Before arrests, city officials lobbied Congress in vain Re: “Capitol Police arrest D.C. mayor at protest,” April 12
It was good to see Mayor Vincent Gray, Chairman Kwame Brown and other members of the D.C. Council protesting the D.C.-specific riders on the budget Congress just passed. Getting arrested may have been worthwhile for them politically, though I doubt anyone will remember in two years.
However, I think D.C. would have been much better served if the media had reported that all those protesters, as well as District Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, had been lobbying Congress to remove those riders before the budget bill was passed.
Vernon Mallu
Washington
Democrats fight over power, not economics
Re: “EPA’s days as ‘rogue’ agency are numbered” & “Democrats will yield on everything but abortion,” April 11
Congressional Democrats’ approach to their pet projects demonstrates that their spending policies are not about economics. They are about power.
The evidence is their different reactions to proposed cuts to Planned Parenthood and the Environmental Protection Agency. The former is being defended tooth and nail because of its consistent support for Democratic candidates. The latter is being reined in because it is unpopular with the electorate.
As members of Congress on both sides of the aisle often are, Democrats are being tempted by power at the expense of ideology. The policy proposals that have emerged from the latest budget debate are merely a means to that Machiavellian end.
Jacqueline Otto
Research associate.
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Washington
Compared to debt, budget cuts are insignificant
Re: “Boehner scores historic win in test of leadership,” April 10
President Obama, Sen. Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner pat themselves on the back for avoiding a government shutdown by making a deal on $38.5 billion in budget cuts, but that’s just political chump change where there’s a $14.2 trillion public debt (which will reach $19.6 trillion by 2015) and the interest on the debt this year will be over $530 billion.
Contrary to popular political belief, the American people are more informed than ever. We recognize Washington’s abuse of power, fraud and deceit, and we are not going to take it anymore.
If our elected representatives and officials don’t get their act together and work out something like House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s “Path to Prosperity” budget plan, voters will make even more changes in Congress in 2012 and beyond until Washington gets it right.
Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.
