Readers React: Split up the Golden State? No thanks, say readers.

Californians have plenty to complain about when it comes to their unwieldy, nation-sized state (and rightly so), but if the opinions of Times readers are any indication of broader public sentiment, they’re not about to give up on the Golden State.

None of the readers who sent letters responding to two Times articles this week on dividing California into six states had anything positive to say about Silicon Valley venture capitalist Timothy Draper’s proposed ballot initiative. In fact, most of the letters mocked Draper or posited some sinister political motive that doesn’t have anything to do with Draper’s public pining for good governance.

Here is a handful of those letters.

Bonnie Compton Hanson of Santa Ana ridicules Draper’s proposal:

OK, Mr. Draper, back to grade school. Don’t you remember “United we stand, divided we fall?” Why are you so obsessed with a “Cali-torn-ia”? Too impatient to let our earthquake fault lines do it for you?

It wouldn’t have anything to do with separating “them” from “us,” would it?

Sadly, after having spent $23 million in 2000 to try to get rid of our public schools, Draper is now trying to get rid of our entire public educational system, including our state colleges and universities. For a venture capitalist, I think he’s ventured out way beyond common sense.

Venice resident Kelley Willis says Draper’s campaign proves at least one thing about California is dysfunctional:

This shows that paying people to gather signatures for propositions should be illegal. If citizens actually wanted six states, they’d stand in parking lots, clipboards in hand, on their own time. Paying people to gather signatures is how corporations and the wealthy have bastardized the initiative system.

Lower the number of signatures needed and lengthen the time allowed to gather them, then make it an actual citizen initiative again, not a corporate wish list, by making it a felony to pay anyone to gather signatures, either by the hour or by the signature.

Ben Miles of Huntington Beach says the proposal doesn’t go far enough:

California, having an economy that ranks in the top 10 globally, would make a near-ideal nation rather than just another state (or states). The Golden State (Nation?) could be made up of six provinces (under its own federal system) or be a single, unitary entity.

Of course, the chances of California’s secession are zero. But imagine a progressive, Western European-style democracy and a more equitable economic system butted against an imperial giant.

Scott W. Hughes of Westlake Village likes California as it is:

California, as dysfunctional as it may be at times, is still a national leader. Draper’s absurd idea would make California the laughingstock of the nation.

Draper would in effect carve out a niche for wealthy white Republicans in the Silicon Valley. Sorry pal, California is diverse, and the vast majority of us like it that way.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion