Random Letters: 9-1-22

Just Excuse Me if I’ve Stepped on Anybody’s Toes

I have written a number of letters over the past years.  Most of which have been somewhat controversial!  And I am sorry to anyone who took offense at those, However, I cannot stay silent on what I learned yesterday.  The city of Los Angeles offers matching funds to qualified candidates who wish to run for citywide office.  Since I did not understand how this could be true I called a friend of mine whose opinion I respect a lot.

Basically, here are the points:

It is felt that to level the playing field for all qualified applicants who wish to run, they need a handout from us (you and me). By leveling the playing field, I mean against those who are millionaires (and can buy an election) and incumbents (who should use their track record, not money for votes).

It infuriates me that our money is used in such a frivolous way.  If you want to donate to someone, please do or don’t, but do not expect me to contribute to that campaign.

I have no idea how much is earmarked for these matching funds, however here are several ideas for better use of that money

1. Gun Control
2. Human Trafficking
3. Pay teachers more
4. Street cleaning
5. Computers for classrooms
6. Physical education
7. Foster Care (my personal passion)

I could go on and on …

Arlene Dickey, San Pedro

Choosing Lesser Evils

RE: RLN Aug. 18, 2022: “Which Way LA—Bass or the Billionaire?” by Paul Rosenberg

What a financial waste to mail out election ballots to six million registered voters (county) and get a 30% return. Has either candidate for mayor attended a council meeting in the three years before the start of their campaign?

Los Angeles government is at a standstill, spinning its wheels and the Public sees the shell game. This city and its politicians face: government systemic pattern and practice housing discrimination; racist millionaire landlords; the need for criminal penalties for violating the tenant anti-harassment ordinance and the home sharing ordinance; racist and unethical practices of the planning, zoning, rent control, city clerk, neighborhood empowerment, and code enforcement departments; anti-diversity gentrification that is ridding this city of the middle, affordable, and low income residents; the need for a moratorium on market rate apartments; the need for an election nominating process that is strictly online; election and contribution limits capped at $5,000 per candidate; the dollars, unaccountable to the public, spent by the Metro and the Mayor’s Fund; denial of constitutional rights; the need for more training of Police on civil rights and the state Unruh Act; the need for housing that is “full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges or services of every kind” (CC 51); slavery reparations to Black citizens; and a solution for increased traffic and parking congestion. 

That is what I think about when I realize we face the election of the lessor of two evils for Mayor.

Juan Johnson, Los Angeles

What Right Does the FBI Have to Search Donald Trump’s House?

You know, if there is one thing that’s clear, over the last few days since the FBI executed its search warrant and over the next few days and weeks, there have been and will be some things said that just will not age well, and a lot of politicians will wish they’d taken a few minutes to breathe before running their mouths.

Well, truth be told, if the last few years have taught us anything, these guys can say whatever they want in the moment and it never seems to stick to them later when hindsight shows how stupid they sounded.

The FBI served a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property on Aug. 8.

Trump, of course immediately went on the attack with all his greatest hits – “unfair” and “witch hunt” “radical left Democrats” “hoax,” “scam” pretending he’s been exonerated for things he absolutely hasn’t been exonerated for, all punctuated by plenty of unnecessary exclamation points!

Trump World followed suit and went on the warpath in all the ways you would expect. Naturally, the online communities like r/The_Donald blew their collective stacks with thousands of brave keyboard warriors most of whom have never seen the inside of anything more dangerous than a 2-hour-old Chipotle burrito amping up the tough text about civil war, getting their guns ready, locking and loading, blah, blah, blah.

Of course, the Marjorie Taylor Greenes of the world had to chip in their 2 cents, taking the opportunity to …cleverly?…you know…cleverly for her… tweet out “DEFUND THE FBI!!!” along with an upside-down flag and her usual rant about communism, once again proving she’s never bothered to look up communism in the dictionary. Or picked up a dictionary.

You expect all that whenever anyone sneezes in Trump’s direction.

Naturally, never ones to avoid the opportunity to bilk their suckers for a bit more cash, Republicans immediately started fundraising off it.

Chris O’Leary, Texas