PUBLIC FORUM EASY TO UNDERSTAND.

Exactly what is sinister, devious or unfair about demanding that every Florida ballot be evaluated carefully, with bipartisan monitoring, in a presidential election where the initial tally showed the candidates separated by less than a thousand votes out of millions?

What is so hard to understand about the fact Gore indeed needs an army of lawyers to get anything remotely resembling fairness in a state where racism and political corruption are time-honored traditions, the legislature is tightly controlled by the local Republican machine, the entire election process is supervised by the woman who ran the Bush campaign and Bush's brother is governor?

- Guenter H. Dyrenforth

Canoga Park

We're proud

We Americans need to recognize what a unique democracy we have. Only here is it acceptable for dead people to vote for Democrats, most commonly in Chicago. Only here is it obviously acceptable to deny the right to vote to Americans serving in our military, based on the theory they probably voted for Republican candidates.

And only in the U.S. can we claim our Electoral College is the fairest, as long as we all accept the corrupt arm-twisting of Democrat lawyers to pressure our electors to change their votes. What a nation of responsibility, honesty, strength, integrity and courage we are.

- Stan Bass

Montrose

Need new guidelines

I've always been in favor of the Electoral College deciding the election of the president. Some states require each elector to vote for their own party - but this is not constitutionally mandatory in some states.

Can you imagine the temptation where one or two votes would change the (outcome) in an election as close as this one? A million-dollar offer could change someone's vote. Because of this, a close election could be bought. We need some new guidelines if some electors renege on their party vote.

- Howard Knudson

Van Nuys

Dimples and chad

Having endured the past two-plus weeks of counts, recounts, and discounts, I have a suggestion. The next two grandchildren of Al Gore, a girl and a boy, should be named, respectively, Dimples and Chad.

- Patsy Cappadona

Westlake Village

Don't worry

The Republicans should not have to worry about the pregnant ballot recount - the Democrats will demand they be aborted before the final count.

- Don Tanker

Burbank

Here's the plan

Since it appears Al Gore might lose the election in spite of the hand-manipulating of the ballots and an attempt to disenfranchise military personnel, I think I have a solution for him: Check out the registered voters in those three heavily Democratic Counties who did not vote. Assume that 55 percent would have voted for Gore had they voted, and 45 percent would have voted for Bush and divide the votes accordingly. If that doesn't work, check other heavily Democratic Counties and apply the same ``logic.''

After all, Bill Clinton has been promising Al Gore the White House for eight years. We wouldn't want to make a liar of Bill Clinton, would we?

- Lester D. Parker

Woodland Hills

Appeasement?

Re ``Parent pressure strains campus,'' Nov. 20):

When will the higher-ups in LAUSD gather the courage to assist rather than render impotent the very capable administrators they have put on site at Mount Gleason Middle School? And where's Mount Gleason's voice? Has the district gagged everyone there so they can't publicly defend themselves?

Is the district playing appeasement at the cost of a peaceful school year and the reputations of the school's administrators? I guess that's how the district rewards its school leadership for years of dedicated service. ``Rogue administration?'' How about a rogue parent?

- Janice L. McLaughlin

Van Nuys

Reigning in sprawl

Re ``Heated up'' (Public Forum, Nov. 20):

While the concept of restraining development in light of potential shortages of resources may seem simply logical, housing the existing and burgeoning population is not. And for those who believe that reining in sprawl would solve these issues, let's see who first among us is willing to trade in their small piece of heaven for a high-density, lesser-quality of life environment.

- Wendy M. Brogin

Sherman Oaks

Troubled mass transit 

The MTA has learned nothing and forgotten nothing. Its answer to everything is mega-projects with lots of contract money available for favored contractors, consultants, unions, lawyers, etc.

The abysmal record of overruns, low-balled estimated costs, highballed ridership estimates and incompetence is their legacy. Please, no tunnels, no grandiose schemes. Just flexible, frequent and dependable buses. For starters, put the 424, 425 and 522 routes back for Valley commuters.

- David Baxter 

Sherman Oaks

And the buck stopped

Joyce Johnson (Public Forum, Nov.14) might be interested to know we have already had a president whose business went bankrupt after three years. He then mortgaged his mother's farm to invest in two grandiose mining schemes (oil and zinc). Knowing nothing at all about mining, he soon afterward lost all the money. He subsequently entered into a partnership to purchase a bank that failed six months later. Not having done his homework, he was not aware the bank was already operating on shaky ground.

He was elected to the U.S. Senate through the auspices of a corrupt political machine in Kansas City. Nine years later he was president. His name was Harry S Truman, and he served our country well.

- C. Hannemann

North Hills

How to educate

Re ``Testing teachers'' (Editorial, Nov. 2):

Teachers impact lives, especially if they are enthusiastic, conscientious and caring. The ability of a teacher to educate cannot be quantified by test score. Our schools are brimming with teachers who can regurgitate information to pass a CBEST but are apathetic and lack cultural perspective to lead, reach or teach African-American children.

Cultural differences exist in language, learning styles and cognitive approaches - to ignore them is racist. The CBEST should reflect these differences to provide students of all races with teachers they deserve, teachers who don't just give and pass tests but understand how to educate.

- Lisa Smith

Burbank

Life imitating art 

Michael Douglas (Gordon Gecko) to Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox) in the movie ``Wall Street'': ``You're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you, Buddy?''

- John Patrick

Crystalaire

Harris was elected

Re Gary Avrech's letter (Public Forum, Nov. 17): Katherine Harris was not appointed Secretary of State by Jeb Bush. She is a duly elected state official, and in fact, Jeb supported her opponent in the primary election. Elected officials owe us impartiality in carrying out their official duties, but they are not precluded from participating in campaigns when their public office is not implicated or compromised.

Harris' public duties became implicated after the vote was cast. Campaigning was over. She is enforcing Florida law. Those who disagree should address themselves to the Florida legislature, not engage in smear tactics against the duly elected public officials who have the obligation to comply with the law.

- Pat Kennedy

Reseda

False promises

Re: ''Older folks earned vote hard way,'' Nov. 22: The Republican ridicule is no surprise. These arethe people who gave us Watergate, Iran Contra andprotected the tobacco industry for 50 years. Is therecent violence by Bush supporters at the Miami Dadecanvassing board an indication of how George W.Bush will bring us all together? It's unfortunatethat so many independent voters fell for Bush's falsepromises. They should have asked why he worked so hardto hide his questionable past. If he wins, let's hopehe follows in his father's footsteps and becomes aone-term president.

- Mike Green

Los Angeles