About the editor: Governor Gavin Newsom’s threatened boycott of Walgreens over its decision not to sell the abortion drug mifepristone in 20 states puts him on a par with the vengeance of his nemesis, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He frantically throws darts at the board of socially repressive Republican policy, hoping one sticks.
Newsom has not done his homework on whether he has the power to boycott the resulting financial fallout. His motto should be “If they go deep, we go deep.”
His relentless reactive pressure on conservative Republicans is fed directly into the narrative of his enemies. If Newsom is so irritated nationally by conservative Republican politics, he should simply run for national office.
His brand of moral superiority irks many Californians, even though his views align with our political views.
Steven Lutzer, Los Angeles
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About the publisher: I was a Walgreens pharmacy customer. At age 76, it costs me a lot more to get the abortion pill, but it’s totally irresponsible of Walgreens not to offer it to patients with red conditions.
I’ve had two abortions in my life, one illegal and one legal, and I wish I had access to safe abortion pills at the time.
While Walgreens in California still offers the pills, I’ve taken my business to a local pharmacy for now. Wish I had done it sooner: there was better customer service, no long waits on the phone, and finally no tons of receipts.
Carolyn Young, Glendale
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About the publisher: No one should be shocked by Walgreens’ ill-advised decision to put patient health at the end of the line. Previously, she had spectacularly demonstrated her “fire, steady, aim” business model.
Lured by the sales pitches of the now-convicted former leaders of Theranos, Walgreens executives spent tens of millions on an untested blood-testing device that turned out to be ineffective. The ensuing lawsuit painted a complete, damning picture of Walgreens’ credulity and incompetence.
Given this highly publicized embarrassment, it’s not surprising that Walgreens decided to retreat to a cave rather than risk the bright light of controversy. Ironically, his decision to neglect his duty to his clients may lead to more discussion and criticism.
Mark Steinberg, Los Angeles
Source: LA Times