  

40 years after Woodstock, a more harmonious society [USA Today]

Reading for a Hot Summer: If you think things are bad, consider the ‘what-if’ of Dick Cheney and Dusty Foggo. [Washington Post]

Why can’t we discuss dying with dignity? [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

China and the W.T.O.: The World Trade Organization’s ruling on China’s distribution of imported books, movies and songs should be a warning to its government to restrain its economic nationalism. [New York Times]

The fear factor: Obama is right to address health care fears — and the same goes for immigration It’s getting pretty scary out there, and it’s not a moment too soon for President Barack Obama to be speaking directly to Americans’ fears about his proposed changes to our health care system. [Houston Chronicle]

President Barack Obama could learn from Franklin D. Roosevelt [LA Times]

The arguments against healthcare reform — It’s socialism. It will hurt private business and create a huge bureaucracy — echo the ones made against Social Security, but FDR took control of that debate [LA Times]

When the kooks take the stage: It’s hard to say what’s more amusing, the wild-eyed rants at town hall meetings or the conservative attempts to portray those snarling sentiments as genuine mainstream anger about the president’s health care plans. [Boston Globe]

All that shouting, and some of us are still clueless [Chicago Tribune]

Republican Death Trip: President Obama had campaigned to move beyond divisive politics, but instead he is facing an opposition that eagerly seizes on every wild rumor manufactured by the right-wing media complex. [New York Times]

Getting aboard a health plan — it’s time to throw a lifeline to 60 million Americans [Chicago Tribune]

Iraq’s Sunnis: Washington should use its influence to encourage Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki to alleviate sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis. [New York Times]

Boots on Congo Ground: Only a U.S. military presence can help bring about badly needed security. [Washington Post]

Locking Up Fewer Children: When children commit crimes, it is better to lock up only those who are truly dangerous and enroll the rest in monitoring programs. [New York Times]

Trivializing Evil: Hitler and the Nazis come up a lot in the health-care debate. They shouldn’t. [Washington Post]

A patchwork history of hate: A rare KKK quilt becomes emblematic of how, over time, generations have left racial divisions behind. [LA Times]

The tax code is too complicated, too costly, and too unfair [USA Today]

President Obama’s outreach to the world’s Muslims has risks but more rewards [Houston Chronicle]

Bush’s Torture Prisons: A new report is a stunning account of the abuses of “enhanced interrogation.” [Washington Post]

Congress must take the necessary steps to rein in mortgage brokers that attracted obscene profits associated with the subprime lending binge. [New York Times]

Shiver their timbers: U.S. must get tough on pirates who are terrorizing the high seas [New York Daily News]

Refocusing the Military: Gates’ budget diverts funds back where they belong: Iraq and Afghanistan. [Washington Post]

Taking the politics out of the California budget [LA Times]

We need to make banking boring again [New York Times]

We Still Need a Simpler Tax Code [Wall Street Journal]

The Senate version of a reauthorized act that strengthens protections for children who end up in custody deserves the full support of Congress. [New York Times]