A26 EZ M2 THE WASHINGTON POST.SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 , 2019
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR[email protected]LOCAL OPINIONSJoin the debate at washingtonpost.com/local-opinionsL
IKE SO many initiatives in the Trump
presidency, the Trump Doral Group of Seven
summit at first sounded like a joke. As the
last G-7 meeting wrapped in France in
August, Mr. Trump used the platform to suggest he
might host the 2020 meeting, which is due to be
held in the United States, at his struggling Trump
National Doral golf resort near Miami. With
cameras from around the world rolling, the presi-
dent boasted that his property is close to the
airport, has ample parking and features a layout
that would suit a big international conference.
Perhaps all he wanted to do was plug Doral and
leave it at that? Nope. Acting White House chief of
staff Mick Mulvaney announced at a Thursday news
conference that the G-7 actually w ill be held at D oral,
and he confirmed that the site was chosen at the
president’s suggestion. This was not a jest: It was
blatant and corrupt self-dealing by the president.
“We thought, of the 12 places that we looked at —
and you’d recognize the names of them if we told
what they were — that this was by far and away the
best choice,” Mr. Mulvaney explained, without, in
fact, revealing which other properties were consid-ered. Each country can take its own building, he
gushed.
This was not the first time Mr. Trump had
recommended that the administration use one of
his properties for official purposes — and that the
property turned out to be ideal, according to Trump
administration spin. Last month, Vice President
Pence stayed at the president’s Doonbeg resort
when he visited Ireland, which required Mr. Pence
to fly across the country for meetings in Dublin. The
excuse then was that a scrambled itinerary meant
the vice president required last-minute accommo-
dations, and, according to Mr. Pence’s chief of staff,
Mr. Trump suggested Doonbeg. Miraculously — or is
it inevitably? — the administration concluded that
the president’s property fit the bill.
The Trump crew’s typical response to questions
about self-dealing is to claim that the president will
not profit from foreigners staying at this hotel or that
resort. “They’re doing this at cost,” Mr. Mulvaney
insisted. But selling out Doral at c ost for a while might
mark a welcome departure for the Trump Organiza-
tion: The Post’s David Fahrenthold points out that
between 2016 and 2017, revenue at Doral fell 13.8percent and net operating income declined 62 per-
cent. Just the publicity that Doral will get, not to
mention the prestige the business will claim long after
hosting a major international conference, is valuable.
Profit o r its absence is n owhere m entioned in the
Constitution’s emolument clause. Instead, it simply
says the president may not, without the consent of
Congress, accept compensation “of any kind what-
ever” from any “foreign state.” If a Doral summit
does not violate this stricture, then nothing does.
Meantime, the notion that the United States stands
for clean government in the public interest — and
its standing to combat graft in other countries — is
shredded.
On Saturday — after this editorial had been
published online a nd in early Sunday print editions
— Mr. Trump tweeted that he had changed his
mind. This was not because he realized he had
blundered ethically, but due to what he called
“Media & Democrat Crazed and Irrational Hostili-
ty.” We hope that this is his final answer on this
question — and that Congress takes this opportu-
nity to l ook m ore c ritically at Mr. Trump’s intermin-
gling of personal and official business.Blatant, corrupt self-dealing
Trump’s plan for the G-7 summit was improper. He was right to drop it.
Just ride a bike in the District for a day or two.
Cyclists are still at a severe disadvantage vs. cars in
this city. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association
is trying to make it safer for a legitimate —
non-polluting — and healthy alternative to driving a
car that also reduces traffic congestion.
If a driver is distracted, speeding, etc., and hits a
cyclist, the results can be catastrophic, even fatal, for
the cyclist. Courtland Milloy’s Oct. 16 column, “Bike
lobby is on a roll” [Metro], adds to the entitled and
antagonistic views some motorists have toward
cyclists. Why doesn’t he try to ride around town to
see how it feels to have some driver come within
inches of you for no apparent good reason? (Please
wear a helmet.)
Cynthia Johnson, WashingtonHaving biked in this area for nearly 50 years and
now a recreational bicyclist, I suggest that the
District consider putting a bike lane on Connecticut
Avenue, parts of which are being repaved right now.
Every day, I see myriad bikers heading for the city,
sometimes dodging vehicles and sometimes on the
sidewalk. With so many people riding bicycles, it
seems that the District should dedicate part of this
major thoroughfare to bicyclists.
Michael Kurtzig, WashingtonCyclists are fighting an uphill battle
ABCDE
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
M
UCH OF Maryland’s political establish-
ment, meaning D emocrats who d ominate
the General Assembly in Annapolis, em-
braced the recommendations of a com-
mission that urged massive new spending on the
state’s generally lackluster public schools. As the
dollars and cents come into sharper focus, h owever,
some lawmakers may be blanching — and if they’re
not, their local counterparts on county councils
certainly are.
A proposed formula that would apportion some
$4 billion in new annual spending by 2030 — the
amount endorsed by the Commission on Innova-
tion and Excellence in Education — has produced
jitters in parts of the state. Democrats in Baltimore
and some counties have balked at the prospect of
major increases in public school funding — read:
higher taxes — to supplement new state spending.
They’re right to be skeptical. While most Mary-
landers want improved K-12 education, and many
say they are willing to pay for it, the details are
daunting when one drills down into virtually any
plan that would generate new spending on the
order of magnitude recommended by the commis-
sion. The evidence to support the view that moremoney ensures better educational outcomes is
mixed, in Maryland and elsewhere.
No doubt, public schools in many parts of the
state need improvement. The 25-member Kirwan
education commission, named for the former
chancellor of the University System of Maryland,
William E. “Brit” Kirwan, did Marylanders a service
by debunking the canard that the state’s schools
were among the nation’s best — a designation
refuted by what the commission called “actual
student learning.” However, the last time the state
embarked on an ambitious school spending spree,
the results were unimpressive and included bu-
reaucratic bloat.
It’s r easonable t o debate whether this time w ould
be different as lawmakers weigh a program to
prioritize free preschool for all 4-year-olds; a push
to help poor and special-needs students; more
career training and college preparation for high-
schoolers; and higher standards for teachers.
Part of that debate should include who pays, and
how much. Democrats have floated the ideas of
taxing sports betting, and legalizing and taxing
marijuana, among other potential revenue sources,
but that would generate a modest amount. Even a10 percent increase in the state income tax, which
would cost most Marylanders several hundred
dollars more annually, w ould c over perhaps half t he
state’s portion of the total bill — and it’s doubtful a
majority of voters would tolerate such an increase.
Democrats contend that raiding other priorities,
along with overall economic growth would gener-
ate much of the money. More realistically, perhaps,
a panel of the Kirwan commission has proposed a
formula that would require localities to chip in, a
painful proposition. Baltimore would be expected
to double its annual school spending, to $662 mil-
lion, by 2030. Prince George’s County and other
suburban jurisdictions would also face steep bills.
Gov. L arry Hogan (R) c alls s uch increases “ pie i n the
sky”; in political terms, he’s probably right.
Better to focus on targeted areas likely to
produce more bang for the education buck, includ-
ing o ffering alternatives (such as charter s chools) to
students floundering in failing schools, and strin-
gent means of identifying, nurturing and reward-
ing the best teachers. Marylanders, who already
face one of the highest tax burdens in the United
States, need cost-effective means of getting better
schools.School spending is giving Md. the jitters
Will Marylanders be willing to accept a higher tax burden to pay for public education?
T
HE SCIENCE is clear. Adolescents are physi-
ologically and neurologically wired to sleep
later, and the research showing the health
and educational benefits of later school start
times for teens is compelling. So credit to California
for addressing this significant public health issue by
insisting that public schools set schedules that allow
youths to get the sleep they need to learn and thrive.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has signed into law
legislation that mandates later start times at most
public middle and high schools. Under the law, to be
phased in over three years, classes for high schools
will start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and classes for
middle schools will start no earlier than 8 a.m.
Optional before-school periods are allowed, and
rural districts are exempt due to travel and distance
circumstances. But it is estimated that between
80 percent and 90 percent of the state’s 3 million
public middle and high school students will benefit.
An increasing number of school districts across
the country have implemented later school start
times for adolescents, but California is the first state
to order the shift as a matter of law. Opponents had
argued that the question of when to start school
should be left up to local decision-makers and
similar legislation was vetoed in 2018 by former
governor Jerry Brown (D). Mr. Newsom was right in
recognizing the state shouldn’t s hirk its responsibili-
ty to do what is best for students and that the public
will benefit from the improvements in student
health, safety and academic performance.
The bill, based on recommendations from the
American Academy of Pediatrics, was backed by
leading public health and medical experts. “The
volume, breadth, consistency and strength of the
peer-reviewed scientific research supporting thislegislation are unequivocal, and they exceed the
high standards for public health and education
policy,” more than 120 experts wrote in support of
the measure to Mr. Newsom.
No doubt there may be some challenges infiguring out the logistics of later school times. But
the success of school districts that have undertaken
this change show that it is not only possible but also
well worth the effort in terms of better outcomes for
students.A healthy start
for students
Calif. sets a good example to let
youths get the sleep they need.ABCDE
FREDERICK J. RYAN JR., Publisher and Chief Executive Officer
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JOY ROBINS ........................................................................................... Client SolutionsThe Washington Post
1301 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 (202) 334-6000The Oct. 15 front-page article “Colleges use Web
data to rank students — before they apply” detailed
how colleges are building virtual libraries of person-
al data in the interest of finding the applicants most
likely to enroll and pay tuition.
Colleges should disclose their use of tracking
software, cookies, analytics and predictive scores. At
a bare minimum, potential applicants should be told
on admissions materials what information is collect-
ed about them, from what sources and how it will be
considered in the application process.
Disclosures should be clear. Saying a college uses
“publicly available information” or “Internet activi-
ty” in its admissions decisions isn’t good enough.
Students need to know whether their browsing
patterns, e mail o pen rates or time spent on a college’s
website affect their likelihood of being admitted.
Higher-education leaders should ensure prospec-
tive students know what information is collected
about them and how it is used to make decisions
about their academic future.
Sara Collins, Washington
The writer is a policy counsel for
the Future of Privacy Forum.Colleges should be transparent
Regarding the Oct. 16 front-page article “Rivals
pile on Warren, aiming to halt her rise”:
At the Democratic debate, the candidates sub-
stantively agreed on society’s problems: wealth
inequality, a middle class left behind, abortion
access inequalities. This places them as far left a s the
Business Roundtable chief executives, who collec-
tively endorsed a “compassionate capitalism” that
looks beyond quarterly profits [“CEO group shifts
view on maximizing shareholder profits,” Economy
& Business, Aug. 20]. It was Sens. Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) who separat-
ed themselves from the pack by demonizing profits,
placing themselves out of the American mainstream
and becoming ready fodder for Republican claims of
socialism.
Jesse Abraham, McLeanWell out of the mainstream
President Trump has drawn his own red line in
Syria — for the Turks, which they violated immedi-
ately and with impunity, and which they darkened
with the blood of our solid ally the Syrian Kurds.
Mr. Trump created this problem. We may be in for
a drawn-out conflict that will get worse with the
passage of time. Meanwhile, the Syrian Kurds are
allying with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and
Russia to protect themselves from the Turks. In fact,
Russian troops have already begun “patrolling be-
tween Turkish and Syrian military forces near the
strategically important Syrian town of Manbij”
[“Russia fills spot between Turkish, Syrian troops,”
front page, Oct. 16].
Whatever his motivation for his Syria decision, in
trying to impulsively end our involvement in “end-
less wars,” Mr. Trump has effectively begun the
long-term decline and fall of U.S. influence on the
global stage, including a waning of the post-World
War II Western order.
Jack Nargundkar, GermantownThe Oct. 15 editorial “An irreparable blunder in
Syria” reported that when the United States “turned
tail” and ran in Syria, we left behind to be slaugh-
tered the allies who fought with us, as well as
noncombatant women and children.
Our departure should not come as a surprise to
anyone. We did the same thing in 1975 when we left
more than 100,000 South Vietnamese allies to perish
in reeducation camps; hundreds of thousands of
“boat people” to die as they fled the tyranny of
communism in South Vietnam, and more than
2 million Cambodians to die in the killing fields.
At least when we “turned tail” on Vietnam, we
tried to do something for those we left behind,
through presidential action, when some
300,000 Southeast Asian refugees were let into the
United States between 1975 and 1979, and through
congressional action, when the annual refugee
ceiling was raised from 17,400 to 50,000 by the Refu-
gee Act of 1980.
Our Kurdish allies do not deserve the treatment
they have been given, and the outraged Republicans
and Democrats in Congress should join to enact a
Kurdish Refugee Relief Act of 2019 admitting the
allies we have left b ehind to be slaughtered. Where is
the action behind the outrage?
John Maney Jr., SpringfieldMr. Tr ump’s disastrous red line
As reported in the Oct. 18 front-page article
“Trump’s D oral club will host G-7 summit,” President
Trump has awarded next year’s Group of Seven
summit of world leaders to his Miami-area resort.
In describing the decision to hold the G-7 at
Mr. Trump’s National Doral Miami resort, Mick
Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff and
director of the Office of Management and Budget,
claimed the president would not benefit because the
government would be charged at cost, Trump prop-
erties are sufficiently known so that any benefit from
advertising the event would be negligible, and the
charge would be half the cost of other considered
sites, resulting in millions saved.
Cost is somewhat of a misnomer because it can
include all sorts of charges beyond the price of a
room, including surcharges for a large group,
premium liquor, extra staff, etc. Cost also means
that the ongoing overhead (e.g., property taxes,
utilities, staff, etc.) will be covered for the duration
of the G-7 summit. Moreover, advertising is a benefit
no matter how famous a business i s. That a business
might be well known does not mean it stops
promotions. Advertising is cumulative.
Mr. Mulvaney did not know how much Doral
would charge compared with other sites, but wheth-
er the cost is truly a great savings or not, a summit at
Doral gives the appearance of lining the president’s
pockets. And appearances matter to world leaders.
Marvin Friedlander, Burke
The writer is the retired chief
of Exempt Organizations Technical
for the Internal Revenue Service.The cost of a G-7 at Tr ump Doral
EDITORIALSTOM TOLESThe District should dedicate
part of Connecticut Avenue
to bicyclists.
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