Postmortems on the proposition deaths

In response to John Ziegler’s wonderment at the defeat of Propositions 75 and 77 (Opinion, Nov. 10), I can offer this to explain my “no” vote on 77 (redistricting): While I would love to see California’s districts “un-gerrymandered,” the possibility of electing even one more Republican to the Legislature, and therefore likely to Congress, trumps all for me.

The incredible damage done to our country in the last five years has one core cause: complete Republican control in Washington. When your house is infested with rats, your first task is to prevent any more from getting in.

STEVE CHAMBERS

Cowan Heights, Calif.

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How can Ziegler get things so terribly confused? I voted against Proposition 77 because the people who wrote it seemed to forget that judges are just as “partisan” as the rest of us. It would have provided way too much power for three people. I voted against Proposition 75 because when I first joined a public employee union, the card I signed definitely had a checkoff box regarding use of dues for political purposes. I opted in, while others opted out -- no trouble or pressure.

The ads about these and several other propositions were definitely full of distortions and sometimes lies. Thank goodness Californians have finally gotten back their usual clear vision and saw through the governor’s fiction-filled sound bites.

C.E. HIDALGO

Los Angeles

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Hooray for Ziegler. It was particularly disheartening to hear bald-faced lies coming from the lips of respected teachers in the union-sponsored election ads. Shame on our public employees. How can we expect our children to learn the truth from teachers who will lie for political gain?

MEGAN WAGNER

Newport Beach