Open Mike Shows State Democrats’ Seamy Side

Re “Democrats Discussed Extending Budget Crisis,” July 22: So, some of the creators of the fiscal disaster that has been placed on the backs of all Californians get caught showing their real colors. Gee, what a surprise.

The greatest tragedy is that Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton) and the other Democratic conspirators present won’t be held accountable for their blatant hypocrisy and outrageous disregard for the welfare of working men and women throughout the state.

Republicans have no power in Sacramento other than the power provided by the state Constitution. Is there any wonder why those provisions were placed there? We have a spending crisis in Sacramento, not a revenue crisis. The Democrats have run California into the ground. Check the voting records, and then ask yourself who has been doing the greatest harm to California.

Oh, I’m sorry, what was I thinking? Of course it’s the heartless Republicans, who are only needed once a year to rubber-stamp the Democrats’ agenda. Not this time around, and thank God for that.

Gary Millikan

La Canada

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The Democrats have finally begun a discussion about the possibility of using the same pressure tactics that the Republicans have used to hold the California budget hostage since early June under Sen. Jim Brulte’s leadership. Where is the scandal?

Luca Gratton

West Hollywood

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As a moderate, I am not the least bit surprised that Democrats would use the crisis to further their political agendas. Just as I’m not surprised that the recall of Gov. Gray Davis has nothing to do with bettering the lives of Californians and is all about political posturing.

Politics in this country is an industry. In any industry, the participants seek to better their dominance. If you think that the goal of politicians, whether liberal or conservative, is to enhance the lives of the public, then you are beyond naive.

Doug Hall

Los Angeles

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In light of the state’s budget crisis, the Democrats’ “secret” strategy session where they discussed prolonging this crisis for partisan gain, and the governor’s complete failure of leadership and capitulation to his campaign contributors, I think if Arnold Schwarzenegger ever does make it to the governor’s office, he will go in not as the Terminator but as Kindergarten Cop.

Josh Hamilton

Los Angeles

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Re “Hearthside Lobbying for Energy,” July 21:

The Times’ report on the lobbyists’ very effective private fund-raiser dinners on behalf of our state legislators only confirms what has long been known: California has the best Legislature money can buy.

Jack Schaps

La Jolla

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I recently returned to California after a 10-year hiatus split between Boston and Chicago, and all I have to say is: Have you all gone mad? This place was a paradise when I left for college in 1994. I experienced my share of earthquakes, riots and O.J. But now ... my God, I haven’t heard a single bit of good news since I came down Interstate 15 two months ago.

The papers are filled with grumblings about collapsing health-care systems, crisis-level immigration, fed-up businesses, bankrupt workers’ compensation plans, housing crunches and the largest deficit in the history of the state.

And now there is this recall effort against the governor, who insists that his ouster would threaten California’s “progressive” agenda (July 20).

If this is progressivism at work, give me the corruption of Chicago any day of the week!

David M. Marquez

Escondido