To The Economist
09 August 2003
Sir
Your articles about the California recall election contained one error and one questionable judgement. Davis did not preside over the botched re-regulation of the electricity sector. It was enacted by a Democrat legislature while his Republican predecessor, Pete Wilson, was governor.
Your suggestion that Gov. Davis "has committed no crime or impropriety" is only half right. For a politician to "discover" only days after being re-elected that his budget forecasts are hopelessly wrong is not criminal - but the CEO of a company who did the same thing would probably face criminal charges as well as a recall by shareholders. Why is it that the law demands lower standards of integrity and accountability from those who write the laws than from those who sell burgers or soft drinks?
Quentin Langley
Copyright © Quentin Langley 09 August 2003