Splashed by the liberal wave

Re "Halt to 'liberal wave' is claimed" (Page A1, Dec. 2): Tom McClintock declared victory in Northern California's 4th Congressional District by asserting that he has turned back a "liberal wave that swept over America and lapped at the edge of this district." What, exactly, is so threatening about a liberal wave, given the devastating damage the GOP tsunami has caused during the last eight years? I'm appalled to think I might soon be landlocked on McClintock's self-righteous little island while the warm sea of open-minded change and optimism flows around me.

– Alison Rood, El Dorado Hills

McClintock sets wrong tone

Even before the winner of the 4th Congressional District seat was officially announced, Tom McClintock had displayed his conservative self-righteousness by declaring victory over the scourge of the "liberal wave that swept over America." McClintock's premature chest thumping is a feeble attempt to label the will of the U.S. voting majority as though it were some infectious disease that needs to be eradicated. What McClintock has really done is to alienate and dismiss 49.7 percent of 4th District voters and set the tone for his approach to representation in the House. Thank goodness for the fact that this seat comes up for re-election in two years.

– Paul Avery, Rocklin

Santa came early to Legislature

Re "Salary hikes ignore deficit / Legislative staffers: 214 receive pay raises" (Page A1, Dec. 1): Merry Christmas to all who took cuts in pay, suffered layoffs and business closures and to the former Mervyns employees who now have no jobs or paychecks. But don't let the lines at Loaves and Fishes fool you; those folks just want something to eat for free. Don't let the unemployed and homeless give you a guilt trip, even if they were working and had a house this summer before the meltdown. They're just going through a "rough spell." Let's celebrate Christmas in the names of those who worked so hard to balance the budget, promote equality and problem solving. They've already received their hard-earned reward for "services rendered" for a cause that really wasn't that serious, since someone found a little nest egg and found ways to distribute it to the "right" folks. Let's all wish those aides and their bosses a guilt-free Christmas and for heaven's sakes, admonish them not to notice the foreclosure signs and unemployment lines as they go to the mall. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa, and his name is the California Legislature.

– Andrea Cool, Sacramento

Too many strings on balanced budget

Re "Special sessions quickly ordered" (Capitol & California, Dec. 2): Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls another special session to resolve the state's budget problems. However, he has conditioned his approval of a balanced budget on measures reducing employee protections and reducing environmental standards.

If the governor cared about balancing the budget, he would not be adding on irrelevant issues as a condition of signing a balanced budget.

Schwarzenegger has had a major role in creating the fiscal problems we have today. His first act was to increase the existing general fund deficit by reducing tax revenue by $6 billion. Since then, Schwarzenegger has consistently proposed and signed budgets with deficits. In 2005, the governor proposed or supported bond issues involving many billions of dollars through the initiative process.

In the current situation, a fiscal conservative would support increased taxes and reduced spending to secure a balanced budget. Evidently these days the Democrats are more fiscally conservative than the Republicans. Nevertheless, both parties seem extraordinarily irresponsible about spending public funds.

The issue is balancing revenue and expenditures. Governor, stop playing the usual games.

– Robert Holcomb, Sacramento

No military solution to terrorism

Re "India suggests terror plotters in Pakistan" (Page A6, Dec. 2): The horrors resulting from the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, last week make clear that the worldwide struggle against terrorism has no primary military solution. India has become a major military power with extensive land, naval and air power including nuclear weapons. Yet it seemed helpless facing 10 or more terrorists who created havoc in a major urban center for more than two days as the world watched.