Level the playing field; put an end to gerrymandering

ISSUE | POLITICS

Stop gerrymandering

State legislators draw their own legislative districts in Pennsylvania, producing weird maps that assure that they are reelected and that party control is untouched by voters ("Target redistricting,"

Jan. 17).

Our courts usually ignore the results because they are political.

Children can explain checks and balances, by which the three branches of government - legislative, executive, and judicial - assure that law, order, and democracy survive. But our legislators award themselves safe seats without any working checks or balances, and the legislative body behaves accordingly.

We need to fix that by creating a commission of citizens - not legislators - to draw the election districts. The state chapters of Common Cause and the League of Women Voters are urging that the state constitution be amended and an independent commission created to draw more tidy, evenhanded districts for Congress and the state legislature.

With the help of the public, we will restore a responsive legislature

|Ken Myers, chair, Common Cause of Pennsylvania, Elkins Park, kenmye@gmail.com

ISSUE | IRAN DEAL

It's their money

A letter voiced a point I keep hearing from friends, politicians, newscasters, and columnists. It insinuated that the United States is giving Iran $100 billion of our money ("Release of Americans cost $100 billion," Thursday) .

The fact is that we are releasing Iranian money in bank accounts that we had frozen. We are giving away nothing.

It has been one of the talking points of opponents of the nuclear accord. I have rarely seen it challenged or corrected - another case of lazy journalism.

|Kenneth Veith, Philadelphia, warren.veith@verizon.net

ISSUE | CAMPAIGN 2016

By backing Trump, Palin helps Democrats

Just when it seemed that failed vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin had gotten off the public stage, she emerged to endorse the irrepressible, irascible Donald Trump ("Palin endorses Trump in stinging setback for Cruz," Wednesday). No wonder the Republican presidential front-runner was beaming upon receiving Palin's imprimatur - the union of two know-nothings is no doubt gratifying for both.

I would not be surprised to see Palin named Trump's running mate, a ticket that would almost certainly place Hillary Clinton in the White House, turn over the Senate to the Democrats, and vastly diminish the GOP's majority in the House.

The pair is well-matched in their ability to deliver insults and to be mean-spirited - just what the country needs to further divide us.

Trump-Palin in 2016: Hillary Clinton's dream ticket.

|Oren Spiegler, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

I know I should take this much more seriously, but Palin endorsing Trump is like Barnum endorsing Bailey.

|Kenneth M. Foti, Malvern, kfoti36@yahoo.com

ISSUE | EDUCATION

Robotics contest shows good side of schools

It is difficult to read the newspaper and not find an article bashing the Philadelphia School District. Perhaps those with a negative outlook should have paid a visit to Central High School on Jan. 16. They would have seen 29 teams of young people, mostly from city schools, participating in a robotics competition. Students and teachers were engaged, enthusiastic, and eager to display their talents in presenting and operating the robots they had made.

This event shined a positive light on the students and teachers of Philadelphia's schools who really want to learn and excel in spite of the circumstances they find themselves in. Kudos to the University of Pennsylvania's sponsorship and to the team and coach from

C.C.A. Baldi Middle School in the Northeast for an outstanding performance and for capturing first place.

|William Martin, Warminster