Letters to the Editor: Gavin Newsom deserves to be fired, but not in a recall vote

To the editor: A recall election would create yet another political circus at a very fragile time in California. We shouldn't, however, minimize the impact of Gov. Gavin Newsom's incompetence. ("Gov. Newsom doesn't deserve to be recalled," editorial, Feb. 7)

Newsom's gross ineptitude during the pandemic contributed to unnecessary surges and ultimately jeopardized the health of residents. His political self-interest and cowering to business interests often usurped the truly scientific fact-based approach he falsely promised early on.

The results were a fragmented and inconsistent approach that prevented California from ever staying ahead of this pandemic. Newsom's hubristic, people-pleasing, self-righteous nature led to him sabotaging his own leadership.

This recall campaign may have been launched by some Republicans looking to wedge their way back in power. However, the campaign wouldn't have gotten legs were it not for a lot of dissatisfied Democrats who are tired of watching our governor bungle our recovery through this pandemic.

Newsom deserves to be fired, but it can wait for the next general election.

Steven Lutzer, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Your editorial board would be amusing if so many people didn't take you seriously.

After listing some of Newsom's many shortcomings, you write that it would be a waste of tax dollars to recall the governor "just months before a regularly scheduled gubernatorial election." That may be the first time that a year or more has ever been dismissed as being "just months before."

At the same time, you think that an impeachment to remove a president from office who is already out of office makes perfectly good sense.

Sorry, L.A. Times, but your partisanship is showing.

Burt Prelutsky, North Hills

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To the editor: I was with you for the first two paragraphs, until you got to the part about insanity.

So, the reason we should not recall someone who doesn't know what he's doing is because we might get someone in office who doesn't know what he's doing?

Jim Heideman, Garden Grove

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.