No Scripts at GOP Convention

* Re “Media Add Their Lines to Script,” Aug. 4, describing the Republican convention in Philadelphia as overly “scripted,” I can say from personal experience that this was not the case. I was asked on July 28 to give a speech to the convention at its opening session on July 31. No one told me what to say or even made suggestions as to possible topics or ideas. I wrote the speech myself and no one changed it. When I gave the speech to the convention, it conveyed my personal views and beliefs. It was certainly not part of someone’s “script.”

If a lot of the speakers happened to be saying the same things, that’s because we were saying what’s in our hearts. We are completely united behind Gov. George W. Bush and eager to get new people involved in the campaign.

MARY TOMAN, Chairman

Republican Party of L.A. County

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Bush tells us that the tax surplus is the “American people’s money” and should be given back to them (Aug. 4). Who does he think owns the national debt other than the American people? Does he expect that some foreign nation will pay it off for us? Prudent economic management would suggest that the tax surplus should be used to pay down the national debt, not “given back” to the American people.

BETTY SHAFFER

Tustin

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What a surprise! The Republicans have nominated two very rich, very white oilmen who both went to Yale, both avoided Vietnam and are ready now to make the same rich folks even richer. Behind their sneaky happy-face convention they are still toeing the same old anti-choice, gay-bashing and gun-loving GOP platform line.

TIM MILLER

Los Angeles