Davis’ Decisions on Power, Fund-Raising

Re “The State Will Pay for Davis’ Panic,” Commentary, July 31: Apparently Kathleen Connell and Peter Navarro have recently seen their eye doctors, since they are demonstrating a remarkable degree of 20/20 hindsight in looking at how Gov. Gray Davis has handled the energy crisis.

At the time the governor signed the long-term energy contracts were there rolling blackouts? (Yes.) Did he have any idea that this would be one of the coolest summers in history? (Of course not.) Could he foresee that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would impose price caps on the sale of electricity to California? (No. President Bush told Davis face to face that there would be no such price caps.) The governor acted as an executive should and took the appropriate action, given the real-time situation.

Howard L. Mandelstam

Encino

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Re “Governor Dominates the Race for Funds,” Aug. 1: The stunning amount of political extortion that Gov. Gray Davis has executed to date--about $30 million--could serve well to pay for the energy fiasco that he and his consultants triggered. How about the “Grayout” fund transferring the money? Only problem is that this terrific loss will cost the California taxpayers about this much per month for the next 20 years!

Richard Jennings

Bakersfield