PUBLIC FORUM.

Bratton's the best

Re ``A safer city'' (Our Opinion, Sept. 21):

I couldn't agree with you more that Chief Bratton deserves a second term. We have the best chief in the nation, and Bratton will undoubtedly go down in history as one of our best. Under Chief Parks, there was a disconnect between law enforcement and the people, and the Los Angeles Police Department lost 1,000 officers. Chief Bratton has made great strides in community policing, with more residents getting involved and forming partnerships with police officers.

This city can't afford to lose his leadership, and we should applaud his accomplishments and support his efforts.

-- Monica Harmon

Los Angeles 

Safe haven 

Re ``Extradited and indicted'' (Our Opinions, Sept. 19):

Rafael Arellano Felix's extradition to the United States was a good thing, even though it was scheduled to be done two years ago. It's a great thing that this drug kingpin will be held accountable for his crimes here in the United States. In this case, San Diego.

But for you to say that Mexico is more interested in prosecuting criminals than protecting them is an overstatement. In Mexico, money and power determine your fate. Mexico is and will always be a safe haven for criminals unless something is done about it.

-- Kevin Long 

Northridge

Bread-and-butter jobs

Re ``Thumbs down on Congress'' (Sept. 19):

Oh, yes, we're certainly outraged by what Congress has been doing to our nation -- but this is definitely not the point. The majority of ``actual voters'' are concerned for their jobs. This includes all those employed by the defense industries, the drug and gun manufacturers, the petroleum companies, the security forces, the military, NASA, the CIA, corporate giants, and the religious right.

All these people know on which side their bread is buttered. I lost my job when Carter was elected and cut the B-1 bomber program. When push comes to shove, special-interest empires will always run our government -- and the masses (largely nonvoters) be damned.

-- Fred Coble 

North Hills

Where did he go?

I didn't find a picture of Mayor Villaraigosa in today's paper. Has he been ill?

-- Bruce Jones 

Eagle Rock

U.S. vs. world

Re ``Venezuela's leader labels Bush `the devil' at U.N.'' (Sept. 21):

The speeches by Chavez and Ahmadinejad at the U.N. and responses by the countries in attendance should disturb all loyal citizens of the U.S. I wonder how many of those countries have and are receiving millions of dollars in aid from us.

The New York Times and all other liberal newspapers, plus all the liberal TV and radio talk hosts, plus all the Democrats that constantly bash Bush and U.S. are doing nothing but fueling this discontent in other countries and allowing these two idiots to install their anti-American ideas. I think the U.S. should cut off dollars to these countries, get out of the U.N. and provide all the people in this country who support these two tyrants with airline tickets back to those countries.

-- Joe McMillin

West Hills

Democrats paved way

Re ``Venezuela's leader labels Bush `the devil' at U.N.'' (Sept. 21):

While I do sincerely appreciate both Nancy Pelosi's and Charlie Rangel's ire at Hugo Chavez's remarks toward George Bush, one must still ask: Why would he think he can come to this country and say such things? The answer: Because many Democrats, many of our major media sources and many of our ex-politicians have said as much, and sometimes worse for years now, and many times on foreign soil.

So why wouldn't Chavez feel he could just wade into the ``can you top this'' disrespect toward our president and our country? But I doubt that Rangel and Pelosi even realize their own words, at various times during Bush's administration, have helped pave the way.

-- Roger Olsen

Burbank

Something rotten

Re ``Venezuela's leader labels Bush `the devil' at U.N.'' (Sept. 21):

What revelation did this man give the world in the first seconds of his address to the world body? I did not know the devil smelled of sulfur; he must have experienced it before to know that. And I am sure that the ``sulfur'' smell Chavez experienced while addressing the U.N. must have lingered from his visit with Castro at his private hospital before coming to the U.N.

-- Miguel Miguel

Reseda

Real choices

In his column titled ``McCain's moment is now,'' Richard Cohen states, ``Democrats ... have nobody who approaches McCain's stature.'' Cohen seems blinded by his devotion to McCain and has not done much research. Without detracting anything from other excellent potential Democratic candidates, I offer Gen. Wesley Clark.

Wesley Clark is a man of honor, a West Point graduate (top of his class, by the way), four-star general, decorated Vietnam veteran. Definitely a ``man of his word.'' I proudly drive around Los Angeles with my Clark '08 bumper sticker. Neither McCain nor Clark have announced their candidacy but I welcome a face-off between McCain and Clark in 2008.

-- Al Saavedra

Sherman Oaks

Who benefits?

Re ``Voter ID, barrier bills target illegals'' (Sept. 21):

It's no wonder Democrats don't want the bill passed. They would lose the illegal vote. Voter registration is very lax and anyone that fills out a registration form is more or less granted the right to vote, as proven by KCAL (Channel 9) news a few years ago when they went through the rolls and found many illegals registered to vote, including a Mexican criminal that was getting two ballots every election.

A wall won't keep illegal immigrants out as long as no one checks carwashes and kitchens for documentation of workers and as long as people who come here illegally, after having children born in the U.S., are granted citizenship for those children.

-- John Gonzalez

Saugus

Political ads

I have no idea when they started. I do know that they will stop on election night. But let's face it, we all dislike those summer reruns on TV. But these ads are the worst. At every commercial break, they give you something you viewed just minutes ago.

I do wonder about the folks placing these ads. It occurs to me they're turning the public off. By the time Election Day gets here, how many people are so totally inundated that they become a member of that great majority that just don't show up at the polls at all? Please, I stand here willing to be energized, but again, please, not bored to death.

-- Doyle Gilbert

West Hills

Ever higher

I predicted this decline in gas prices to my friends months ago. I remembered that before the elections in 2002 and 2004, gasoline prices went down. Within two months after the election, the prices climbed back up again -- and to a higher peak than ever before.

-- Jean Strauber

Encino

Drives me crazy

Re ``Meeting the drive behind Romer'' (Sept. 18):

Since my taxes pay Manny Covarrubias' salary, I wonder if he could also pick me up at LAX. It would only be three or four times a year, not every two weeks.

I would drop off my own laundry off.

-- Barbara Miller

Los Angeles