LAT: Delay tax increases

The LAT comes out this morning with a surprise, arguing that Obama should delay consideration of tax increases on the wealthy until the economy improves. A tax increase on high bracket taxpayers now "could reduce work and send confusing signals about the government's recovery efforts," the LAT says. Couldn't agree more.

LAT speaks up for Columbia FTA

In an editorial Tuesday, the LAT said, "If the U.S. snubs its trading partners in Latin America, it would leave a vacuum that countries like Russia and China would be only to0 happy to fill -- to the detriment of both our economy and national security." Does Nancy Pelosi read the LAT?

LAT salutes Christina Romer

The LAT describes Obama economics appointee Christina Romer in glowing terms in today's newspaper, ending with, "She is a nice tough person." Did the LAT ever treat any Bush appointee similarly?

Jimmy Carter suddenly aware of Zimbabwe

According to the LAT, Carter said yesterday in Johannesburg, South Africa that Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis is worse than he could have imagined. Doesn't Carter read the newspapers?

Zimbabwe has been a basket case for a decade or more and has been getting worse each year. This surely can't have surprised anybody, Jimmy Carter excepted. Yet the international community has done almost nothing to change the situation. Robert Mugabe should have been forced out of the country. Consideration should be given to prosecuting him as a war criminal or some other kind of criminal. Zimbabwe formerly fed Africa and part of the rest of the world. Now it can't feed its own people. That's criminal and Mugabe is responsible.

Rutten on peace in the Middle East

LAT columnist Tim Rutten on Saturday relayed the contents of an interview between two Israeli journalists and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as described by the journalists in a piece published in the New York Review of Books. The trouble is, nothing Rutten relays is new.

Rutten says that Israel must make concessions in return for peace. It has seemed clear for some time that Israel is willing to do that. What isn't clear is what concessions the Palestinians are willing to make.

The first problem is that there are two Palestines, one in Gaza and the other in the West Bank. Each has its own government. Hamas in Gaza refuses to concede anything and the West Bank government is weak. If it concedes anything then it could be overturned by Hamas.

The second problem is that no Palestinian government has agreed to give up the "right of return." No Israeli government can compromise on that because it would end Israel's existence. If neither side is willing to concede on that issue then peace is impossible to achieve.

LAT irrationally fears Sarah Palin

In a Saturday editorial, the LAT expressed satisfaction at the defeat of former Senator Ted Stevens' bid for reelection. LAT editors said they were worried that Sarah Palin would get Stevens' seat through a series of implausible events. They added that they were still worried that she may eventually win a Senate seat.

Even if Senator Palin should turn out to be incompetent, she could not be worse than Barbara Boxer and several other Democratic senators.

LAT has a Plan B for Columbia

Despite obvious progress in Columbia in a war against rebels partly financed by Hugo Chavez and despite obvious economic progress there, the LAT chooses to focus on the relatively minor human rights violations. It's Bush's fault, the LAT says. What else is new?

Columbia is one of the few friends of the U.S. remaining in Latin America. The rest are sliding into socialism if not already there. That may well be what the LAT hopes will happen in Columbia. The LAT seems to have a soft spot for socialists and communists, like the deceased Che Guevara, who is a god to some people on the left.