Readers React: Don’t break up California in the middle of its fight with the Trump administration

To the editor: Californians are overwhelmed from without and within. As President Trump tries to divide and conquer, even sending National Guard troops to our border with Mexico, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper aids and abets him by seeking to destroy the most powerful state in the union. (“Breaking up California should be much harder to do,” editorial, April 21)

As Brexit attempts to reject European inclusion, the so-called Calexit effort and Draper’s new initiative to divide California into three parts attempt to upend this state’s model of inclusion.

California represents the “new America.” Its cultural enclaves have softer edges. Its economy drives job growth here and nationally. What we need is a new national state of mind that embraces our unique heterogeneous society and sets an example for the rest of the world.

Bruce Cort Daniels, Running Springs, Calif.

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To the editor: Why is Draper’s idea to split up California gaining momentum? The answer would surprise the elites in Sacramento.

Californians pay among the highest taxes in the country. The returns on these taxes are an education system that ranks close to the bottom in several categories, the nation’s highest poverty rate, crumbling infrastructure and record homelessness. Meanwhile, what is Sacramento doing? Wasting money on the bullet train, among other things.

California has been run almost exclusively by one political ideology for two decades as these problems have piled up. Not surprisingly, many Californians see the problem as a big, bloated, unresponsive government that should be replaced. One way to do that is to break it up.

I for one will vote for splitting California into three states. Any difficult issues that would arise could be resolved through negotiations.

Donald Lopez, La Mirada

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