The Benefits in a Davis Resignation

Seems like there are enough signatures for a recall of Gov. Gray Davis (“Recall Backers Assert Victory in Signature Drive,” July 8). Davis should do the smart thing and resign and let Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante become governor. The taxpayers would then be saved $25 million, we would still have a Democratic governor and the very undemocratic squabbling in the state Assembly and Senate might be put aside in favor of passing a budget and saving California from further financial woes.

Ann Johnston

Thousand Oaks

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Re “Democrats Putting Davis at Risk,” Opinion, July 6: Tony Quinn states that the lack of Democratic candidates running with the Republicans in the recall will hurt Davis. He forgets to mention one thing. The Democrats don’t have to run anybody. If, in the weeks leading up to the recall, the numbers show that Davis will be removed from office, he can simply resign as governor. This will ensure that the Republicans will not only have lost but they will also be stuck with having to deal with a strong new Democratic governor. Bustamante will step in and be an even stronger leader, as he can act as a reconciler and force the Republicans to deal with him on the budget mess.

It also allows Bustamante to possibly be governor for three terms, the rest of Davis’ and his own two. In their fervor to remove Davis from office, the Republicans could lock themselves out of the office they desperately covet. With Bustamante being Hispanic and California’s huge Hispanic population, he would be a formidable candidate to run against, and as a sitting governor he would have a huge war chest at his disposal.

On the surface the recall effort seems like a great coup for the Republicans, but in the end, it could mean a political disaster that could haunt them.

They will have succeeded in removing Davis from office, but it could cost them the governorship for years to come.

John Rylands

Bakersfield

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Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista), referring to Davis, said he hoped to make Davis’ “last 100 days in office just as miserable as I can” (July 5).

Thus does the man who would buy another political office show us that he doesn’t give a damn about California -- that he’d rather compound a mess by crippling a governor than try to help resolve it for the benefit of the state’s citizens.

William K. Purves

Claremont

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The estimated cost of the proposed recall election, over $25 million, represents less than one one-thousandth of our state’s $38-billion deficit.

This is a reasonable level of investment to ensure that the governor has the support of the people moving forward.

Other countries have votes of no-confidence; why can’t we?

William Bauman

Van Nuys