Richard Lamm

Re “Perot to Stay in Race; Decision a Blow to Lamm,” July 11:

Ross Perot shilly-shallied with his decision to run again as the candidate for his Reform Party. Truth is, his super ego wanted and expected a clamor from the electorate urging him to declare his candidacy--which did not happen. When former Colorado Gov. Richard D. Lamm stepped in and offered to fill in the blank, Perot’s response was predictable: Hey! That’s my toy--you can’t have it!

Perot had some interesting and viable concepts for government reform or 19% of the 1992 electorate would not have voted for him; but his need for personal acclaim is so disagreeable his followers are having second thoughts.

LOUISE HAUTER

La Canada

* I had hoped that Lamm would bring some red-blooded debate to the presidential election campaign, but apparently Perot is too chicken to allow it.

PAUL C. EKLOF

Costa Mesa

* Re Lamm and a Society Security tax, July, 11: A secondary tax on Social Security is nonsense. Upon earning wages, Social Security taxes are deducted from all paychecks. How many times must the same monies be taxed?

Reformulating the manner in which increases are tabulated for Social Security recipients will not remedy out-of-control government spending. An annual $20 per month increase in benefits is sinful enough. With more and more seniors struggling to afford basic necessities, Lamm may well find more seniors requiring federal aid instead of paying additional Social Security taxes.

Gov. Lamm--scram!

HARRIET S. BOLD

North Hollywood