John McCain

I saw Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) Sept. 27 speech on TV and I was pretty impressed, even though I’m a liberal Democrat. Indeed, with Texas Gov. George W. Bush being the candidate of reflected nostalgia and Vice President Al Gore the champion of the status quo, the only real proponents of positive change in this country are McCain and former Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.).

GARY GARLAND

Yorba Linda

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McCain says our military needs an overhaul. Gov. Bush says we must increase military spending. Our military warehouses are bulging with billions of dollars in ordnance that will never be used. We have enough firepower now to kill everyone else in the world 10 times over. [Former Defense Secretary] Robert McNamara has said that we spend almost as much for national security as the rest of the world combined.

We need military restructuring, as McCain believes. We need to close more military bases; we need to stop pork-barrel spending. With their differing views, McCain will lose votes; Bush will gain. Who is right?

DON RADEMACHER

Glendale

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Sen. McCain hopes to rid his party of bigoted hatemongering and obscene campaign finance abuses. And he calls himself a Republican!

MICHAEL MILLER

Ontario

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Your Sept. 28 article about McCain’s presidential bid quoted some strong words by this vocal supporter of campaign finance reform. Unfortunately, in the Senate there is talk of weakening the McCain-Feingold bipartisan campaign finance bill. With citizens screaming for powerful reform measures, politicians are foolishly considering an incease in individual contribution limits. Increasing the $1,000 individual contribution limit is not reform. This proposal only benefits the rich. Average Americans can’t afford to donate $1,000 to a politician. What this country needs is more leaders with a backbone: leaders who are willing to stand up to big money and vote for strong campaign finance reform.

EVAN THOMAS PAUL

CALPIRG, Los Angeles