PUBLIC FORUM.

Wording of Prop. R

Why is our local government so corrupt as to mislead the voters on a simple ballot measure? The writer of Proposition R knew the use of ``change'' term limits rather than ``extend'' term limits would probably get the measure passed.

Unfortunately, many voters, not knowing there was already a two-term limit, only read the title and assumed ``change'' meant a limit. Why doesn't some enterprising reporter track down those responsible and get them fired?

-- Dick Battin

Woodland Hills

Coming back to town

Re ``Democrats take Virginia, Senate'' (Nov. 9):

Yes Virginia, there is a ``Sanity Clause.'' Christmas came early for the Democrats and the entire nation. The GOP better be good, better watch out, better not shout, better not shred or frown, because checks and balances are coming back to town.

-- Jerold Drucker

Tarzana

Tug of war 

These election results remind me of the strategy in tug of war, in which the losing side holds the rope until the point where it knows it has lost. Then it lets go. The other side wins, but falls on their backsides, thus looking ridiculous in victory.

And so the Dems, whose position and platform has merely been to oppose, are now in charge. They enter an economy with unemployment and tax rates at historic lows, and house ownership and the stock market at unprecedented highs. Good luck and God bless.

-- Roger Olsen

Burbank

Still not listening

Post-election, President Bush has changed from ``stay the course'' to ``stay until we win'' (in Iraq). He missed the point of the whole election: Iraq is not winnable.

A case in point is the recent capture of the city of Samarra, a city of 700,000, by a lightly armed band of Muqtada al-Sadr's militia. It is no longer deserving of the lives of our soldiers nor the expenditure of our national treasure. The people have spoken but Bush, as usual, is not listening.

-- Milt Stone

Valencia

At long last

Now that the election results are in, I am laughing out loud at the right- wing nuts on talk radio. The American people, after six years of disastrous government policies, have had enough. I'm now cautiously optimistic our troops will be home soon, big business, especially Exxon Mobil, will be reined in and the hemorrhaging of American jobs will at least be slowed. Congratulations to the winners.

-- Robert Matano

Cayucos

Victory dance

Free at last, free at last, thank God we are free at last! Free from the tyranny of the Bush Jr. and ``Devious Dick'' Cheney fascist-like administration. The Bush Baby is without a doubt the worst president we have ever had in the history of the United States. ``Devious Dick,'' the Herman Goering of this administration, will go down in history as the worst vice president since Spiro Agnew, another right-wing wacko.

Cheney, Halliburton's ``Man in the White House,'' will now be relegated to sitting in his counting room, counting out his ill-gotten gains from his former company.

-- Zachary A. Charles

Burbank

Save the last dance

Well, the easy part is over for the Democrats; now it's put-up time. It is now up to the party of no plan to come through. I predict if they gridlock government for the next two years with frivolous investigations, they will be out en masse in two years. If they cut and run, and terror goes out of control, they're out. If we get hit again (of course, they will try to blame Bush), they're out. If they give amnesty, they're out. If they try to pass massive tax increases, they're out.

So if I were them I wouldn't be dancing around so much. They're being given one chance. If they blow it, it will be the end of the Democratic Party as we know it.

-- Brinton Marsden

West Hills

Winners, losers

Who are the winners and losers? The big winners are all terrorists around the world. This is a signal that our new Congress will no longer have the stomach to go after the extremist fanatics that want us all dead.

The real losers are all Americans, who will soon see their tax cuts disappear, etc., etc., etc!

-- Robert Kunz

Canoga Park

Good and bad drugs

In response to the ``Drug-induced haze'' editorial (Nov. 3) and the LAPD's recruiting policies: In cases in which individuals have moved on from their days of youthful experimentation, wanting to serve the greater good, why condemn them?

The social discrimination is apparent in the new recruitment measures that allow cocaine as an acceptable prior but not the so-called ``poor man's'' drugs, of heroin and methamphetamines. In this way, the poorer experimenter, who may have persevered from the toxic environment of his/her youth, is defined by his/her past, while his/her wealthier counterpart is not. Ideally you want law enforcement to be the model citizens of society and it is an ugly truth when those who try to rise above their past to fill the model are shut down.

-- Farima Kafai

Granada Hills

Ah, the French

Now we can be even madder at the French! Our invasion of Iraq is a fiasco, and the French were smart enough not to join us in this disaster.

-- Emy Lenoir Blackwell

Granada Hills

Reassess Prop. H

Re ``City must reassess affordable housing after Prop. H fails'' (Nov. 8):

Is it seriously any wonder why this measure did not pass? Councilwoman Wendy Gruel had it right when she said it was a result of voter fatigue. Having to sort through measure after measure and proposal after proposal asking us to figure out how to spend money and what to spend it on is incredibly intimidating to voters.

Once we've voted, we are stuck worrying about the actualization of each proposition's claims. As a voter, I simply suggest that the city take the next few months to re-evaluate the issue and spend the time to inform us about what it hopes to accomplish. Help us make the new measure a priority the next time we vote.

-- Christina Alvarez

Sylmar

No vote, no complaint

Re ``Not a privilege'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 9):

Both President Bush and Sandy Sand got it wrong. When you look at our Constitution and rest of the world, voting is a right and a privilege. Those of you who did not vote had your chance to be heard and you remained silent.

There were a couple of races that were decided by as few as 30 votes. You have no business complaining about increased property taxes or anything else that government does.

-- Irving Leemon

Porter Ranch

Priorities

Re ``Clinton the rogue'' (Your Opinions, Oct. 29):

I find it beyond contempt that anyone could equate a little lie that President Clinton made to placate an incredibly immature faction of America (Republicans?) to a series of lies starting with the WMDs in Iraq that now has well over half a million humans dead, and unending billions of dollars flowing into the same pit that broke the back of the Soviet Union. Which do you prefer? Which is our business?

-- Bill Wambold

Winnetka

Name calling

Re ``LAUSD alleges money panel of mayor a `sham''' (Nov. 9):

How interesting to find LAUSD calling campaign operations of the Mayor's Office a ``sham.'' Isn't this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

-- Carolyn Whitehead 

Canyon Country