Editor:
I hate to disagree with my friend "Bum Rap Bauer", but his twisted criticism of Democratic Congressional candidate, State Sen. Ted Lieu, is simply not fair, and smacks of distorted one-sided propaganda ("In ‘Lieu' of Waxman," April 22).
Lieu has a record of effectiveness and progressivism in Sacramento, a record that no other congressional candidate can offer.
Among numerous other proposed laws, and as chairperson of the Assembly Banking Committee, he proposed the California Subprime Mortgage Reform Act to stop predatory lending.
Perhaps Bauer's prejudice is showing, since Lieu supports the shutdown of Santa Monica Airport and Bauer may not.
Or is it Lieu's support for affordable housing, and protection of rent control, or Lieu's criticism of the Hines project, or Lieu's support for Councilperson Kevin McKeown's positions on slow growth development, and the reining in of the rampant development in SM. Ted is endorsed by the California League of Conservation Voters and the Humane Society Legislative Fund. And he's the only candidate officially endorsed by the California Democratic Party.
Maybe Bauer has something against Lieu's military record in the Judge Advocate Generals' office, or Lieu's courage to stand tall with homeowners and tenants against the big banks when Lieu was chairman of the Assembly Banking Committee and nailed the banks lending practices — so much so that the banks had Lieu bounced off the committee entirely at the next legislative session. The list is extensive!
Picking one unpopular position of any candidate is unfair, without showing the "other side" of their positive actions and positions. Let's be fair to State Sen. Ted Lieu. He deserves credit where credit is due. He may well be our next congressperson, and we will be fortunate to have elected him.
Jay Johnson
Santa Monica
