Part-Time Legislature Is Full of Pitfalls

Professor Sherry Bebich Jeffe offers an enlightening longitudinal perspective on the need for a full-time, professional California Legislature (“A History Lesson on Part-Time Lawmaking,” Opinion Aug. 8 ). What’s more, in an age of gubernatorial recalls, judicial selection of a U.S. president and a mendacious war perpetrated by the executive branch of our national government, it is no time to weaken the lawmaking component of our state or federal tripartite structure. After all, it is these representatives who are most accountable to the citizenry in our democracy.

Ben Miles

Huntington Beach

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Since the majority believes we can trust Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, I don’t know what the furor is about. The Legislature may be full of “girlie men” who just want to debate how special interests divide our money. If we run California, seventh-largest “country” in the world, with a part-time Legislature, it will, in effect, make the governor a dictator. Who was that last Austrian who dissolved his legislature?

Hal Cohen

Los Angeles