California’s irreparable divide

“Trump’s star rises as California becomes political hub. “Even progressives have limits”», (sacbee.com, November 10)

The outcome of the 2024 election reveals an uncomfortable truth: The Golden State is irreparably divided.

California, like myriad states in our beleaguered Union, presents a cultural fault line between virulent and incongruous ideologies. Urban and coastal areas overwhelmingly supported Vice President Kamala Harris, while President-elect Donald Trump painted rural areas of inland California red. This societal divide will haunt the state for decades.

The disparate regions of California are mired in a loveless marriage. It’s the political equivalent of the 1989 film “The War of the Roses,” in which two bitter spouses continue to share their marital residence while undergoing brutal divorce proceedings. Spoiler alert: the film does not have a happy ending.

Fortunately, there is a solution: Coastal and inland California should divorce amicably. While liberals preserve the coast, conservatives could create a new state or merge with a neighboring state. People would still benefit from mutual trade while rejecting a failing political union.

Benjamin Holmes

La Mesa

Notice

History repeats itself

“We have now seen for ourselves how fascism rises to power in our own backyard | Notice», (sacbee.com, November 10)

Hitler began to hate Jews shortly after World War I. It took many years of hatred and lies from the Nazi movement before World War II fully broke out. My mother’s uncles and aunts were sent to Auschwitz by Mussolini in 1944 from the island of Rhodes because they were Jewish. My grandfather emigrated to America in 1920 out of fear of the rhetoric propagated by fascism.

Education is essential to remember what happened and how a possible repeat of a hateful period is planned for our future, ultimately threatening our democracy.

Rochelle Kirchner

Oceanside

Folsom rejects sales tax

“Folsom’s rejection of sales tax measure is resounding rebuke to its ruling elite | Notice», (sacbee.com, November 8)

Folsom Mayor Mike Kozlowski recently told The Bee that the City Council’s support, while unanimous in favor of the measure, was not vocal. This is simply not true. The measure was not unanimous. We voted to approve the ballot statement which was procedural, but we never took a vote to approve or not approve the measure in any capacity.

It was up to the voters to decide, and the voters made their voices heard. We, the City Council, need to prioritize the budget based on needs versus wants while being more accountable for where we spend the money.

Anna K Rohrbough

Member, Folsom City Council

Selfish drivers

“Devoted grandfather was second man to die at dangerous Sacramento intersection», (sacbee.com, November 11)

This intersection is controlled by stop signs. What more can the city do? The problem is that, collectively, we have become grossly selfish. This selfishness is particularly evident on our roads: people drive like idiots because they want to get where they want to go.

The city can waste even more money planning, studying, considering and implementing traffic calming measures, but ultimately selfish drivers will speed recklessly and innocent lives will be lost.

Greg Foster

Sacramento