Green Candidate Not Invited to Debate

George Skelton is concerned about a low voter turnout in November (Sept. 23). Rightfully so. Every indicator shows that Californians are not in agreement with the two mainstream parties.

If fewer than 50% turn out to vote, we will again have an administration that represents far fewer than the majority. So much for democracy in California.

The Times must share the blame for this condition. By refusing to recognize a historic inevitability and clinging to the past by refusing to include credible third-party candidates like Green nominee Peter Camejo in its debates, it is depriving the Los Angeles electorate of a true democratic choice. Voters are far from convinced that the two parties represent us anymore. How long will it take The Times to catch up?

Genevieve Marcus

Pacific Palisades

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Re “Angry Davis Defends Fund-Raising,” Sept. 22: Our Gov. Gray Davis seems to speak with a forked tongue. He piously denies accepting campaign contributions from folks supporting specific programs but nevertheless stands there hand in hand with [Teamsters President] Jimmy Hoffa Jr., symbolic of the tons of money contributed to his cause by organized labor.

John Davidson

San Juan Capistrano

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I am not snickering because Bill Simon may win but at Shawn Steel’s claim that everyone saw the electricity crisis coming (“Don’t Snicker ... Bill Simon Could Actually Win,” Commentary, Sept. 22). Who are these others, other than the smoke-and-mirror scam artists and energy-thief cronies of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney? Not only were these conservative Republicans responsible for the so-called energy crisis, but the misconceived energy policy of this administration is still based on the input of these people. By the way, I remember when the brainy and money-making dad of Simon Jr. was involved in the energy crisis of the ‘70s, and his great wisdom was to “keep your tank topped off,” which only exacerbated an already bad problem.

Jack Seidman

Long Beach

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Republican cheerleader Steel has a point when he writes that Davis might be defeated by a “lean and hungry challenger.” But Simon? Lean and hungry? He’s a bloated plutocrat who owes his position 100% to his father’s fortune and wouldn’t know hunger if it bit him.

Lorenzo Semple Jr.

Los Angeles