Yep, Newsom’s movin’ on

Re “Some Democratic lawmakers feel left behind by Newsom” (May 31):

Few article headlines are more appropriate than this one. Yes, progressive Democrats, Gavin Newsom is leaving you behind. You have done all you can for him — got him elected as California governor twice. He’s moving on. And where he wants to go, you’re not as welcome.

In fact, he’d probably appreciate it if you “unfriended” him. You know, that guilt by association thing. California is California, but the country is going in a different direction. And he’s got to align with where he wants to go, not where he’s been. You believe in your policies. He believes in getting elected. To paraphrase the old snake story, you knew he was a politician when you elected him. But all good things must come to an end, and so it seems with your Newsommance.

— M.J. Knudsen, Trabuco Canyon

Government spending

The Ramirez cartoon June 1 said the national debt was very difficult and very complicated. The solution mentioned was to cut spending.

Bill Clinton was able to balance the budget by the end of his administration. He had to use a lot of political capital to get a bill raising taxes through Congress. It cost his party dearly in the 1994 elections, but it worked. George H.W. Bush deserves credit for abandoning his “Read My Lips — No New Taxes” pledge, and getting a tax increase passed. The main reason this nation has a $36 trillion debt are the tax cuts that the administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump were able to get passed by Congress.

One tax cut bill wasn’t enough for W. Bush. Despite the Iraq war, he got a second tax cut passed. Usually, when the nation is at war, taxes are increased to pay for the war. Raising taxes is a pariah of a cause, but it needs to be considered to stabilize or start reducing the debt.

— Gary Lynch, Hemet

Democratic state convention

Re “Dems gather in wake of losses” (June 1):

Perhaps both parties could profit by putting constituents ahead of politics. Both parties are guilty of covering up their own lies and be honest with us peons. The only time they come to us with promises and flowery rhetoric is election time. Unfortunately, we fall for it.

— George Gawlik, Van Nuys