California politicians' long game of musical chairs
RIP Art Wilson
Art Wilson's horse racing columns were always excellent and informative. He truly loved horse racing, and it showed every Friday in the Sports section. Art knew how to tell a story, an example being how confident he was that Vigors would win the 1978 Santa Anita Handicap (which is exactly what happened). But he could also pay tribute to personalities, a recent example being Toby Keith in what turned out to be his last column.
And if you followed Art in the paper or on social media, you know that Sham was his favorite horse. Art also knew how to play the ponies, and that showed with his picks in this newspaper over time. He simply understood the fun that exists in horse racing, and he chronicled both the fun and the good that can be found in it. Handicapper, storyteller and writer.
Art was all of those. But he was also popular and respected, and Southern California racing was so lucky to have him. Thank you, Art.
— Alan French, Glendora
Re “A defense of the career politician” (Feb. 25):
While I agree with Rafael Perez's assessment that politicians should not be automatically penalized for being labeled a “career politician,” his analysis left out a key component of the dangers of long-time office holders: the arrogance of power exacerbated by our less competitive political landscape.
Too many are less interested in governance and representation and are more interested in maintaining a position of power to lord over others. In California, they play a game of musical chairs between Washington,
Sacramento, counties and cities, except no one pulls a chair, and the same people just take different seats.
Without lifetime term limits for non-federal elections, our choices in a one-party state are more akin to no choice.
— Timothy D. Bowman,
Laguna Niguel
Student loans
If the Supreme Court turned down Biden's request to pay off student loans, how is he paying them off?
How sad is it that parents struggled to pay for their children's education, while those who took out loans get them paid off. I understand it's supposed to be if their loan was $12,000 or less and for the last 10 years they've been making payments. But in 10 years with a $12,000 loan it wouldn't have been paid off?
— Terri Glaser, Simi Valley