Parties’ Futures Depend on Their Grass Roots

Re “GOP Can Revive the State,” Opinion, Dec. 1: Bill Simon Jr. and Richard Riordan have illustrated again why each of their last campaigns in California have been failing ones: They are out of touch with grass-roots Republicans and like-minded independent voters in the state. They chant the mantra of diversity but clearly do not look at the polling data from recent elections. The vast majority of minorities do not now and will not ever vote Republican. They tout Arnold Schwarzenegger as a possible gubernatorial candidate not because of his principles but instead for his supposed vote-getting potential. Interestingly, Schwarzenegger backed a “big government” bond measure, hardly a Republican value.

Worst of all, they urge Republicans to stop focusing on “hot-button social issues.” Clearly, this is code for illegal immigration, a subject neither man has had the political courage to address. Illegal immigration is the root cause of many of California’s problems, ranging from education to criminal justice to health care. Had Simon spoken out on this issue he might now be the governor-elect. If Simon and Riordan represent the current leadership of California’s Republican Party, then the GOP has no future in this state.

Kieley D. Jackson

Studio City

*

Riordan and Simon’s article by the numbers: (1) References to serious problems facing Californians under Democratic leadership: 19; (2) references to Republicans’ innovative ideas, deep understanding of complex issues and positive vision for the future: 20; (3) references to specific Republican alternatives and solutions for California’s problems: zero. If you want to win an election, give the people a reason to vote for you!

Cheryl Howard

Dove Canyon

*

Riordan and Simon’s powerful, democratizing two-party system has gotten us to exactly where we are today. With the parties resembling each other more, it’s no wonder people go on strike come election day. Neither party has a mandate from the people to do anything, so they continue to do what they do: pretend to be visionaries during campaigns, then abandon their constituencies for special interests. They are incapable of effecting real change in a system that works for the top 1%, who own 30% to 40% of this country’s wealth, and continues to exploit the rest of us, who produce it.

Jason Cupp

Redlands

*

In “Greed Putting Party in Peril” (Opinion, Dec. 1), Kevin Phillips misses a point of fact: Minorities who happen to be part of the middle class are also part of the Democratic core base. That said, the “soak the rich” strategy of the Democrats will finally fail when people from the middle class realize that only the middle class gets soaked with tax increases. That the poor, obviously, pay little to no tax but use most services. The rich, with their political patrons from the Democratic and Republican parties, can afford to hire the best accountants to pay as little as possible. Is it any surprise that the middle class will go Republican when it gets tax cuts? What have the Democrats got to offer? All empty promises and nothing else?

Virgilio Mendoza

Glendale

*

Phillips is absolutely correct when he states that the Democrats are selling out their principles and soul for campaign money. They are barely distinguishable from Republicans. Their rush to the center has disenchanted minorities and low-incomers, probably because they have been ignored and taken for granted.

Another turned-off segment of the voters, which Phillips did not mention, is progressives, generally an articulate and active group. There has been a slow but steady stream of progressives going to the Green Party or to independent status. That could be very dangerous to the Democrats unless the party takes a surge leftward and nominates a real Democrat for president.

Terry L. Malone

Anaheim