A Centrist Party May Be Answer

My family and I lived in Orange County for the past 5 1/2 years. I am sure that like myself, most of the baby boomers with children are attracted to the suburban areas of Orange County because of the relatively affordable housing in safe neighborhoods and good schools.

However, what has been incredibly difficult to come to grips with is the embarrassing and corrupt nature of politics in Orange County.

The legislative delegation is comprised mainly of leaders who are basically unintelligent, hypocritical and egocentric. [They] represent only a sliver of the electorate, as evidenced by the statistics provided in The Times’ series [on the county Republican Party].

Mostly the ideological component of the Republican Party’s voters turns out in midterm or recall elections. Under these circumstances, representative democracy ceases to prevail.

I have also discovered that there are many other residents of this county such as myself, members of both parties, who are moderates that support the public school system and reasonable environmental policies, are pro-business and support corporate social responsibility. We are sick and tired of partisan politics and corrupt political practices in this county. As more of the moderate electorate recognizes the fact that neither party in Orange County appears to provide a substantive alternative, maybe it is time for a new centrist party to emerge.

DEBBIE COVEN

San Clemente