Schwarzenegger’s financial ties

Re “Bulking up on ethics,” editorial, July 25

It strikes me as naive to think that a few million dollars in income are going to change Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s policy inclinations regarding the nutritional supplement industry. More important is his lifetime of involvement with the industry. How is this any different from a president raised in and around the oil business bearing responsibility for our energy policy? You can cut the obvious financial ties, but you cannot eliminate a mind-set shaped by a lifetime of experience.

Susan Meyer

Studio City

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The Times’ obsession with bashing Schwarzenegger is bordering on the ridiculous. When it comes to bulking up on vitamins or health supplements, Arnold would appear to know more about the subject than the collective editors at The Times. As long as associations and money earned are fully disclosed, I believe that is all any officeholder owes the public. Since when is it the business of The Times to decide how much a person should earn? Are only poor people qualified ethically to govern?

Mike Daley

Huntington Beach

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I enjoyed Kevin Spillane’s Op-Ed article about the governor’s need to retreat in order to advance (July 23). Although Spillane’s first few paragraphs were compulsory kowtows to Republican orthodoxy, the rest of the piece shows that his days as a Republican consultant are numbered. He advocates admitting mistakes! Spillane should tear up his application for a Rove Fellowship. Republicans don’t admit mistakes! Somewhat incredibly, Bush was reelected while claiming he was infallible. Spillane needs to shape up and get back on board. What a horrible breach of discipline!

Donald S. Burnett

Arcadia