Letters to the editor

Re "Obama's agenda may not add up," July 8

I breathlessly await The Times' front-page article on John McCain's pie-in-the-sky plans. McCain says, incredibly, that the economy is slowing down, when we're actually long past that, and claims that he will reduce the budget deficit by "winning" in Iraq. McCain's plans not only do not compute, they're delusional.

Tim Vivian

Bakersfield

This article downplays the effectiveness of Obama's $130-billion expenditure plan and says little about the importance of the plan's goals -- which are to reverse the last several decades of descent for the majority of our people.

Real wages have declined, job opportunities diminish daily, and President Bush's trillion-dollar-plus war grinds on toward no good end, while the richest 1% of Americans have been encouraged to grab an inordinate share of GDP.

We spend more than that $130 billion to bolster Wall Street, so why be concerned about the puny deficit that might be caused by Obama's plans to actually make jobs, expand healthcare, boost education, encourage research and end this war?

Jim E. Davis

Laguna Woods

Did Jesse Jackson goof or gain?

Re "Jackson says he's sorry for Obama remark," July 10

What a stroke of political brilliance! The Rev. Jesse Jackson is way too savvy to believe that what he was saying wouldn't be overheard. Think of how beautifully this all works for Obama.

Jackson is a polarizing figure. He makes this politically and racially charged statement, and Obama promptly takes the high road. White moderate swing voters -- the ones who will make or break this election for Obama -- are impressed by his high-mindedness; Obama now has a ready-made excuse for having nothing to do with Jackson in the remaining months before the general election.

This move also short-circuits any potentially costly summer/fall showdown between a moderate, black presidential candidate and the far-left leader of the Rainbow Coalition -- which would put Obama between a rock and a hard place because both white swing voters and African American turnout are crucial to his election.

What's in it for Jackson? Stay tuned for what plum assignments may come his way in Obama's second term.

David J. Lawrence

Santa Barbara

Jackson uses the "I didn't know the mike was open" excuse.