Readers React: Is this a presidential campaign or a schoolyard fight?

To the editor: After listening to Saturday’s GOP presidential debate in South Carolina, I am almost embarrassed to be a citizen of a country that would put forth such a boorish group from which a nominee will be selected. (“Republican debate ratings are growing again, with 13.51 million viewers on Saturday,” Feb. 14)

The name calling, chiding and constant interrupting were more reminiscent of an elementary-school playground than a presidential debate. If any candidate had a message to deliver or an agenda to offer, it was totally lost in the commotion. When I think of the statesmanship and maturity required of the leader of the free world, I just shake my head in wonder that there are people among us who would actually vote for members of this motley crew.

Dissatisfaction with the status quo doesn’t mean we have to lose our minds.

Alan Abajian, Alta Loma

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To the editor: Ben Carson declared at the last Republican debate that free college tuition at public universities was a “non-starter.”

Perhaps such an idea is dead on arrival. But before closing the book on this idea, consider the following:

What do 13 Nobel laureates, Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Colin Powell have in common? They attended one of the City University of New York’s colleges for free or close to free. So did Andrew Grove (Intel), Mario Puzo (author of “The Godfather”) and Felix Frankfurter (U.S. Supreme Court). The list of distinguished alumni goes on.

Unfortunately, free tuition ended at the City University system in the 1970s. Also unfortunately, every time tuition at a public college increases, some poor person gets knocked out of the mix.

Free tuition should not be a gift. It should be for deserving students. If properly administered, free tuition will heap benefit upon benefit onto our society. Rather than casually blowing the idea off, we need to consider the long term-benefits that free college tuition would bring our country.

Karl F. Schmid, Los Angeles

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To the editor: As a proud Republican who was planning to vote for the party’s nominee in November, after watching Donald Trump on the debate stage, I’ve decided that if Trump is the Republican nominee, I’ll sadly abstain from voting.

Trump backers, while supporting an “outsider” who “tells it like it is,” would be sorely disappointed with a President Trump, who would likely serve without decorum or respect for others, and would likely be true to his liberal past.

If forced to choose between two candidates, one who is crude and the other dishonest, I’ll abstain, because neither would deserve my vote.

George Nethercutt, McLean, Va.

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