Letters: Businesses, Congress gang up on California

Re “Congress has key state laws in cross hairs,” July 28

How shameful that some Washington politicians would imperil our state’s sensible environmental protection scheme by alleging its drag on interstate commerce.

California’s environmental quality laws are more farsighted than those of states more reliant on toxic industries. But the industry’s adverse effects on the natural world don’t magically vanish at state lines; neither should legitimate concerns about the environment.

Congress should back off and let our state’s prudent approach to environmental protection serve as an enlightened example to other states.

Devra Mindell

Santa Monica

California enforces progressive legislation, and the clamor from the business community is for the federal government to come to its rescue.

Yet when it comes to other issues such as gun safety, healthcare or women’s rights, they want Washington to leave the states alone.

Do I detect a whiff of hypocrisy?

Rodney K. Boswell

Thousand Oaks

Surely it’s more cost effective for the chemical companies to buy one Congress than 50 state legislatures. It’s just good business practice.

How could anyone have a problem with that?

Tony Castañares

Hollywood

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