Split State for Triple Clout in U.S. Senate

I enjoyed your article on the splitting up of California (“Split Personality,” July 25). There is one extremely important point I feel you left out, though: If California split up (into three states), we would finally get the proper representation in the U.S. Senate that has been lacking for so long.

We would have six senators representing three culturally different areas and, if people vote, all the conservatives, liberals, minorities and other groups would finally have more say.

ALEXANDER APPLE

Sherman Oaks

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There is a better solution. The Northern (California) counties should ask to be annexed by Oregon, with which they share much.

Los Angeles County should ask Nevada to accept it (with a corridor along Interstates 10 and 15). The rest of Southern California could become part of Arizona since residents have like attitudes. The remaining counties would be a truncated California.

The advantages? Los Angeles would be able to tap Nevada gambling tax revenues to rescue its crumbling service structure--which is only fair since Angelenos leave so much of their pay in Las Vegas.

And there would be no need to redesign the American flag, nor any need to write three new state constitutions.

ARTHUR K. LEE

Hawthorne

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We need to secede or perhaps merge with Baja (California) and keep our money here instead of sending it to Washington. Or maybe Mexico would take us back.

STUART E. POWER

Redlands

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The illustration used to accompany the “Split Personality” article has crossed the line into objectionable political statement.

The state of California, as portrayed by J.T. Steiny, is exclusively populated by white men. There are no women, no African Americans, no Latinos or Asian Americans.

I expect more of The Times, the paper that claims to represent all the people of Los Angeles.

L. VIRGINIA BROWNE

Los Angeles