Democracy Run Amok, or Running Smoothly?

Re “Direct Democracy Run Amok,” Commentary, July 27: Leon Panetta deplores the use of the initiative process to govern. He correctly puts the cause of his distress on “the breakdown in trust that is essential to governing in a democracy.”

My reason for supporting the recall initiative isn’t solely because of the faults of Gov. Gray Davis. I hope it sends such a shock through the system that a goodly portion of the rest of our feckless politicians will take heed and try to clean up their acts.

Normal citizen pressures don’t work on these yahoos the way the bribery system now in effect does. I wish we had stronger measures we could use. To those who think that we may get an “amateur” as our replacement governor: Anything we get will be better than what we have now.

Chuck Nyquist

Garden Grove

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Panetta has it right. Such a misguided recall effort against Davis would probably never happen if political leaders would truly lead, and voters would truly vote. And that latter point is most important.

Most Californians don’t vote and thus don’t care about this state’s future. Their complacency contributes to the enormous power and influence of special interests. Perhaps we the people need to be recalled for being intellectually defective.

Bob Teigan

Simi Valley

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I am amused that so-called progressive Democrats oppose the idea of a recall. Nothing could be more progressive than empowering the citizenry of California to directly act to remove a state official.

As for a candidate, a Republican or independent could vastly enhance his or her chances simply by having the courage to address the problem of illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is the root cause of our failing public school system, the rising costs associated with our criminal justice system, the bankrupting of our health-care system, the overcrowding of our cities and towns and the environmental havoc wreaked on the state by overpopulation. Is there a candidate out there with the strength and honesty to address these problems? If so, that person will be the next governor of California.

Kieley D. Jackson

Studio City

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I appreciated “Loyalty Test” by Susan F. Rasky (Opinion, July 27) for one major reason. She mentioned that UC Regent Ward Connerly’s measure to ban state and local governments from collecting data about the race and ethnicity of individuals will be on the recall ballot. This helped to assuage my feelings that the recall vote is a waste of taxpayer money.

The sooner the citizens of California can send a clear message to Connerly that his measure is ill-favored, the better. We need to be able to have the race and ethnicity data so that we have a database that will enable us to measure the progress, or lack thereof, on an important dimension of diversity.

Karl Strandberg

Long Beach

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Re “GOP Challengers Spar as Davis Campaigns to Remain in Office,” July 27: Would someone please explain to me the benefit of a bill providing a driver’s license to illegal immigrants? Other than, of course, courting a huge California voting bloc for an upcoming recall election.

Ethan D. Baker

Toluca Lake

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Davis attempts to deflect criticism by saying that the recall isn’t about him, it’s about moving California forward or backward. Well, as over 1.5 million recall signatures attest, it’s all about you, Mr. Davis. As I am an informed independent, other parties seek my vote (because I vote in all elections), but I did not vote for governor in the last election because of the poor choices in candidates.

Unless a viable leader stands up, I will again withhold my vote in protest and sit on the sidelines. Please, Arnold Schwarzenegger, sit down; you’re not even close to being ready.

John Plait

Ventura

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If you care about democracy, show it with your wallet. Pay the $3,500 filing fee and get 65 friends (you can find 65 friends) and put your name on the ballot for the recall election. If enough people do this, it will make for a very interesting ballot. Besides, a copy of the ballot will make a great keepsake for your children and grandchildren. A recall is a bad idea, even if the governor stinks. Recalling a governor for less than valid reasons will doom this state to a state of perpetual recall, no matter what party the governor belongs to.

John Kiernan

Santa Monica