Mailbag: Candidate Curry’s ideas are out of date

Re. “Commentary: Political caricatures speak to the need for adults in charge,” (May 28): Political campaigns are about ideas, experience, effectiveness and vision. They are also tests — of hard work, discipline and determination. Voters are the judge.

What Newport Beach City Councilman Keith Curry presents as age discrimination is truly upside-down logic. No one is opposing Curry because of his age; voters are turning away from him because of his many years as a government insider trying to grow the size of the public sector. They know he’s a bad fit for this district, and his antiquated views would have terrible consequences in the Assembly.

As a member of the Newport Beach City Council, Curry voted for fee increases on businesses and families. It’s just ancient thinking to keep burdening taxpayers to make the government bigger and stronger.

And let’s be clear: Curry took to these pages to attack me because his campaign is out of money, out of ideas and out of time. This is because he ran for Assembly the same way he has voted in public office: through careless spending of other people’s money and no vision for the future.

One thing Curry claims about me is true: He is older than I am. But he truly misunderstands why people object to his record. His ideas are out of date. His votes represent obsolete promises that taxpayers pay for but never see fulfilled. His campaign is a study in an outdated faith that when it comes to government, bigger is better.

Perhaps Curry wants credit for time served. Just because he’s spent much of his life in government, he thinks he should be awarded a higher office. But elections don’t work that way.

Ultimately, Curry represents why experience can be the worst teacher: It gives the test before it gives the lesson.

Emanuel Patrascu

Laguna Beach

The writer is a Republican candidate for the 74th Assembly District.

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