Government by Ballot Initiative Is Dangerous

Re “The Cost of Cut-Rate Democracy” (March 30), “A Little Too Much Initiative” (editorial, April 4) and “Inglewood May See a Corporate Takeover” (April 4): Thank you for so intelligently voicing the dangerous movement toward democracy via the clipboard. Isn’t this trend simply another form of special interests (in the current case, Wal-Mart) using money to buy favor and power? Those who pay for initiatives and the advertising for them should be required by law to declare openly who they are and what they will gain if the issue gets to the ballot and passes. We elect legislators to carefully study and craft issues and proposals, and our role is to communicate our concerns through them. Street-corner government is terribly dangerous.

Sylvia Rousseve

Los Angeles