Schwarzenegger Muscles In
The real travesty in the California recall circus is not that Arnold Schwarzenegger, an underqualified actor with an overinflated ego, may be the state's next Governor but that the recall election is happening at all [NATION, Aug. 18]. Both political parties have abdicated their responsibility to come up with tough solutions to the state's budget deficit, opting instead for the political cop-out of recalling Gray Davis. A recall is supposed to be an emergency measure to allow voters to remove corrupt officials. In California it is being subverted to remove an unpopular Governor. I fear this precedent may cause recalls in other states and have a paralyzing effect on the ability of elected officials to govern. To borrow titles from two of Arnold's movies, California's "total recall" may soon turn into the nation's "raw deal." ANDREW J. BINGHAM Kirkwood, Mo.
What ever happened to choosing the candidate best qualified to manage a state or a nation? With more than 130 candidates running, who does TIME put on its cover but the most famous California gubernatorial wannabe? Shame on you for helping to feed the misguided culture of celebrity. JAMES PLATH Bloomington, Ill.
Now the country is laughing at us Californians just as we laughed at the Texans over their protest at redistricting. But the underlying cause of both circuses is the same. This is about Republicans trying to seize power in a state by going outside the normal electoral process. Go ahead and laugh at us. We deserve it. But what's happening in this country really isn't very funny. MELANIE NICKEL San Diego
After the 2000 Florida recount, I was worried that California's distinction as America's paragon of peculiarity was in danger of being lost to another state. Happily the Golden State is once again playing the role as the country's flagship theater of the absurd. ROY KOMOTO South Pasadena, Calif.
The media frenzy around Schwarzenegger saddens me. I am sorry to see the low expectations we have established for a political candidate. The citizens of California deserve a Governor who is educated and politically savvy and can represent everyone. The recall election is not a Hollywood movie premiere. It is a costly process in which the citizens of California have much to lose. LINDA J. ROBERTSON Oakland,Calif.
For Californians to elect Schwarzenegger Governor would be the equivalent of New Yorkers' electing Sylvester Stallone Governor after 9/11. Running a state the size of California is not a job one just walks into. Californians must realize what they need is not an actor but someone with the experience necessary to get the state back on track. BEN MILANO Lindenhurst, N.Y.
The battle between Schwarzenegger and Davis could be called the Terminator vs. the Nauseator. Gentlemen, come out fighting! HERB STARK Massapequa, N.Y.
Sex and the Clergy