Battles Over Budget Leave a Bad Taste

Re “Progress on State Budget Stalls as Talks Give Way to Rancor,” July 20: If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking for the fall guy in this budget battle, he should look in the mirror.

About the issue of the pay for prison guards -- which he faulted Gov. Gray Davis for in the campaign -- when he reached his recent agreement with that union, one union official said that they gave the governor a dime and he gave them three nickels in return.

He is certainly a fast learner on how to yield to the lobbyists.

Harry Shragg

Los Angeles

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Re “Governor Girlie Man,” editorial, July 20: Your editorial is correct in observing that the governor’s ill-chosen words were “insulting to all women, especially women in politics.”

Women are severely underrepresented in state legislatures across the country, although California does rank a respectable sixth in the nation.

It is a formidable challenge for women to get elected to state legislatures -- those who succeed are generally strong, courageous and effective leaders.

Schwarzenegger should apologize for his misguided attempt at humor.

Linda Spalinski

Titusville, N.J.

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Our governor is a worldly, educated and sensitive man. Knowing what we know about this man, we must give him the benefit of the doubt. When he calls those who disagree with him “girlie men,” he is surely not suggesting the term as a thinly disguised accusation of homosexuality or effeminate behavior.

But if this is a term for cowardice, it must apply equally to the governor and elected officials of both parties.

Those who came before us built a great state with first-rate educational institutions, highways and programs to care for the less fortunate.

Today our elected officials are afraid to ask the people to pay for even the minimal proposals adopted by our Legislature, convinced that if they even suggest raising taxes we will vote them out of office.

Instead, they will ask my granddaughters to shoulder the bills of our generation.

Shame on you all, you “girlie men.”

William E. Steel

Costa Mesa