Opinion: Mexico’s housing debacle should make us wary of small-government advocates

To the editor: The housing disaster in Mexico is precisely what happens when weak local, state and federal governments are in the pockets of the powerful.

When politicians rail against “big” government, we need to question whom they represent. The only protection that ordinary citizens have from abuse by the powerful is their government institutions.

We should be wary of those who try to dismantle them.

John Williams, Burbank

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To the editor: After reading the scathing expose on yet another betrayal of the Mexican people by its government, I was reminded of director Alejandro Iñárritu’s plea during his Oscar acceptance speech in 2015.

In the speech, Iñárritu dedicated his Best Picture win for “Birdman” to his fellow Mexicans and called on his countrymen to “find and build the government we deserve.” Looks like it’s just getting worse.

Linda Fell, Long Beach

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To the editor: The effort to provide “affordable housing” was plagued by “poor planning, corruption, and a lack of oversight ... amid government indifference and impunity.” Building was permitted on “marginal land,” and “local officials rewrote zoning laws and approved developments with little or no review.”

Please clarify. Was the feature about Mexico or Los Angeles?

Tom Keiser, Pasadena

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