Here’s your daily recap of the best feedback we got from YOU today. Continue the conversation below. And remember, keep it brief, and keep it clean. Thanks!
Monday’s American Morning viewers were indifferent to the Republican’s response to President Obama’s handshake with President Hugo Chavez.
- Ralph: I think it's about time we started talking to some of these other leaders. As far as the negative reaction for the [Obama-Chavez] hand shake, I think this is just [a] typical Republican [reaction]. Bush IS the devil and it's time we moved past that crap.
What do you think? Was President Obama right to shake the hand of President Chavez, who is known to have a negative opinion of the U.S.? Do you believe President Obama has been too apologetic about the U.S. in dealing with international leaders? Are we losing our “self-respect” as a nation or does Mr. Obama’s “listening” approach allow us to have greater engagement with the world?
The reaction to the idea of lifting sanctions with Cuba was seen as long overdue. Viewers felt that trading with Cuba would be the same as trading with China, a country not known for allowing “their own people human rights.”
- Ron: I believe the time has come to lift all sanctions against Cuba! If we allow travel and trade with other countries such as China, whom we cannot trust and do not allow their own people human rights, why should we continue to allow the Cuban people to suffer! Enough is enough already! Cuba is no threat to us but can be if allowed to be taken in by other countries not friendly to the USA. Shame on America for letting this continue for so long!
Is the U.S. overdue in mending relations with Cuba, since we have engaged with China as a trading partner? Do you believe sanctions work or do they simply harm the people of a country more than its leaders? What do you think about the numerous changes Mr. Obama has recently made concerning Cuba? Is it enough or too much? Let us know your thoughts.
The debate over additional charges for overweight flyers received the largest feedback, with most viewers in favor of the fee.
- Rob: As an aviation expert, I am amazed that it seems not to be understood that this is a safety issue as follows: An aircraft is not a Grey Hound bus!! The weight and balance sheets have to be accurate in order to fly safely. In general an average weight per passenger is calculated including baggage per person also the type of aircraft may influence this figure. Example: If 80 percent would be obese than the plane would be dangerously overloaded!! Not too long ago a plane crashed, likely due to overload and imbalance. My message is: This subject is not at all about seating, but weight on an aircraft!!!
- John: I have to agree that it should be the airlines responsibility to provide adequate seating for all their passengers. All other business' morph to provide for a changing customer base; why not airlines?
Where do you stand on this issue? Are the airlines responsible for providing “adequate seating” or are they simply following the laws of physics? Do you believe this is discrimination or just a business issue, given the changing situation of America’s obesity issue?
Lastly, drug legalization remained in the spotlight, with viewers weighing in on both sides of the argument.
- Julie: I am not in favor of the legalization of marijuana. During high school and the years right after, I certainly smoked my share of drugs, and would tell you I was having a wonderful time. But many years later, I will tell you using drugs was probably the biggest mistake of my life. 'Stoned' is not the best way to deal with reality in the years when you are making your most important life shaping decisions. Why fog up the facts? It is hard enough to make the right choices as it is!
- Gionne: Thank you for the brief discussion of legalizing drugs as a solution to the current drug and violence problem. I personally have never been one to experiment with drugs. I understand that some people fear the availability will cause more people to turn to drugs. While I don't think that is even true, I have to ask myself is that worse than the violence that results from it being illegal? And surely the huge amounts of money we spend fighting the "drug war" could be better spent in prevention, treatment and regulation. I hope CNN does more to create a dialogue to explore legalizing drugs.
With former addicts rejecting the idea of drug legalization, is making illegal drugs available on the open market the most appropriate approach to this problem? Will legalization allow for better “prevention, treatment, and regulation” as the second viewer contends? How will the ease of accessibility change the way Americans use drugs? Is it worth the decrease in violence to risk addition for groups of people who may have never tried the drugs if they remained illegal?