Balancing California’s budget; the military’s policy on gays; the Rep. Charles Rangel case

Be more like Pete Wilson

Re “State budget reality check,” Column, Dec. 2

George Skelton blames California’s economic crisis on a “devastating recession, … the way Prop. 13 was implemented” under then-Gov. Jerry Brown and the “fiscal irresponsibility” of Gov. Gray Davis, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature.

I couldn’t help but notice that Davis’ immediate predecessor, Gov. Pete Wilson, doesn’t appear on Skelton’s list. Maybe that’s because — despite the recession of the early 1990s, Proposition 13 and the profligacy of our Legislature — Wilson’s budgets were consistently balanced.

Notwithstanding the excuses of our many failed elected officials, Wilson proved that it was possible to make California live within its means. If I were Brown, the first thing I’d do is give Wilson a call.

Christian Wrede

Venice

You don’t solve the problem by making the poor poorer (raising sales taxes on essentials) while neglecting the ever-growing disparity of wealth between the rich and the non-rich. To those conservatives who tout going back to the “real America,” I say, there were no billionaires in 1776.

How do billionaires get so obscenely rich? It’s simple economics: by taking a disproportionate share of corporate profits for themselves rather than rewarding workers with higher pay or lowering consumer prices. That’s real wealth redistribution.

Therefore, it’s not unfair to impose higher tax rates on them than on the less affluent. The people who would most “feel the pain” of Skelton’s solutions are the poorest Californians, who feel enough pain already.

Leon Schwartz

Altadena

Re “Brown’s job gets harder before he takes office,” Nov. 29

Being dismissive of “afternoon programs” ignores the important benefits they offer. YMCAs throughout the state offer after-school programs that help prevent dropouts, reduce crime and enable parents to work and earn a paycheck.

The state’s After School Education and Safety Program benefits more than 350,000 children. State funding of child care allows YMCAs and thousands of other after-school programs to offer these multiple benefits to their communities.

The funds provided for these programs pale in comparison to the costs of illiteracy, juvenile crime and parents who are unable to work because of lack of child care. After-school programs are an essential part of the solution to the state’s woes.

Sal Cisneros

Santa Barbara

The writer chairs the California State Alliance of YMCAs.

McCain’s detour on ‘don’t ask’

Re “Military policy on gays unlikely to change soon,” Dec. 3

Disagreeing once again with the military leadership he said he would respect, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said a substantial percentage of Marines and Army soldiers would quit if gays were allowed to openly serve. Real soldiers don’t quit serving their country because gays are fighting alongside them.

Speaking of quitters: The senator might remember his vice presidential running mate, who failed to complete her term of office as Alaska governor.

Let us hope hypocrisy and foolishness shall not “reign” down even harder on our military in this time of terrible need and multiple wars — and the need to exhibit our nation’s true respect for Americans’ equal rights.

One can only hope. And vote. Again.

Bev Morse

Redondo Beach

I have no personal experience with the military, but it seems odd to me that the armed forces would consider querying the troops to determine whether a pending decision might have a negative impact on the battle-readiness of soldiers.

Can you imagine other queries? Should we perhaps check with the entire service to determine the suitability of the Air Force’s next refueling tanker? Or whether there is a need to maintain particular bases overseas?

Karen Cuni

Torrance

Not surprised by Rangel

Re “Rangel draws ethics censure,” Dec. 3

Oh my. Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) is censured. Tsk tsk. He still has his position and all his benefits. What punishment. And in the aftermath of his censure, he is applauded and lauded by some lawmakers and liberal news pundits.

What depths our country has sunk to when there is so little difference between right and wrong.

Karl J. Simon

Manhattan Beach

Rangel stops far short of admitting wrongdoing when he says he committed “serious mistakes.” Mistakes are made accidentally, when one believes he is doing the right thing.

Rangel’s conduct was not accidental, and his contrition is totally false.

Nina Rose Brice

Laguna Woods

Sorry state for prisoners

Re “Protecting the inmates,” Editorial, Nov. 30

The Times says that voters don’t want to pay for new programs or new prisons. You ignore the Legislature’s 2007 passage of AB 900, which appropriated more than $7 billion for rehabilitation and new prisons. As emergency legislation, no advance public notice was needed.

The state was worried about a federal court taking over our prison system. No attempt was made to change sentencing guidelines or incarceration policies. Now, the major focus of this bill is to build new prisons. Rehabilitation programs cannot be covered because of overcrowding.

How could our leaders have rushed to judgment on this ill-considered expense?

P. Joseph Rosenwald

Long Beach

As a former prisoner who served 12 years in a New York state maximum-security prison for a non-

violent drug crime, I know too well the dangers of overcrowding. To say that the gates of hell will open if California prisoners are released is off-base.

Those incarcerated are dying from medical neglect and suicide, and corrections officers’ lives are in danger. What more proof do you need to fix a broken system that is captive to political fear-mongering?

The Supreme Court needs to do the right thing and uphold a judicial order that California reduce its prison population.

Anthony Papa

New York

The writer is manager of media relations for the Drug Policy Alliance.

Dying wishes

Re “End-of-life uncertainty,” Editorial, Nov. 29

As a geriatric physician, a majority of my patients face the woes of aging and know death is on the horizon. Many who are not demented don’t hesitate to discuss end-of-life issues.

This discussion starts far before admission to the hospital or in times of intense emotional duress. It must be flexible and individualized, depending on quality-of-life changes as the patient ages.

My acute-care patients average 89 years old, and more than 80% of them are admitted with “do not resuscitate” orders. For those who ultimately make their final decision, offering palliative or hospice care is then not foreign to them, and acceptance is made easier.

Physicians are pivotal in end-of-life care and therefore must hone their skills in sensitivity and compassion to remove “uncertainty” in this critical discussion.

Gene Dorio, MD

Santa Clarita

Yard work

Re “Back from the brink, Part II,” Opinion, Dec. 2

Yes, it would seem astonishing that “one flea can upend life as we know it.” But keep in mind that our civilization has gained knowledge about safety factors in many areas of public life.

We have learned how to use hygiene to keep food supplies safe, to perform surgery safely and to protect ourselves from gas leaks. We know that accumulating detritus in the garden can harbor rats and various biting bugs.

One morning’s work by a gardener could have cleaned things up in Meghan Daum’s backyard, into which she says she hardly ever went. She could have increased the odds that those fleas would flee the garden.

Maggie Blankley

Los Angeles