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Larry Elder. Campaign photo

The Sage from South Central. Even more extreme than Trump. The recall candidate to beat.

Larry Eldergoes by a lot of labels these days. If hes tough to pin down, thats because hes such an unlikely politician: A Black man who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, went to an Ivy League college and became a conservative provocateur.

In a state dominated by Democrats for 15 years, hed make an even more unlikely governor. As millions of Californains suss out what theyre supposed to think about him as they vote in theSept. 14 recall election, Elder sat down with CalMatters reporters and editors for an hour-long interview.

This conversation took place beforePolitico reported on allegations from Elders ex-fiancee that he brandished a gun at her while high on marijuana.Elder denied that he waved a weapon, but did not respond to other allegations: I am not going to dignify this with a response its beneath me.

CalMatters has invited Gov. Gavin Newsom and his major challengers to sit down and chat. Here are five highlights from the discussion with Elder:

Elder is especially clear on this point: He thinks hes gotten a raw deal from the left-wing media since he announced his campaign last month.

I dont have a tail, I dont have horns, he said, before noting that he also doesnt club baby seals and eat their heads. While his views onlabor policy,gender equalityandracehave been characterized by the Newsom camp and even somefellow Republicansas extreme, Elder says theyre rooted in common sense and Economics 101.

In the latest in a string of stories unearthing past controversial comments, bothCNNand theSan Francisco Chroniclepublished articles documenting what he has said about women.

He also mentioned that hes written books and made documentaries. Despite their commercial success, he claims, theyve been skimmed over by the arbiters of merit and taste newspaper book reviewers and the Oscars.

Its just surprising that Ive been shut out like this, he said. Im from the hood. I ought to be a success story.

Not that depicting himself as a media target and picking fights with fault-finding reporters doesnt have its political upside. Just ask Donald Trump. For Elders supporters and many recall voters, the disapproval of the chattering classes may serve as its own endorsement.

Thats the term Elder uses to describe his policy platform. Its a consistent line and one that hes been repeating for as long as hes been a public figure.

The biggest challenge in California in general is the intrusiveness of government, he said. I believe that a government that governs less governs best.

Hence his views on the minimum wage (there shouldnt be one), pregnancy discrimination prohibitions in the workplace (leave it to the market), public welfare programs (it encourages women to marry the government), public schools (he prefers school vouchers), state-funded health insurance programs (you need to have competition) and recreational drugs (he supports legalization).

Longtime conservative talk radio listeners and Fox News aficionados will know Elder by his more than 20 years of public opinionating. But for many California voters, he remains relatively unknown.

Thats in part Elders doing. Hes skipped three campaign debates so far,a strategy thats frustrated some GOP insiders. Elder insists its because hes not running against the Republican rivals, but against Newsom.

But debating also runs the risk of making a gaffe or coming under sustained attack a risk that Elder apparently doesnt believe he needs to make.

I have a substantial lead over my Republican rivals, thats one of the reasons why they want to debate me, he said. If I were sitting at 2% in the polls, Id want to debate me as well.

Elders years in the media world have given him a knack for talking politics in a way to draw an audience, but also sometimes to inflame.

So, yes, he opposes the Californiasrecent expansion of Medi-Cal, the public health insurance program for low-income people, to undocumented immigrants. And no, hes not going to use the term undocumented immigrant.

Likewise, climate change activists and conservationists are environmental extremists, the reformist district attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco are soft on crime and safety net programs pushed by Democrats represent an attack on the nuclear family.

One of a governors most powerful policy levers is his ability to appoint to the judicial bench, to vacated constitutional offices and to the states many regulatory commissions.

While Elder doesnt have a short list of names for any of those possible appointments, he takes inspiration from Washington, DC. When selecting a judge or justice, he would model his selection on self-described originalists like Clarence Thomas and the late-Antonin Scalia.

And for the state Board of Education? Somebody who has the same philosophy as the former Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, he said.

But there was one former DC bigwig Elder was not inclined to talk about: Stephen Miller, the former Trump advisor, whoseearly start as a right-wing provocateurbegan on Elders show.

Why would you bring up Stephen Miller? Elder asked, repeatedly. Im just wondering what the agenda here is. Whats the point? Am I somehow what a Nazi? A fascist?

CalMattersis a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias Capitol works and why itmatters.

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Recall Front-Runner Larry Elder Says Hes a Libertarian and I Dont Have Horns - Times of San Diego

Letters to the Editor| South Bend Tribune

So Jackie Walorski and others of her ilk think that President Biden should resign based on the loss of 13 American troops in Afghanistan. Lets see …Sept.11, 2001. George W. Bush was president on the day that foreign terrorists attacked Americans on our own soil, killing 2,997people and injuring 6,000.

I dont recall anyone, Democrat or Republican, Independent or Libertarian, left or right, conservative or progressive, calling him unfit and demanding his resignation. No one is downplaying the terrible losses that occurred on Aug. 26, 2021, but to call for the presidents resignation when other presidents have had worse losses on their watches is unbelievable. My take is that there are those in Congress who are unfit and should resign.

Special shout out and thanks to St. Joseph County Commissioners Derek Dieter, Deb Fleming and Andy Kostielney for their hard work in securing an additional year of leaf pickup for taxpayers in the county. The leaf pickup has often been a source of frustration, but last year (2020) it worked quite well with the improvements made by the commissioners and the leaf vendor. If is great to see a productive use of taxpayer dollars so thanks for your great work, county commissioners.

JamieO'Brien,

Granger

The writer is a former St. Joseph County Council member.

I am writing in regards to all the chaos we see in this nation. We once lived our lives based upon Judeo-Christian principles and values. We now live in a country that has embraced a materialistic and secular worldview.

We have set aside a Christian worldview with its principles and values to engage ourselves in things that are temporal without an eternal perspective. In 2Chronicles 7:14, The Lord says "If my people, which are called by my name,shallhumble themselves, andpray, and seek myface, and turn from their wicked ways; thenI will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

This is the time for us topray for our nation.

John Pozsgai,

South Bend

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Letters: Call for president's resignation is unbelievable - South Bend Tribune

With the football season fast approaching, the number of candidates on the Sept. 14 recall ballot could almost fill a National Football League roster.

But while 53-man NFL teams want Super Bowl rings, the 46 recall candidates hope to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom if a majority of California voters agree to oust him before his term ends in 2022. A recall candidate needs only a plurality of votes to become governor if the recall succeeds.

Heres a look at the four candidates with Inland Empire ties.

Resides: Calimesa

Party: Libertarian

Platform: A Riverside County supervisor representing the San Gorgonio Pass, Moreno Valley, Perris, and Menifee, Hewitt is one of the highest-ranking elected officials affiliated with the Libertarian Party.

The former Calimesa mayor supports school choice (to) bring about better learning environments for our students and student savings account plans to make college more affordable, according to his website.

Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt, left, is embraced by Mickey Valdivia, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency treasurer, before Hewitt announces he will run as a Libertarian for governor in the upcoming recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom at the Mind & Mill in Riverside in April 2021. (File photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Chauncey Slim Killens wears a Trump flag as he waves at cars during the Save America Rally at the Duck Pond in Temecula on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, during the inauguration of Joe Biden as president. (File photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Republican gubernatorial recall candidate for governor Robert Newman lives in the Redlands area. (File photo by Stan Lim, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG).

Sarah Stephens, who is running for governor in the upcoming special election, speaks at an anti-mask protest in Palos Verdes on Aug. 11, 2021. (File photo by Daniella Segura, Contributing Photographer)

Hewitt also is calling for more investment in water infrastructure, including raising dam heights and building two new reservoirs. He wants to streamline the permit process to build more homes, pay down public employee pension debt and create what he views as more sustainable retirement options for civil servants.

Hewitt, who is in his first term as supervisor, has made headlines for urging his colleagues to defy the states coronavirus business restrictions. He also was the subject of a civil claim alleging he sexually harassed a county employee that was settled for $50,000. Hewitt denied wrongdoing.

Another claim from a former staffer accusing Hewitt of harassing and discriminating against her is pending. Hewitt has not commented publicly about the claim.

Website: http://www.hewitt4ca.com

Resides: Winchester

Party: Republican

Platform: A retired corrections officer, Killens said via email hes running because Americas God given freedoms have been slowly eroding at the state and national levels.

I have high moral standards, a quality that is lacking in the current political arena, and I will do what I say, he said. I have common sense, not politically correct common sense, and I will use that to solve the majority of problems overnight because Im not going to be a career politician.

If elected, Killens said he would (allow border) patrol agencies to do their jobs and reject any attempt to cut law enforcement funding.

He opposes coronavirus mask and vaccination mandates and wants to reduce homelessness by creating a program (to) provide jobs and living arrangements so that (the homeless) can be productive and eventually take care of themselves without the government incentives, which continues to exacerbate the problem.

Website: http://www.witnessinthepublicsquare.com

Resides: Near Redlands

Party: Republican

Platform: Its the sixth gubernatorial campaign for Newman, whose ballot designation is farmer/psychologist.

Dr. Newman is Pro-God, Pro-life, traditional marriage, U.S. Constitution, agriculture, business, and truckers, read a statement on his campaign website.

He supports returning those in the nation illegally to their country of origin, building a border wall and (guarding) it with the same security we use to secure our private homes, offices, and government buildings.

Newman is critical of California water policy-makers, whom he argues more heavily yielded to environmentalists pressure than to the needs of the end users. As a result, (millions) of gallons of water are wasted by dumping it into the Pacific Ocean.

Website: http://www.newman4governor.com

Resides: Her campaign uses a Riverside mailing address

Party: Republican

Platform: She is running with the slogan Make California Gold Again. Stephens describes herself on her campaign website as a wife, mother of five beautiful children, a pastor, community leader, and motivational speaker.

We have incredible people, incredible businesses, and incredible resources, her website read. However, the people of California have been shut down, abused and not protected and have not been given the freedom to thrive. It is time for the people to be spoken for.

If elected, Stephens, who states she is pro-life and a defender of free speech and the right to bear arms, plans to cut taxes and regulations and (cut) billions of dollars of spending to unnecessary unproductive causes.

She supports school choice There has (been) so much unhealthy indoctrination in schools and allowing home-schooled kids and charter schoolchildren to take part in public school programs. Stephens also supports allowing people to opt out of vaccines without having to give a reason and opposes coronavirus restrictions on in-person worship services.

Website: http://www.makecaliforniagoldagain.com

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Meet the 4 Inland Empire candidates on the Gavin Newsom recall ballot - San Bernardino County Sun

Many people believe that the existence of strong and effective vaccines against COVID-19 implies that governments have the right to issue vaccine mandates. Under a mandate, residents must be vaccinated before they are allowed to enter places of work, schools or businesses.

This view has it exactly backwards. Paradoxically, it is the weakness of the existing COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine delivery system that justify vaccine mandates. Weak vaccines require strong laws.

The question of what governments or employers are authorized to do is first and foremost a question of political philosophy. Within political philosophy, deciding not to take a vaccine is a classic example of a decision whose consequences are not purely private.

Suppose that Robert (named in honor of the late, libertarian political philosopher Robert Nozick) chooses not to be vaccinated against COVID-19. By remaining unvaccinated, Robert is more likely to spread COVID-19 to other persons. In the language of economics, Roberts decision imposes a negative externality on others. Therefore, a government has the right to regulate Roberts otherwise private decision to remain unvaccinated, just as it has the right to limit pollution. Roberts liberty interest in remaining unvaccinated is overridden by the public benefit in widespread vaccination.

Many proponents of vaccine mandates end their analysis here, but they shouldnt because Robert has a response. Suppose that COVID-19 affects only adults, that a vaccine is freely available to all residents and that all residents are fully informed with respect to the vaccines effects. Suppose further that the vaccine is perfectly effective against COVID-19. Finally, suppose that everyone pays for their own health care and that persons who contract COVID-19 dont impose a cost on the health care system through congestion.

If all these conditions are satisfied, or even just more or less true, then the philosophical case for a vaccine mandate is quite weak. Yes, Roberts decision to remain unvaccinated increases the risk that others will contract COVID-19. But anyone can choose to eliminate that risk by getting vaccinated. Therefore, society is not justified in violating Roberts personal liberty by mandating that, in order to participate in civic life, he take a vaccine that he would rather avoid.

Robert would further argue that it is everyones personal responsibility to protect themselves against COVID-19 for example, by taking the vaccine if they wish to so a failure to exercise that responsibility is not a legitimate reason to infringe on his liberty.

From the standpoint of liberal (in the classical, English sense) political philosophy, Roberts argument is powerful on its own terms. But each of Roberts assumptions are empirically flawed. And because they are flawed, a liberal society in fact has a strong interest in implementing vaccine mandates.

First, COVID-19 affects children, and a vaccine has not yet been developed for all children. Moreover, even if an effective vaccine for children were widely available, a child who is unvaccinated is not responsible for that decision.

Second, society may also believe that communities that have faced historical discrimination and are distrustful of the health care system do not bear full responsibility for their decisions not to get vaccinated and deserve some protection from that decision through vaccine mandates.

Third, vaccines are widely available in the United States, but certain people such as the homeless and the undocumented may still have a difficult time obtaining access. Moreover, vaccines are not widely available in other parts of the world, and COVID-19 does not respect borders.

Fourth, existing vaccines are not perfectly effective against COVID-19. For example, even if vaccines reduce the likelihood of hospitalization by close to 90 percent, 10 percent of the total number of hospitalizations to date is still a big number.

Finally, in our health care system, society bears some of the cost of care and thus has a right to regulate individual health decisions that impose a high cost on the system as a whole.

Therefore, in the real world, Roberts decision to remain unvaccinated imposes costs, at a minimum, on children, disadvantaged communities, people in poorer countries, already-vaccinated individuals and funders and patients of the health care system. Moreover, none of these costs can be eliminated under our current constraints.

In other words, it is the limitations in current vaccine science and existing systems of vaccine delivery that justify incursions into the liberty of others. In a perfect world, liberty should prevail. But ours is not a perfect world, which makes vaccine mandates a legitimate part of a liberal society.

PrasadKrishnamurthy is professor of law at U.C. Berkeley School of Law, where he teaches and writes in the area of financial regulation and contracts.

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The paradox at the heart of the vaccine mandate debate | TheHill - The Hill

Letter writers| Fort Myers News-Press

I applaud Dr. Antonuccis plea urging everyone to get vaccinated.For the record, I am against vaccine mandates except in certain special situations and I fervently believe that Lee Health presents one of these special situations.Lee Health should and must mandate vaccinations for its staff.I have heard the argument that many on the staff would quit rather than be vaccinated.Frankly, maybe this is something that needs to happen.

How can they advocate for action they themselves dont follow?Is it that everyone should be vaccinated except the Lee Health staff who come into contact day in, day out with COVID-19 patients?It makes no sense.The staff go home and no matter how they sanitize and take precautions, they put their families, neighbors and the community at risk each time they go out in public because the virus is so highly transmissible.

These individuals are doing heroic work and their dedication is commendable. But isnt it time for them to do what they ask of everyone else?

Charlotte Newton, Fort Myers

According to Rep.Byron Donalds, If I hadnt had COVID-19, I would have gotten vaccinated…. If somebody doesnt want to be vaccinated, to be blunt and with all due respect, thats no business of yours.

With all due respect Mr. Donalds, it is our business. Florida is a COVIDhotbed with a record 242 dying each day, because only 52 percentare fully vaccinated, and our governor has banned mask mandates. The vaccinated are generally protected from serious illness, but children under 12are totally vulnerable, as are many adults with health issues.

In addition, the unvaccinated thwart herd immunity and enable the virus to mutate into more serious variants. People like you, Mr. Donalds, who have recovered from COVID,arent immune and still need a vaccination to stop further spread.

It is disturbing that our self-professed libertarian-leaning congressman believes America is predicated not on our unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but on his license to kill. Mr. Donalds, forgive my bluntness, but your philosophy is not libertarian, its libertine.

Connie B Holzinger,Fort Myers

In the last twoyears of the Trump administration, the Democrats controlled the House. During that time, the House had 14 different Democrat-controlled committees launch 50 investigations into the Trump administration.

Some of the matters investigated were: obstruction, inflated assets, his family security clearances, slow aid to Puerto Rico, conflict of interest, national emergency declaration, emoluments, abuse of power, citizenship question on census, gag orders on staff, short term insurance plans, border security policies, move of FBI headquarters to suburb, border wall funds and, of course, Russia. Can anyone tell me how any of these investigations turned out?

Now we obviously have a crisis in Afghanistan and at our southern border along with many other issues (inflation, gas prices, deals with the Taliban, Hunter, origins of the virus, the virus itself, crime). Can you show me what committees of the House are investigating the Biden administration on anything? Does that indicate what the real motive of the Democrats has always been?

Ron Wobbeking, Naples

In the pantheon of American heroes, Washington, Lincoln and Eisenhower made contributions to our country that are enduring.

However, each man's historical record is not perfect. Washington lost more battles than he won; Lincoln's Civil War resulted in catastrophic loss of life; and Eisenhower's Normandy Invasion endured days of horrendous losses before success was achieved due to the incredible sacrifice and bravery of Allied troops.

As we watch the events in Afghanistan unfold in real time, one wonders if our impressions of yesterday's leaders would have changed if cable news, and live streaming coverage, had been at the battlefields of prior wars.

War was hell then, and war is hell now. One difference today being that we are subjected to instantaneous exposure, assessment and condemnation of leadership. That is not to say that President Biden is a Washington, a Lincolnor an Eisenhower. But it is to suggest that he is being attacked with instantaneous ridicule and daily denigration. Some criticisms are justified, but many are as valid as the integrity of the political pundits who deliver them to their voracious viewers. The long-term wisdom of history will determine Biden's legacy, not the transient trollers on the TVtube.

Manny Cacciola, Fort Myers

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Letters to the editor for Tuesday, August 31, 2021 - News-Press